Why Africans should explore direct selling industry - Expert

Mr. Biriam Fall, Regional General Manager, Sub-Sahara Africa, QNET, has identified the direct selling industry as a revenue-generating industry that Africans should explore for career opportunities.

Fall said this during the V-Malaysia 2024 Experience Media Sharing Webinar organised by QNET on Thursday in Lagos.

He said that direct selling was not only a promising career option but also a route to economic empowerment.

According to him, the industry provides an appealing opportunity to launch a business with minimal capital or logistic challenges.

“The industry has successfully enabled individuals, including those with limited resources, to start their own businesses and generate income, fostering entrepreneurship and skill development, ” he noted

Fall, however, noted that in Nigeria and many African countries, the industry had garnered attention for the wrong reasons due to the prevalence of pyramid schemes and fraudulent practices posing as legitimate direct-selling companies.

He explained that to overcome these challenges in the region, direct selling companies would need to take proactive measures such as adhering to codes of ethics, implementing training programmes, and enhancing transparency.

On what QNET is doing to clear these misconceptions, Fall said the V-Convention platform served as a benchmark for the direct-selling industry.

According to him, the unique platform fosters knowledge exchange, develops new ideas, and propels the industry forward by bringing together a diverse group of experts, entrepreneurs, and marketing professionals.

He said that through the convention, a lot of misconceptions about the direct selling industry were cleared by equipping Independent Representatives (IRs) with the tools and knowledge they needed to achieve success.

“Throughout the five-day event, educational sessions, product demonstrations, and insights from accomplished distributors provide a roadmap for building a thriving business,” he said.

Similarly, Mr. Akeem Ajisafe, Chief Executive Officer of Transblue Ltd. (a partner company of QNET), said the V-Convention was a platform that played a significant role in dispelling the misconception that direct selling was fraudulent.

According to him, the event highlights the value of direct selling as a means of personal and financial empowerment, showcasing the success stories of entrepreneurs who have built their businesses through QNET’s direct selling model.

Ajisafe said the convention was also an opportunity to showcase the latest trends and innovations in the direct selling industry.

Also, a journalist with Leadership, Royal Ibeh, who attended the V-Malaysia Convention 2024, said the experience was an eye-opener for her, adding that she garnered a lot of knowledge about the direct selling industry.

“Unlike the traditional retail selling model that requires a person to have enormous capital to set up a shop, the direct selling model eliminates those costs because it only requires social media and word-of-mouth to sell goods and services.

“I believe the direct selling industry is a huge opportunity that micro-entrepreneurs in Nigeria should leverage,” Ibeh said.

Another journalist who works at Voice of Nigeria, N’ankwat Dariem, said the company’s global reach offered unique opportunities for entrepreneurs, especially in Africa, to tap into international direct selling markets to further expand their business prospects.

Dariem, who attended the V-Convention in 2023, said the platform encouraged cross-cultural exchange and innovation.

An editor at Vanguard, Mr. Prince Osuagwu, who attended the convention in 2022, said the platform was an opportunity to exchange ideas about the direct selling industry and confidently start a business without needing sponsors.

He said it was also an opportunity to empower oneself with skills and encourage young people to be employers of labour.