Why NASCO remains afloat, 58 years after

Big companies in Jos, Plateau State started folding up from early 2000 because of sectarian crises. However, the story of NASCO is different.

Many companies in the North have suffered serious setbacks in the last few decades because of many reasons.

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Textile companies in Kaduna, Kano, Gusau and other places, which hitherto employed thousands of workers, are the worst hit. Automobile, beverages, steel companies and others are also not left out.

The ethno-religious crises that hit the northern part of the country also forced many companies to either shut down or relocate to safer regions. And the situation has recently been worsened by insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other forms of crime.

But despite the crises, the NASCO Group of Companies, located along the Yakubu Gowon Way in Jos, the state capital, has continued to operate, providing means of livelihood and opportunities to thousands of households, irrespective of religion, ethnic and other affiliations. Many often refer to the company as the cat with many lives.

Unfortunately, the founder of the company, Dr Ahmed Idris Nasreddin, died recently in Italy at the age of 96.

Nasreddin became the president of NASCO Group Nigeria Limited in 1990, and later, the vice chairman of NASCO Group International, Milan Italy in 1999. In 2004, he became the chairman/chief executive officer of NASCO Group Limited, Jos before he eventually retired and handed over the company to his son.

The company originally started operation in 1963 with the establishment of a jute bag factory in the central city of Jos. It was the very first in sub-Saharan Africa. This was in response to the desire of the founding fathers of Nigeria on the eve of independence to meet the challenges of effective bagging, delicate storage and seamless export of the large agricultural yields prevalent in the country. Investors from Europe, Asia and the Middle East were invited by the Nigerian government to participate in the economic development of the new country.

Successive generations have continued to grow the company as markets evolved.

The company is being run by Nasreddin’s son, Attia and other members of the family.

Speaking to our correspondent, some of the employees and lovers of the company could not hide their feelings over the death of the founder of NASCO in Nigeria.

A customer of the company’s products and a resident of Bukuru in Jos South Local Government Area, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, extolled the company for defying all odds to remain in Nigeria, even when others were relocating.

Alhaji Saleh, who is also the founder of the Zazzaga Foundation, said some of his friends who worked in the company had good tales.

He said the death of Nasreddin had united the people of Plateau across religious and ethnic divides as not a few people benefit and are still benefitting from the activities of the company.

A staff of the company who preferred anonymity said that apart from his drive to make profit, welfare of his workers was the hallmark of the founder of the company.

She said that having spent 10 years in the organisation, she had been able to achieve a lot, and that the survival of her family and others depended on the company.

She said the founder of the company would be greatly missed, but his legacies would abide for a long time to come, not only in Plateau State or Nigeria but all over the world.

Joseph Magit, who sells the company’s products, said he joined the marketing section of the company since 2016 and that many people were in love with it.

According to him, as a student of Leisure and Tourism Department (Higher National Diploma) of the Plateau State, he uses the little proceeds he gets from marketing the products to finance his education.

He stressed that even if a handful of wealthy Nigerians, leaders and politicians could emulate the late NASCO founder, poverty and unemployment in the country would be a thing of the past.

Asked if the demise of the founder would affect the company in any way, the group general manager, Shehu Nyalun, said his vision was being properly followed to achieve success.

He added that for some years now, Nasreddin retired and handed over the operations of the company to people who have been managing it well; hence, it will keep flourishing.

In his condolence message, Governor Simon Lalong expressed sadness over the passing of Dr Nasreddin, saying it is a great loss, not only to the family but the people of Plateau State and Nigeria as a whole. He added that the late entrepreneur was a visionary leader,

“The vision by the late Nasreddin saw the company grow from its little beginning to become a major conglomerate, with successful companies in manufacturing, real estate, hospitality and logistics, among others. NASCO has, over the years remained a major employer of labour in Plateau State and continues to contribute to the economic prosperity of the state and Nigeria at large, through tax revenue and corporate social responsibility.

“Due to the faith the late Nasreddin had in Plateau, NASCO remained rooted in the state throughout the difficult moments when it witnessed crises that affected its development.

“The legacies of the late business mogul will continue to prevail, particularly when the company he founded many years ago is waxing stronger and being successfully run by his son and other members of the family,’’ the governor stated.

The governor assured the NASCO family of the support and collaboration of the Plateau State Government and prayed God to grant the soul of the deceased eternal rest.