On the 25th of August 2022, Nike unveiled their first-ever flagship in Nigeria. Before this, you could only get authentic Nike products from resellers or from abroad. The closest Nike flagship was in Egypt and Morrocco. This is surprising due to the number of people you see on their products daily.
They have had a massive market in the country for the longest time, and this long-awaited expansion has finally shown our essence and recognition to Nike.
How Did The Launch Go?
The flagship store is located at Ikeja City Mall (ICM) and occupies over 500 sq ft. With that knowledge, you should have an idea of how big it is. There were loads of friendly faces, a good ambiance, and the items, as you already know were all top-notch.
There were also a couple of memorable names. Such as; Gbemisola Adudu, (Vice President of NBA Africa and Country manager), Paul Onwuanibe (NBA Nigeria), CEO, Landmark Africa John Onyeoguzoro, and many more.
The store has items useful for swimming, football, tennis, basketball, and other casual branded wear. All of which have included sections for men, women, and children.
What Are Nike’s Intentions?
Meeting up with some of the Nike Nigeria stakeholders, one of the most common questions asked was, “why now?” and “what the plan for Nigeria was” Indrek Heinmets, The Nike Brand Director for Hudson, couldn’t contain his excitement. He said; “I can say it’s been a long journey for us. We have been planning for several years for Nike’s flagship store in Lagos but the pandemic didn’t help global supply. We had even planned to open in April of this year but we’ve now only managed to open at the end of August so seeing this thing finally come alive, I have no option but to give a thumbs up to the teams working hard and having sleepless nights to make this happen.”
And as regards their intentions, He stated the goal was to fully understand what mattered to Nigerians, and how to infuse their global brand with our local culture. He made emphasis on promoting our culture at the brand through partnerships in music, fashion, and other Lifestyle events.
Are They Planning On Improving Sports in Nigeria?
Definitely! If you have been following Nike for a while, you would know that they are not a brand that simply sells its products. They thrive to make a difference in every region they operate in.
For Nigeria, They plan on improving and encouraging women in sports and the ones looking to get into it. This is why they partnered with The Asisat Oshoala Foundation. This partnership aims to aid and facilitate young female Nigerians, in growing and becoming successful in sports.
This is a brand you should patronize. Without us, they are no Nike Nigeria. You do not need to worry about the cost of the items. Because you can always sell your gift cards for cash on Cardtonic
