Coleman expands factories

…Set to reposition as number one employer West Africa

Coleman Technical Industries Limited, manufacturers of Coleman Wires and Cables, is expanding its factories and office facilities as part of a major growth strategy that could position the company as the largest private-sector employer of labour in Nigeria and West Africa.

The company’s managing director and CEO, Mr. George Onafowokan, disclosed this while speaking on the expansion of the company’s facilities and the inauguration of its headquarters.

Onafowokan said the expansion had become necessary as Coleman’s workforce continues to grow, with the company currently employing more than 800 people across its operations.

According to him, the workforce is expected to increase further as the company expands its manufacturing facilities in Sagamu and Arepo, Ogun State. “With the expansion of offices and factories, Coleman will soon be the highest employer of labour in Nigeria and West Africa,” he said.

The Managing Director explained that the construction of the new office complex was driven less by the desire for an imposing corporate structure and more by the need to provide employees with a spacious, modern and conducive environment in which to work.

He said Coleman had historically prioritised factory construction because its manufacturing facilities generate revenue, while offices are essentially cost centres. “I’m not an office opening guy. I think we’re sitting at a cost centre. My factories make money, so I know how to build factories; I don’t know how to build offices,” Onafowokan said.

Reflecting on the company’s expansion journey, he said Coleman’s growth began with the acquisition of a large parcel of land as the company sought to move beyond its original 2,000-square-metre factory into a significantly larger manufacturing operation.

Onafowokan said additional portions of land were subsequently acquired over the years, creating the space required for Coleman to establish, expand and modernise its manufacturing operations. The expansion, he added, has inevitably created demand for more employees and improved facilities to accommodate the growing workforce.

“I’ve been on this journey too long. Not complaining. This is an idea that literally we’re known for opening factories,” he said, explaining that the company’s longstanding focus on manufacturing expansion had now made investment in office infrastructure equally necessary.

He described the new headquarters as part of what he considers a God-ordained journey and an investment in Coleman’s people and future. According to him, the facility was designed with the company’s long-term growth in mind and reflects its ambition to create sustained employment opportunities for Nigerians.

“This is dedicated to the staff and everyone who has made this possible—the Nigerians who have contributed to the industry, particularly the cable industry, and to making Nigeria a household name in the global cable industry,” Onafowokan said.

He added that the new headquarters represents more than the company’s present achievements, saying Coleman was building for generations yet to come. “The past 50 years are not the whole story. What matters is what happens in the next 50 years,” he said.

According to the CEO, the building symbolises Coleman’s confidence in the future and its commitment to continued expansion. “That is what this building signifies to us—the next 50 years and the positive outlook that Nigerians will continue to be employed by Coleman, by this family, and by generations to come,” he said.

Also speaking, Coleman’s Executive Director, Michael Onafowokan, highlighted the company’s investment in human capital, particularly its efforts to develop local technical and managerial talent through partnerships with technical schools and universities.

Michael disclosed that approximately 40 per cent of Coleman’s middle-level managers started their careers with the company as National Youth Service Corps members before being retained, trained and developed into management positions. He said the approach reflects Coleman’s commitment to building Nigerian talent from within and creating a sustainable pipeline of skilled professionals.

With the commissioning of the new headquarters, Coleman Technical Industries Limited is entering what its leadership describes as a new chapter focused on manufacturing expansion, employment creation, local talent development and global competitiveness. As the company grows its factories and workforce in Ogun State and beyond, Coleman is seeking to transform its more than five-decade Nigerian and West African presence into a globally recognised cable manufacturing brand.