Simba Group

AN EMPOWERMENT-DRIVEN CONGLOMERATE REACHING ALL CORNERS OF THE COUNTRY

SIMBA GROUP

Fit for

Nigeria 2 | Africa Outlook issue 80

How a simple idea to adapt a bicycle for local needs has transformed into a multifaceted, empowerment-driven conglomerate reaching all corners of the country Writer: Tom Wadlow | Project Manager: Josh Hyland

RETAIL

Africa Outlook issue 80 | 3

Online UPS (1-20KVA)

Online UPS (30-800KVA)

Single-Cabinet Integrated Data Center Unit

Energy Solution for Africa Energy Product Line

Modular Data Center Solution

Precision Cooling System

Battery (1.2Ah-3000Ah)

Shenzhen KSTAR Science and Technology Co., Ltd. founded in 1993, is a leading brand in power electronics and new energy products, including data center of critical infrastructure (UPS, battery, precision distribution), R&D and manufacture of PV and ESS solutions. According to the IHS Markit latest report, Kstar ranked six in the global UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) market and ranked top ten in the inverter market.

KSTAR has more than 3000 employees and 18 overseas branch offices in different countries since 1993. There are over 600 R&D engineers, the majority of whom have more than 16 years talented experience in inverter industry and data centers solutions.

KSTAR is committed to innovation based on global customer needs. By providing smart solutions of data center and PV inverters ,as well as innovative design, KSTAR products are safer,more efficient and more reliable, easy to install, creating value for customers to achieve better ROI with higher yields and lower maintenance cost.

KSTAR Nigeria Office E kyle@kstar.com | sales@kstar.com T +234(0)9070018888 T +234(0) 9098201068

www.kstar.com

SIMBA GROUP I remember the first model we co-created with our manufacturing partners – it looked so different to anything else that was being offered.

“It may have been a struggle to sell the first hundred, the first thousand… but it wasn’t long before the product, and the range that followed, gained traction and popularity. Within a few years, we took a commanding leadership position in the industry, with our five brands sharing 30 percent of the market.”

Vinay Grover is talking about the humble bicycle.

With origins tracing back more than 200 years, when Kral Drais invented the first steerable two-wheeler, it has

played a fundamental part in human mobility ever since, the simple yet effective design providing an economical, efficient means of getting around.

But even the simplest, most successful inventions can be modified for the better.

Grover is Founder and Managing Director of Nigerian conglomerate Simba Group, its multifaceted nature built on the foundation of a simple observation – that imported bicycles were not suited to Nigerian farmers.

“The average weight of a Nigerian adult differs from that of a Chinese or Indian person for whom the cycles offered here were being developed for,” he says. “The road conditions differed greatly, and so too did the

garments worn by Nigerian farmers.

All these seemed to be important considerations to take when designing a bicycle.”

The quickfire success of the Simba cycle prompted Grover to explore other products that could be adapted for Nigerian tastes and usage conditions, a concept which has stayed true to the group in the 30-plus years since it was founded in 1988.

“Though we are a much larger company now than we were back then, offering a diverse range of products and solutions to the Nigerian marketplace, I think this simple, yet fundamental idea still strikes at the heart of what we do at Simba,” he adds.

TVS HLX Plus – the best-selling Simba Group product

6 | Africa Outlook issue 80

Genus Innovation is an important part of the esteemed Kailash Group, worth USD 400 million. We design, develop and manufacture various eco-friendly solar power products such as Solar Inverters, Solar Panels, Solar Power Conditioning Units, Batteries and more.

Our high-capacity inverters feature our proprietary software technology, Auto Sense Intelligent Control or ASIC, and run on superior DSP chips. ASIC enhances battery life, enables

noiseless operation, diminishes electricity bills, provides maximum power backup, is ecofriendly, and ensures fast charging.

Our advanced manufacturing facilities in Haridwar and Jaipur, and our vast network of 2000 distributors and 7000 dealers, help us manufacture and supply cutting-edge products to public and private establishments. We are exporting to 22 countries and still counting .

Innovative Power Solutions for Everyone Serving quality technology & trust to society

25 th

Most trusted company of

INDIA. Solar Products & Roof Top Solutions

Series 2.5KVA - 5 KVA

750 VA – 2050 VA

Power Back-up Products

700 VA – 2500 VA

SPL 2B, RIICO Industrial Area, Sitapura, Tonk Road, Jaipur 302022, India | +91-9667123456 | info.innovation@genus.in | WWW.GENUS.IN

SIMBA GROUP “We are still about offering good quality products, customised for local tastes and the operating environment, backed by dependable customer service.”

Indeed, today the company operates through a network of 10 branches across Nigeria, enabling it to extend its reach to the remotest corners of the country.

Its products and services cover a number of vital sectors, notably agriculture, energy, IT and automotive, Simba’s 1,000-plus staff working across diverse industry verticals but united by a common vision – to enrich Nigerian lives with innovative products and solutions in partnership with world class organisations.

These include the likes of TVS Motor Company, Mahindra EPC, Luminous Power and Genus, major market-leading brands which have entrusted Simba to represent, build and, if necessary, adapt their products to suit the Nigerian market.

ENABLING EMPOWERMENT Enriching lives is, for Grover, the major motivating factor behind the group’s success.

It does so in many ways, the first and most obvious being the empowering impact of its array of products, the Founder and MD highlighting proudly just some of the ways Simba is uplifting the fortunes of Nigerian citizens.

“Our motorcycles and tricycles touch the lives of millions of Nigerians everyday – taking them to work, to school, to pray – driving them, and driving the economy in turn,” Grover explains. “Our inverters and solar solutions bring light into people’s homes, and our agricultural solutions help improve efficiency across the agricultural value-chain so that that the food they eat is affordable.

“But our impact is even more direct in terms of the employment generation our products create, even beyond our factory walls.

8 | Africa Outlook issue 80

BUILT ON BRAND POWER Simba Group is a conglomerate operating across several industry verticals, its products used in energy, agriculture, transport and IT use cases, among many others.

Central to its model is partnering with market-leading brands and offering them an entry into the Nigerian market.

For instance, it represents TVS Motor Company, part of the $8 billion TVS Group, assembling, distributing and servicing TVS motorcycles and tricycles in Nigeria.

“We are also leaders in the motorcycle and motorised tricycle business, with our TVS King tricycle enjoying a commanding share of the market, and our TVS HLX motorcycle being recognised as the fastest growing model in the country,” Grover adds.

“This model was developed exclusively for the African continent, with customised modifications for each market. TVS Motor Company has sold one million TVS HLX models in Africa, and the vehicle was even featured on Amazon’s Grand Tour programme presented by legendary motoring icons Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond.”

Another key brand partner is Mahindra EPC, part of the $20 billion Mahindra Group and specialist in agricultural equipment and mechanisation solutions.

Simba is also a leader in the inverter business. Here, it collaborates with Luminous (part of Schneider Electric) and Genus, offering customers respite from fluctuating power conditions by delivering always-on power.

SIMBA GROUP

Union Bank Your Simpler, Smarter Bank A proud 100-year heritage of supporting nigerians Union Bank of Nigeria (Union Bank) is one of Nigeria’s long-standing and most respected financial institutions, offering a portfolio of banking services to individuals, SMEs, commercial and corporate clients.

With a robust geographical network comprised of 288 service centres and over 950 ATMs spread across Nigeria, Union Bank has remained committed to helping individuals, families and businesses grow for over a century.

The new Union Bank With its ambition hinged on successfully delivering against six strategic pillars – quality of customer experience, client base, talent, banking platform, professional standards and earnings – Union Bank’s goal is to be Nigeria’s most trusted provider of quality banking services.

Simba’s manufacturing part­ners, including Luminous Power Technologies, cover power protection, safety, efficient deployment and technical aspects of the products “Firstly, there are the riders of the motorcycles and tricycles which are used as taxis, who earn a daily wage for ferrying passengers to and fro.

Then there are our dealers, microfinance partners and fleet owners who play critical parts in our value chain and ensure that the vehicles are made available to potential owners and investors.

“Finally, there are the tens of thousands of mechanics and spare parts dealers who repair and service our products and ensure that they are back ‘on road’ or ‘online’ as soon as possible.”

Beyond the transformative effect of its day-to-day business, Simba is also empowering communities through a sustained series of corporate social responsibility activities.

Grover identifies the Queen Riders programme as a particularly pride-inducing example, the scheme designed to promote female empowerment by 10 | Africa Outlook issue 80

building a safe environment for them to own and ride tricycles, the company providing assistance with purchasing and safe driver training.

Another impactful initiative involves the running of health check-up camps.

Here, Simba vehicle riders are invited to take part in company-sponsored health screenings for the likes of diabetes and eye problems, attendees also having their vehicles serviced free of charge at the same time.

“And of course, there’s our sponsorship and support of the Nigerian Football Federation,” Grover adds.

“We are proud to be the official motorcycle and three-wheeler of the ‘Super Eagles’ which has enabled us to not only contribute to the nation’s greatest pastime, but also bring our customers and rider community closer to the action with dedicated fan events and opportunities to meet with the players.”

Aggressive execution of this strategy is underway, and has resulted in a marked transformation of the bank’s people, processes, technology and structures, resulting in what many refer to as ‘the new Union Bank’.

Awards and recognition In recognition of the strides Union Bank has taken, it has received numerous awards including most recently, the ‘Excellence in Internet Banking’ award at the 2019 Finnovex Awards; ‘Excellence in Banking Innovation’ award at the 2018 New Age Banking Awards; ‘Fastest growing retail Bank in Nigeria’ at the 2017 International Finance Awards, and BusinessDay’s 2017 ‘Best bank to support Nigeria’s small and medium scale enterprises’ award.

On track to serve another generation Union Bank remains focussed on delivering customer-driven solutions that add value and support business and personal ambitions and position it as a strong player in the Nigerian banking sector, committed to being Your Simpler, Smarter Bank.

Our world class banking solutions help our customers meet their business goals.

With a heritage of over 100 years and our successful re-positioning, we deliver the simplest, smartest solutions to enable success for all our partners.

SIMBA GROUP CUSTOMER-FIRST The bedrock of the Simba community, however, are the company’s staff, those inside the factory walls that Grover has already eluded to.

Indeed, this dedicated team of people create what the Founder and MD describes as the company’s point of difference – an unrivalled attention to detail in the area of customer service.

“That’s in our culture… in our DNA, if you will,” says Grover. “How do we ensure that every member of the Simba Group knows this and knows how to respond to customer issues?

It’s through the importance we place on training.

“This not only includes a deep understanding of the technical parameters that define our products and services or an ability to respond to maintenance and customisation issues, but also the managerial skills that help build an ecosystem centred around providing timely, affordable and accessible service for our products.”

Grover also points to how investment in training stretches far beyond Simba’s direct employees, training which also contributes towards an enhanced customer experience.

For example, the TVS motorcycles and three-wheelers division has carried out advanced training for over 2,000 private garage mechanics from its training centre in Lagos. Another 20,000 have been trained across the length and breadth of the country, around a fifth of this activity in collaboration with the Nigerian Automotive Design and Development Council.

The group’s specialist inverter business is also busy training technicians to service its products. Known as Simba Service Kamps, these sessions have been carried out by Simba’s manufacturing partners, including Luminous Power Technologies, Genus Innovation, Kstar Power and Sollatek, covering subjects such as power protection, safety, efficient deployment and technical aspects of the products.

BROADENING HORIZONS Such a devout commitment to building expertise within the organisation and its partner network will continue to differentiate Simba as it progresses into the next chapter of its development.

This includes exploring and expanding into new sectors, agriculture representing a key focus for Grover in 2020.

“Nigeria is primarily an agrarian economy with more than 65 percent of its population deriving livelihood out of farming,” he explains. “The country, which was once a major exporter of crops such as cocoa, cotton, ground nut and palm oil, has become dependent upon food imports to feed its growing population.

“The paradox has demanded urgent intervention from the government and participation of private entities like us to step in and contribute to the revival of the sector.”

One of the agribusiness areas Simba has expanded its offering into is irrigation, identified as crucial to

Top: Simba Den and Simba TVS Outlet.

Left: Simba’s TVS Tricycles escorting the Nigerian football team to the FIFA World Cup 2018.

Above: Mr Manish Rohtagi presents MVP award to Ekong William at Adokiye Amasiamaka Stadium in Port Harcourt 12 | Africa Outlook issue 80

RETAIL

Philipson Global Resources Limited Philipson Global Resources Limited, a company primarily established to engage in signage production and digital printing. We print on different kinds of media such as Flex, Textiles, SAV, PVC, Tarpaulin, Mesh, window graphics and reflective films, both Front-lit & Back-lit.

We offer the following products and services: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Bill boards – Front-lit/Backlit Uni-poles Vehicle Branding Window Graphics Buntings Labels & Stickers Point of Sales & Fabrications Display Stands & Wall Drapes Graphic Design & Digital Photography Office Branding Company and Shop Signage Birthday Sticker Wedding Sticker

33, greenland street egbeda lagos Suit 26, cross town shopping mall iju road agege lagos, Alimosho, Lagos

Nigeria improving its levels of farming productivity and output.

“Today, one fifth of total farmland is irrigated, but it produces almost 40 percent of the world’s food,” Grover continues.

“To attain self-sufficiency in food production, Nigeria has no other option but to adopt irrigated agriculture on a massive scale. Currently only one percent of cultivated land here is under effective irrigated agriculture, meaning substantial room for productivity improvement exists.”

T: +2348022172628, +2348067825900 E: info@philipsonglobalresources.com W: www.philipsonglobalresources.com

Despite the pressing need for mass irrigation, Simba is determined to support such efforts in a sustainable manner, ensuring that water resources are not overexploited for short-term gain.

And it is this longer-term, sustainable development ethos that Grover is determined to maintain moving forwards, the company primed to contribute substantially to Nigeria’s ongoing socioeconomic development across many industries.

This will be achieved first and foremost through excelling in its own

operations, progress which will be ensured through increased training opportunities and establishment of a stronger presence throughout the country.

“And we will continue to pursue new opportunities which are in line with our investment philosophy, in tandem with our vision, and consistent with our values,” Grover adds in his concluding remarks.

“We believe in the future of this country, and will continue to invest where we see opportunities to enhance economic development and contribute to socioeconomic improvement, whilst building value for our stakeholders.”

SIMBA GROUP Tel: +234 (0) 815 083 2255 info@simba.com.ng www.simba.com.ng

Africa Outlook issue 80 | 13

SIMBA GROUP 77/79 Eric Moore Road, Surulere, Lagos, Nigeria Tel: +234 (0) 815 083 2255 info@simba.com.ng www.simba.com.ng PRODUCED BY AFRICA OUTLOOK MAGAZINE