Sales and growth specialists have identified a critical pathway for Nigerian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to overcome current credit constraints and achieve long-term, sustainable growth. Their collective insight, shared at the National Sales & Growth Conference 2025 (organized by Natella Business Academy in Lagos), centered on three core actions: leveraging intrinsic value, prioritizing high-conversion marketing, and deploying robust human resources systems.
The conference, themed ‘Unlocking Growth Through Sales Excellence and Business Development,’ highlighted that despite financial pressures, SMEs can still scale if they reinforce their value proposition, adopt marketing that directly translates to action, and establish internal structures that convert employee talent into measurable performance.
Dr. Joseph Edem, the Conference Convener and Director of Natella Business Academy, emphasized the necessity of adaptation. He stated that SMEs can thrive by adjusting their value proposition, regardless of challenging economic factors, including the 27% benchmark interest rate that has strained the sector. Edem stressed that businesses must critically analyze their target audience, existing resources, and potential for strategic partnerships to ensure sustainability. He cited a speaker example of an SME that secured financing by employing upfront payments and strategic margin planning—proof that success is “doable” with strategic thinking.
Edem attributed the failure of many small businesses to a fundamental misunderstanding of sustainability dynamics, noting that many are only focused on immediate profit, leading to collapse when short-term revenue drops. He founded the conference based on his experience as a revenue driver, asserting that sustained growth is impossible without strong sales and marketing functions.
Eyo Ekeno, MD/CEO of The RedWolf Company, focused on the need for adaptive marketing. Given that the contemporary consumer is “distracted” and overwhelmed by “a million options,” brands require a “laser-focused strategy” for converting potential customers into loyal ones. He urged brands to establish a distinct brand tonality to stand out in the awareness stage and to always include a clear call to action. Ekeno warned against vanity metrics—such as high enquiry volumes that do not result in sales—and stressed the importance of measuring tangible results. He highlighted that trust, understanding consumer needs, and exceptional experiences are crucial, noting that most customers (eight out of ten) purchase based on referrals, and a significant portion (three out of ten) will reject a brand if its values conflict with their own.
Finally, Stanley Eluwa, a human resources expert, reinforced the need to integrate HR into the core growth strategy for sustained performance. Eluwa emphasized that “HR must be in the business of the business,” enabling managers to fulfill their primary responsibility, which, quoting Marcus Buckingham, is to “turn talent to performance.” He added that effective HR systems must ensure the business strategy and objectives cascade clearly down to “even the person on the shop floor” so all employees can contribute effectively to the organization’s goals.
