Tag Archives: Nigeria

Michael Chudi Ejekam Educates Public About Retail Trend Via New YouTube Channel

Chu’di Ejekam, Chudi Ejekam, Michael Chu’di Ejekam, Michael Chu’di Ejekam Retail Development, Michael Chudi Ejekam, Michael Ejekam June 9, 2016 Michael Chu'di Ejekam Chu’di Ejekam Michael Chudi Ejekam Michael Ejekam Nigeria Retail Development YouTube

Expert retail developer and popular speaker, Michael Chudi Ejekam, releases new YouTube channel to share valuable insights and trends regarding retail development in Nigeria and beyond. Ejekam plans to share videos highlighting various retail establishments. To learn more visit: http://michaelchudiejekamrealestate.com/

New York, NY, United States – June 9, 2016 /PressCable/ —

Michael Chudi Ejekam, expert retail developer, shares his insights on market trends. Now investors or business owners wishing to build retail shopping malls or roll out grocery chains, have access to a new YouTube channel geared to educating about how to navigate the Nigeria market.

To Learn More Visit: http://michaelejekamblog.com/

Challenges in securing land, equity and debt financing challenges, high construction costs and dearth of real estate experience have hampered real estate development in Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy. Michael Chudi Ejekam, real estate expert, aims to help commercial businesses or potential investors navigate the inconsistencies and confusion regarding real estate developments in and around Nigeria.

“There are sizable challenges to overcome but in many ways Nigeria represents the perfect storm for real estate investment; huge population, rapid urbanization and a growing middle-class,” said Michael Chudi Ejekam, former Director of Real Estate at Actis, a London-based $7.5B private equity firm.

Ejekam aims to share expert insights into the rapid development and expansion in Nigeria to include full cycle retail investment and development: site origination, equity investment, planning approvals, development management, tenant leasing, asset management and exits. Visit the new site now:

About Michael Chudi Ejekam:

Michael Chudi Ejekam is a renowned leader in the “retail revolution”. He is a widely quoted retail thought leader, with strong local business and government relationships. Michael Chudi Ejekam served as Director Real Estate for W Africa for Actis, a $7.5B private equity firm- most active retail developer in Sub Saharan Africa (ex SA) for 7+ years. Ejekam originated $700+m in retail projects. Projects include $100m Ikeja City Mall Lagos, $120m Jabi Lake Mall Abuja and Accra Mall. Other projects include Heritage Place, Nigeria’s first green certified commercial building. Originated three upcoming Nigeria malls ranging from $150-185M each totaling over 40,000m2 each, which would be largest in the region. Additional information about Michael Chudi Ejekam can be found here: http://michaelchudiejekamrealestate.com/

For more information about us, please visit https://michaelchudiejekamretail.com/

Michael Chudi Ejekam Comments on Resilience of Shoprite’s Earnings in Nigeria

Chu’di Ejekam, Chudi Ejekam, Michael Chu’di Ejekam, Michael Chu’di Ejekam Retail Development, Michael Chudi Ejekam, Michael Ejekam May 3, 2016 Michael Chu'di Ejekam Chu’di Ejekam Michael Chudi Ejekam Michael Ejekam Nigeria Real Estate Retail Shoprite

Michael Chudi Ejekam, Expert Retail Developer, Comments on Shoprite’s strategy to be successful in Nigeria’s emerging market.

New York, NY, United states – May 3, 2016 /PressCable/ —

Chudi Ejekam, a recognized authority in retail real estate investment, comments on the resilience of Shoprite’s Nigeria earnings despite foreign exchange controls and a sharp drop in crude oil prices. Shoprite is Nigeria’s largest hypermarket by sales volume.

According to the Bloomberg article, derived from Shoprite Holdings half year financial results for the period ending Dec 31st 2015: “Nigeria showed healthy sales growth despite a slump in the price of crude oil and foreign exchange controls”, Basson said.

The retailer plans to open six Nigerian stores by December, adding to the 16 currently trading, and will also set up a distribution center in Lagos in the next couple of months to improve product availability. The Nigerian government depends on crude oil for over 70% of its revenues and over 90% of its foreign exchange earnings – therefore; the steep drop in crude oil prices had dealt a major blow to the country’s foreign reserves and had put the Naira under great pressure versus the U.S. dollar.

As explains, “as a countermeasure, beginning in June 2015, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced a ban on the ability to access foreign exchange via the official exchange rate to purchase 41 items. The CBN also introduced other measures to essentially ration foreign reserves, making it more difficult for many businesses in Nigeria to secure U.S. Dollars to import key inputs. Many retailers, especially those that were import-dependent were hit hard, and have had challenges securing the Dollars to replenish their stock. Further, the sharp drop in the parallel market Naira exchange rate, meant that certain retailers effective dollar revenues from Nigeria sales would be reduced, with many being compelled to raise their prices materially. Shoprite on the other hand, secures 76% of the items that it sells in Nigeria from local suppliers, of which 38% are manufactured locally. Therefore, Shoprite’s results have been relatively insulated from the foreign exchange shocks and Shoprite avoided material price increases. The resulting earnings, demonstrate that Shoprite’s business model is smart and defensive and well suited for an emerging market like Nigeria. Other retailers should pay close attention…and learn!”

About Michael Chudi Ejekam

Michael Chudi Ejekam is a renowned leader in the “retail revolution”. He is a widely quoted retail thought leader, with strong local business and government relationships. Michael Chudi Ejekam served as Director Real Estate for W Africa for Actis, a $7.5 B private equity firm- most active retail developer in Sub-Saharan Africa (ex SA) for 7+ years. Ejekam originated $700+M in retail projects. Projects include $100MIkeja City Mall Lagos, $120M Jabi Lake Mall Abuja and Accra Mall. Other projects include Heritage Place, Nigeria’s first green certified commercial building. Originated three upcoming Nigeria malls ranging from $150-185M each totaling over 40,000m2 each, which would be largest in the region.

Michael Chudi Ejekam started his career on Wall Street, as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch in New York.

He graduated with Honors from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, with BSc in Economics with a Concentration in Finance. He received the Howard E Mitchell Award for academic excellence and extracurricular contributions. Learn more about Michael Chudi Ejekam .

For more information about us, please visit

Michael Chudi Ejekam, Retail Developer, Extols Future of Pick N Pay in Nigeria

Chu’di Ejekam, Chudi Ejekam, Michael Chu’di Ejekam, Michael Chu’di Ejekam Retail Development, Michael Chudi Ejekam, Michael Ejekam April 28, 2016 Michael Chu'di Ejekam Chu’di Ejekam grocery chain Michael Chudi Ejekam Michael Ejekam Nigeria

Expert retail developer, Chu’di Ejekam, praises the possibility of Pick N Pay and the future of the retail market in Nigeria and Sub Saharan Africa.

New York, NY, United States – April 28, 2016 /PressCable/ —

Michael Chudi Ejekam, a recognized authority in retail real estate development, discusses a recent article about the planned entry of a major grocery chain into Nigeria and the problems faced by prior attempts by other retailers.

Ejekam says, “Though some retailers have struggled and exited the Nigeria market, those with the appropriate business models can survive and thrive. In many respects, Nigeria represents the perfect storm for retail as well as real estate investment; Large and growing population of 180 million, burgeoning middle class, rapid urbanization, high growth in household consumption. The same positive trend applies to many markets in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria’s population is forecast to grow to 400 million population by 2050 in a land mass about 30% larger than the US state of Texas.”

Nigeria is the largest retail market in Africa with nearly $200 Billion annual total retail sales forecast for 2016. Only 5% of groceries sales, for example, is via formal retail channels. Kenya, in contrast, has 30% formal penetration.

Ejekam continued to say, “Despite huge demand versus supply imbalance for Nigeria retail; retailers struggle to scale. Retail scalability is limited due to challenges in securing land, high construction costs, difficulty in securing equity and debt financing, high rental rates, the dearth of development expertise, limited pool of tenants with appropriate business models for the country”.

The impact of the underdevelopment of retail is felt by the general population. High food prices is a major problem: Approximately 60% of Nigerian household expenditure is devoted to food consumed at home vs. 6.5% in the USA.

Nigeria is merely at the first step of retail growth (development, leading to the next stage of acceleration and then consolidation thereafter). Despite the short-term challenges in the Nigeria market including currency, retailers entering or operating with the correct business models will reap the rewards for decades to come.

About Michael Chudi Ejekam

is a renowned leader in the “retail revolution”. He is a widely quoted retail thought leader, with strong local business and government relationships. Michael Chudi Ejekam served as Director Real Estate for W Africa for Actis, a $7.5 Billion private equity firm- most active retail developer in Sub-Saharan Africa (ex SA) for 7+ years. Ejekam originated $700+ Million in retail projects. Projects include $100 Million Ikeja City Mall Lagos, $120 Million Jabi Lake Mall Abuja and Accra Mall. Other projects include Heritage Place, Nigeria’s first green certified commercial building. Originated three upcoming Nigeria malls ranging from $150-185 Million each totaling over 40,000m2 each, which would be largest in the region. Michael Chudi Ejekam started his career on Wall Street, as an investment banker at Merrill Lynch in New York.

For more information about us, please visit