From selling fabrics as a student in 2012 to designing and marketing the LongJi Industrial Sewing Machine, Jos-based fashion entrepreneur Longji Nanle is taking a bold step into manufacturing and technology.

In an exclusive interview with Jos E Vents, Mr. Longji Nanle shares his journey from fabric sales and tailoring to creating a sewing machine brand he hopes will eventually serve Nigeria and other African countries.

Jos Events: Can we get to know you, sir?

Longji Nanle:
My name is Longji Nanle, the brain behind the branded LongJi Industrial Sewing Machine. I am from Plateau State and I am based in Jos and Abuja.

Jos Events: How long have you been in the fashion industry?

Longji Nanle:
I have been in the fashion industry since around 2012, when I started selling fabrics while I was still in school.

As the number of our customers increased, I noticed there was a major need for us to start sewing clothes because many of our customers wanted us to provide that service.
When we started sewing, more people noticed the quality of our work, and that led us to establish a shop around Hill Station Roundabout in Jos, which has been operating for about four years.
So, the journey started with selling fabrics, then sewing clothes, and eventually, the next logical step for me was to venture into production.

Jos Events: What motivated you to produce a sewing machine?

Longji Nanle:
What motivated me was the fact that I noticed there was a need for a quality sewing machine brand that people could easily access.

Many of the machines available to us were, in my experience, not of the quality and durability that users needed. I also noticed that accessibility was a challenge because many brands did not have sufficient outlets or branches where customers could easily get machines, parts or support.
Everything was largely left in the hands of marketers and producers.
I felt there was a need to create something that could meet the increasing demand of fashion designers while also providing better accessibility and support.

Jos Events: Looking at your brand name, why did you choose “LongJi”?

Longji Nanle:
After I conceived the idea of producing a sewing machine and the design came to mind for fabrication, it took us about two to three weeks to come up with a unique brand name.
Initially, I wanted to use a normal brand name and then have an image representing the brand. But one of my friends, who is also a partner, suggested that I use my own name, LongJi, since the idea originated from me.
We agreed that it would make the brand unique, so we adopted the name and presented it to our partners, who immediately accepted it.

Jos Events: In the next five years, where do you see the LongJi brand?

Longji Nanle:
By the grace of God, in the next five years, we hope to have the LongJi sewing machine available across Nigeria and also create a market for it in other African countries.
We also hope that within that period, we will have an established factory in Nigeria where we can fully produce the machines locally.

Jos Events: What are some of the challenges you have faced while building the brand?

Longji Nanle:
We have faced some daunting challenges.
One of them has been dealing with some marketers who initially tried to discourage us from penetrating the market. When we introduced the machines, some marketers in Lagos offered us very low prices and wanted to buy an entire container at an amount that would have negatively affected our business.
Some also told us that because the product was new, it would not gain wide acceptance.
But we went against all odds. We shipped the machines to Jos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, and by God’s help, we are already doing well.

Within a short period, we sold a full container of the machines. The brand is receiving encouraging acceptance, and what excites us most is that we have not received complaints from our customers about the machines being substandard.
Many of our new customers are also coming through referrals from people who have already used the machines.
We are constantly working to maintain quality and meet the needs of fashion designers. That is also why we took steps to trademark the brand before bringing the machines into the country, in order to protect the brand and maintain quality control.
At the moment, some of our Chinese partners are in Jos training our people on how to couple and repair the machines and provide technical support when necessary.

Jos Events: What advice would you give Plateau people who want to venture into business?

Longji Nanle:
Truthfully, there are a lot of opportunities here on the Plateau, and we must learn to take advantage of them.
Sometimes you hear people say, “We are doing nothing here.” But I am a living witness that people are doing great things in Plateau State.
Apart from what we are doing with LongJi, there are other Plateau people making remarkable contributions.

For example, there is another Plateau entrepreneur with the brand Shangsat, who is doing well in the production of solar-powered water heaters, rice production and real estate.
I always encourage Plateau people not to remain idle. They should put in their best, despite the challenges, and be creative, innovative and purposeful with the talents God has given them.

When I started, Many people told me to forget about starting in Jos. Some marketers insisted that I should start from Lagos, promising that they would help push the product to Ghana, Cameroon and other African countries.
But I believed strongly in Jos and Plateau State, so I decided to start from home.

Today, I am grateful that we made that decision. Our product is receiving patronage from Plateau people, and we now have outlets in Abuja and Port Harcourt, while we are working towards opening another branch in Kano.
We have also been sending machines from Jos to Kano, Lagos and other big cities in Nigeria.
So, if I can start an idea in Jos and grow it beyond the Plateau, I believe other Plateau people can do the same and even more.

Jos Events: What distinguishes the LongJi sewing machine from others?

Longji Nanle:
The major difference is quality. We are focused on producing a high-quality machine that meets the needs of fashion designers.

Another difference is the needle size. Our machine supports needle sizes from 9 to 20, while some other machines commonly available support sizes from 9 to 18.

Our machine is also powered by a direct-drive electric system, which is designed to consume less energy and make operation easier for users, unlike some machines that are manually operated and could be a bit slow when it comes to operating.

Jos Events: What are your future plans as the brand gains acceptance?

Longji Nanle:
Absolutely, we have bigger plans.
In the coming years, we intend to develop solar-powered sewing machines to support fashion designers in rural communities where access to electricity is limited.
We also plan to expand into the production of machines for weaving, designing and monogramming.

Our vision is to keep developing products that can support the fashion industry and make work easier for designers.

Jos Events: Thank you very much for your time with us today.

Longji Nanle:
It is my pleasure having you and the Jos Events team for the interview….

To order You can Call: 08133404389
0806 607 8394
0814 178 5114

For pick up of Machines in Jos: Address : Ibrahim Taiwo, just before Hill Station Roundabout, in the same plaza with Magxi Shawarma. Shop 22A

Warehouse: Jos floor mills warehouse, just after civil defense office, Abbattoir.

Final Tag Words:::From Jos to the African Market

The story of Longji Nanle is a reminder that innovation does not always have to begin in Nigeria’s biggest commercial cities.

Sometimes, an idea can start right here in Jos, grow through determination and eventually find its way into markets across Nigeria and beyond.

For Longji Nanle, the ambition goes beyond selling sewing machines. It is about building a Nigerian brand, creating technical capacity, supporting fashion designers and eventually establishing manufacturing capacity in Nigeria.

Jos Events celebrates Plateau people who are creating, innovating and building from home.

Interview done by Nanle Greatness Longsan and Sibin Girum Benjamin for #JosEvents

Thanks to #NanMua for some of the Generated picture contents for Promotion.

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