Contact: Kim Pettit

ChristianTrade Association International

+1 (719) 432-8428

E-mail: kpettit@ChristianTrade.com

ChristianTrade’s Professional Retail Institute took place January 13-15, immediately after Marketsquare International at the Renaissance Concourse Atlanta Airport Hotel.

This year, six participants made up the class. They included Ify Emmanuel, of Ipfy Music and Bookstores; Chidi Ogboku, Topmost Bookshops, Ltd.; Roselyn Oduyemi, Bethel Bookshops & Things; Uche Ekekezie, The King’s Books – Enugu; Femi Obugo, EF Charis Ventures; and Jooji Tor, Excel Scholars. Notably, all participants were from Nigeria.

“This Institute has been very interesting,” says Jack Scott, ChristianTrade’s director of training and member development. “Having all Nigerians in the class, we really focused on the unique challenges of bookselling in that country. We have all learned a lot… and had great fun.”

Modupe Ehirim, President of CBA Nigeria, observes, “We have had quite a lot of upheavals in our trade here in Nigeria. Disposable income has declined with the crisis in our banking industry and stock market since mid-2010. Our members are responding by restructuring their businesses better.”

Though Nigeria has one of the most developed economies in Africa, it also has one of the highest costs for doing business. Challenges include lack of resources, infrastructure, poverty, and crime.  The country also has a vibrant and growing Church, including some of the world’s largest congregations.

Ehirim is not surprised that Nigerian retailers seek training to better serve the Church. The demand led CBA Nigeria to offer “one-day training program on Costing and Inventory Management during our National Convention and Bookfair in October 2010,” she notes.

“Members who participated in the training session were greatly blessed,” says Anthony Akpokene, who leads CBAN’s training efforts. Costing was taught by Kolade Mosuro of The Booksellers, Ibadan, while Inventory Management was taught by Craig Ewoldt of Oasis Book Distributors, Jos.

Ehirim adds, “In 2011, we intend to continue with training programmes to equip our members with much-needed skills to better run their bookstores. I am glad that more Nigerians in the trade are seeking training. I hope this will help our friends to appreciate, not just  the challenges CBAN members are facing in the trade, but also that we are making serious efforts to tackle them.”

***

ChristianTrade Association International is a worldwide association of nations, companies, and individuals committed to fulfilling the Great Commission by distributing Christian resources. It holds international regional conventions in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America; publishes an annual Christian-trade directory; hosts international events at CBA’s International Christian Retail Show; and serves as a catalyst for growing the Christian trade worldwide. For more information, please visit www.ChristianTrade.com or e-mail info@ChristianTrade.com.