BY CHRISTY ANYANWU
Chukwunonso Okafor is one Nigerian that is making waves in Istanbul, Turkey. He is the chief executive of Trinity Logistics Shipping and Cargo, Istanbul, Turkey. In just three years of setting up the company, he has become a force to reckon with in logistics and cargo handling business. Recently he spoke with Sunday Sun in Instabul, Turkey, on how he attained success in a foreign land. Excerpts:
What is the main focus of your business here in Istanbul?
We provide air and sea freight services, cargo logistics and warehousing from Turkey to any part of the world. We have branches all over Nigeria, mainly in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Benin, Abuja and Onitsha. We deliver your goods from Istanbul efficiently, safely and economically to its final destination. We are reputable freight forwarders, handling your cargo concerns with professionalism and ease. Trinity Logistics thrives on challenges; when you or your organization requires fast reliable and economical service, then we are the firm you should call. We are there to handle all aspects of your air and ocean freight concerns. We are also into railway construction, real estate and other businesses.
Tell us your journey into this business?
We have been into the business for three years now. God gave me the vision and by his grace the vision has been moving the way God guided me to lay down the principles. Even if we are not here again, people taking over the management of the business after us will also follow the mission statement of the business. I came into Istanbul eight years ago. First of all, I started buying ready-made goods like clothing. I have shops in Balogun market in Lagos Island. From clothing business, I went into cargo consolidation.
Are there other businesses you do, other than cargo handling?
Yes. Today, we have other businesses here in Turkey. For instance, we deal in Turkish doors (mainly security doors), roofing materials, tiles, furniture, hospital equipment, office equipment, diapers, general merchandise and everything you can think of with respect to building, construction, railway, hospital equipment, we have all in Turkey and we encourage Nigerians to come and get their doors in Turkey because they are of good quality. The door is soild security door that has been tested and proven with excellent finishing. We do hotel reservation, and also provide letter of invitation for people that want to come into Turkey for business; we connect people to companies in Turkey, we stand between the person and the company to make sure the business turns out well. We help customers in securing franchise business opportunities. Our achievement in just three years has not been by our power. God has shown us his mercy. When God directs you somewhere, He gives you the grac e and provides everything that you will need.
Do you have branches in other countries?
Our first branch was established in Okota, Lagos State and from there we expanded to Onitsha, Port Harcourt, Warri and Benin City before getting to Abuja. In Nigeria, we have the franchise of Trinity Logistics Shipping and Cargo. The registered name is Trinity Worldwide. We do so many things outside cargo. What we do mainly in Nigeria is to distribute goods to various destinations. That is the essence of the offices. If you are in Abuja, you don't have to come to Lagos to pick up your goods. Our customers just go to the office closes to them to pick up their goods. The aim is for our customers to have their goods as fast as possible. They don't need to come to Lagos where our head office is located. We normally ship goods by weekend. Once the goods are shipped from Turkey, by the special grace of God the goods get to Lagos on Wednesday and that same Wednesday the goods would move to other parts of the country where we have our offices. By Thursday, the customers collect th eir goods. Normally, it takes three to four days. Sometimes it's not up to four days. Essentially, we work hard to give our customers peace of mind and ensure that their goods arrive on time, with telling them any stories.
What are the challenges in the business?
We face significant challenges in this business. The first and major one is the fluctuation in exchange rate. The exchange rate of dollar is high and people who come for business here in Turkey complain that when they get back to their countries, the cost of the dollar affects their businesses negatively. Most of them have decided to wait till dollar cost is minimal. The second challenge is that most people want to come to Turkey but they have issues with documentation to facilitate visas. A lot of people want to come to Turkey for business but they are constrained by visa issues. The third challenge we have is from Nigeria. The Customs Service is a major headache and constraint to the business. Oftentimes, we hear complaint that Customs are not on duty or they are holding meeting which would affect the work of the day. Also, the basement where the goods are kept when they arrive Nigeria is not tidy. The Nigerian government should do something about where these goods are k ept. They need to check out how other countries are operating and look for avenue to follow suit. Most times, goods get lost; cartons are tampered with and even damaged under their care in NAHCO. For these inadequacies, the management of the freighting company is responsible for such damages. The Nigerian government should look into these abnormalities with NAHCO and Customs because we need to attract foreign investors to do more in the country. However, the greatest challenge customers who arrive Istanbul encounter on daily basis is the language barrier. That is why we are here as middleman between the customers and the people they are dealing with in terms of language. By the grace of God, we are here to assist buyers in terms of communicating in the Turkish language.
What is your vision for your business?
My vision is to spread the business all over the world. Not to enrich myself but to alleviate poverty for my staff and everyone around me. I want to see that peoples' lives changed from poverty level to middle class level. It has been proven here in Turkey. People who came into the company with nothing often leave as individuals to reckon with in the society. The vision is for all to benefit from the company while it exists. Yes, the business is moving fast. That's why the name is Trinity Logistics. The name Trinity was given by God. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost is the owner of the business. There is what they call the hand of God in whatever we are doing. When you find a place where God has called or positioned you and you are on the right track it makes mercy and the grace of God to cover you. What happens in Trinity is the handwork of God. God built this company to change the lives of people and it is a vision that God made very open. I keyed into i t and by His mercy He has been providing whatever that we need to keep the business going.
I want the company to go all over the world. Anywhere God leads me I will go. If we are not here in 100 years now this business will not die because the foundation is solid in God. My target is to see that this business keeps growing even when the CEO is no more. I want Trinity Logistics Shipping and Cargo to be a household name over the world. When I am not thinking about Trinity, it's either that I am in the church or my house.
Aside business, how do you relax?
For now, relaxation is out of it. 85 percent of my time is spent here in my office because it's a business that needs all your attention and your time. It requires a lot of concentration. We work minimum 13 to 15 hours everyday. It's not yet time for resting. We are not yet where we are supposed to be yet. If we get there, we will know and have a laid down plan to take a leave from work. Now, we are just building. The time to build is not the time to rest. I have to build now. When there is time for holiday, I wouldn't hesitate but the business needs my round-the-clock attention for now. The time to rest is to sleep and have a little rest with my family. I can't even travel as others because we want to see how the business is being operated because we are followers. The company is just three years old. We are still building. If we are where we want to be then, we will know what to do about our leave, rest, holiday and time.
As an entrepreneur in the Diaspora, what do you expect from the present government in Nigeria?
For the new administration in Nigeria, we hope that President Muhamamad Buhari will perform according to the slogan and manifesto we saw here in Turkey. He has been travelling. They should travel to places like America, Germany, and Turkey and learn from places that have gone ahead of them in the area of governance and see how they can implement what has worked elsewhere in terms of governance. We are expecting a lot of changes in this regime because that is what he promised Nigerians as a nation. Hopefully, God will empower him. No one can build a nation to a particular standard except God empowers him. We are expecting a lot of change from the aviation industry, transportation, electricity, water and roads. We are not asking government for money but we are hoping government will look into how to develop the rural and urban areas.
24 yrs boy started importation with N10,450. Read his story here!
Men, forget Viagra. Use these to increase your manhood size & strength
How to start a profitable importation biz with as low as N10,000 only
How watermelon made a Benin boy over N1,000,000 in 73days
Superb premature ejaculation spray. You 'll last 30minutes+
How to earn 40k-200k monthly from football matches almost on autopilot
3 Things I did to cure premature ejaculation after my wife left me
Small manhood and premature ejaculation limited my performance for 4yrs!
7 Simple yet amazing steps to earn over N200,000/monthly. Click here
How to get flat belly in just 9 days. Click here!
Earn N50,000 extra every weekend predicting football matches... Click here!
Click here now if you are interested in earning at least N7,500/daily
How a young Nigerian generate over N1,000,000/month via digital marketing
Generate as much as 150k-250k profit from your football betting investment
Incredible special offer! Amazing business that earns you N200,000/month
Exposed! How 23yrs Ijebu boy makes N270,000 with Facebook. Read story!
Work from home and get paid at least $1000 weekly!
Secret Online Business that pays you N25,000 weekly income exposed!
How we make N300,000 every 6weeks selling 10k catfish fingerlings at N30 each
Free e-book reveals how to get visa easily. Click here!
Source: I want to spread my cargo business all over the world –Chukwunonso Okafor, Trinity Logistics boss
No comments:
Post a Comment