Nelly Agbogu’s journey from a thriving corporate career in oil & gas and FMCG to becoming one of Africa’s most influential SME champions began with something personal—a mother’s love.
“My son had to go gluten-free, and nothing on the market worked. So I started baking in my kitchen,” Nelly recalls. What began as a quest to meet her son’s dietary needs quickly evolved into Come Again Foods (formerly Nellies Nigeria), a food innovation company producing healthy, locally sourced snacks like Ugu chips, Tapiokies, and Almond chin-chin.
But Nelly didn’t stop at solving her problem—she built a brand that now empowers thousands.
Building a Brand Against the Grain
Launching Come Again Foods wasn’t smooth. “People weren’t interested in baked cassava snacks. It took education, tastings, and consistent storytelling to break through,” she explains. She leaned on digital tools, built a structured reseller network, and mobilised her Naijabrandchick community for support—transforming a niche product into a pan-African presence.
The Power of Visibility
After mentoring over 100,000 entrepreneurs, one truth stands out for Nelly: “Visibility is oxygen.” A brilliant product means nothing if it’s unseen. This insight fuels everything from her content to her trade fairs and digital campaigns. Entrepreneurs must be present, strategic, and compelling in how they tell their stories.
Empowering Women Through Structure, Access, and Storytelling
In a turbulent economy, Nelly believes real empowerment comes from giving women:
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Access to platforms like NBC Trade Fair
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Structure for long-term business growth
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Storytelling skills to position and pitch their value
“Funding is great, but without clarity, structure, and connection—it won’t move the needle,” she says.
Technology as a Great Equalizer
Nelly champions digital transformation as a game-changer for SMEs. “With just a phone and a strategy, you can run a six-figure business today,” she emphasizes. For tech-hesitant entrepreneurs, she advises: “Start small. Automate one thing. Use free tools. Just begin. The cost of ignoring tech is irrelevance.”
The Future: AI Meets Community
Looking ahead, she predicts AI integration will define how African SMEs operate—customer service, marketing, logistics. But she warns: “Tech alone isn’t enough. Human connection, emotional intelligence, and communities will still lead.” The most successful businesses will blend tech efficiency with trust-driven ecosystems.
Naijabrandchick: From Tip-Sharing to Movement
What began as Nelly’s personal brand has become a powerful growth engine for African SMEs. Naijabrandchick now hosts mentorship programs, media campaigns, digital PR strategies, and global trade fairs. “We moved from giving advice to creating platforms,” she says.
This network effect has turned visibility into life-changing results.
Real Stories, Real Results
From her mentorship programs like DSI to digital campaigns, entrepreneurs have gone on to:
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Land multi-billion naira contracts (₦4.1m per ton for 5,000 tons of chicken)
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Secure ₦9m packaging deals from a single pitch
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Receive free warehouses from strangers inspired by their brand story
“These stories remind me we’re not just building businesses—we’re changing lives,” she adds.
NBC Trade Fair: Sales, Access, Community
Through NBC Trade Fair, Nelly focuses on real value for vendors—not just exposure, but sales, partnerships, and community impact. “In Abuja, over 70% of vendors exceeded their profit targets,” she proudly notes. Success is measured in transactions, repeat vendors, strategic partnerships, and regional economic stimulation.
Driving Policy Change through NASSI
As a Director at the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI), Nelly is shaping SME-focused policies. Her work centers on:
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Promoting digital adoption
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Expanding cross-border trade
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Enhancing access to finance
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Creating scalable structures for long-term SME success
In every platform she builds, every snack she develops, and every entrepreneur she uplifts, Nelly Agbogu is redefining what’s possible for African SMEs—one solution, one story, and one sale at a time
