Different businessmen have diverse ways of building their own careers. When faced with the decision of what some qualities of a successful businessman are, each person has his/her own opinion. From a neutral point of view, it is okay to consider that common sense, specialized knowledge, and good communication skills are the qualities of a prosperous businessman. These and many more qualities are what Nafiu Bala Rabiu possesses as a son, brother, husband, friend and businessman.

Long before reaching one of the highest Managerial positions in his business career, Rabiu, born on August 23, 1990, grew up to an entrepreneur father who was a successful Business Mogul and was into Textile, Real Estate and General Trading in the commercial city of Kano, Kano state, Nigeria. Rabiu started working at the age of 18 in his elder brother’s company, Ramu Unique Resources, a multi-billion Naira company and the number one BUA Cement Distribution Company that is into Real Estate, Logistics, Rice Mill and of course, BUA Cement Distribution, a company where he got his first job and expanded his business experience. He later rose to become the company’s Executive Director.

Rabiu is still with Ramu Unique Resources as an Executive Director but has equally established his own business, Balnara Universal Ltd, a company that made its breakthrough in 2017 to becoming top ten in the chart of over 200 Distribution Companies of BUA Cement in the country. Balnara has plans of venturing into other lucrative, new business ventures such as Real Estate, Rice Production, and Logistics.

Rabiu has always credited his parents and elder brother with instilling in him toughness, hard work, willingness to achieve success in business, and perseverance. These characteristics he stated has helped him in staying focused over the years in attaining his dream of becoming a successful businessman in the world.

While overseeing the affairs of Ramu and Balnara, Rabiu co-founded another company, PIYO GLOBAL Ltd, a multi-billion Naira company that is into General Contract with a primary focus on Construction, Construction Materials Distribution and Real Estate. In PIYO GLOBAL Ltd, Rabiu holds the position of General Manager, Cement Distribution operations.

PIYO GLOBAL Ltd under the management of Rabiu has over the years grown into achieving the following: Cement distribution dealership with Obu Cement Company Limited (BUA Cement), Okpella and Cement Company of Northern Nigeria (CCNN, Sokoto cement) Sokoto; Over 100 clients buy cement trucks from the company in bulk; distribution of cement to over 25 different locations mostly in Northern Nigeria; developed a Cloud Management System of cement business operations with Afivenet Digital Services Limited; export cement to Niger Republic; constructed Ploutos indoor recreational center; and redeveloped Ungwan Rimi Market Kaduna, in partnership with the Kaduna State Markets Development and Management Limited.

Also all three companies: Ramu, Balnara and PIYO are always involved in humanitarian activities such as feeding people every Ramadan, giving out gifts, money and food packages during festive periods and pay electricity bills for the houses, small businesses and local business owners around their offices.

One major challenge facing his distribution business in Nigeria is; insecurity. According to Rabiu, he is constantly needed in the BUA Company’s plants in Edo and Sokoto state, then Kano, Kaduna and Lagos state to attend meetings and supervise some ongoing projects. Some of these places he cannot go to without security personnel or bulletproof vehicles. So, for him it has been a big challenge knowing how expensive hiring security personnel are in Nigeria.

As the years go by, Rabiu has seen the need to diversify and is keen on establishing his own logistics company to help convey products other than cement for other companies. According to him, the logistics business would have kicked off, but he believes that good things take time and nothing comes easy, and if you want to build something valuable such as success in business, you will have to be patient, work hard and be committed to achieving it.

With his articulacy and ability to communicate properly it will be surprising to reveal that Rabiu did not further his education beyond secondary school. He however identified the importance of education in one’s life and the advantage it offers many people in the business world, but that has never been a barrier to his success as a businessman.

The business genius who is in his early 30s is married for three months now and has indicated horse-riding, swimming, travelling and trying out different restaurants as his hobbies.