Nigeria’s manufacturing sector may not always grab headlines, but it quietly powers a huge chunk of the economy, creating jobs, stabilizing supply chains, and reducing dependence on imports where possible.
And behind many of the country’s most successful made-in-Nigeria products are powerful business families who took the bold step of building factories long before it became fashionable.
These families didn’t just enter manufacturing; they shaped it. From cables to cement, plastics to household goods, they’ve grown small workshops into billion-naira empires, navigated multiple economic cycles, and kept production alive despite harsh operating conditions. Their companies have become household names, their products everyday essentials, and their influence a defining force in Nigeria’s industrial history.
Today, we spotlight the families whose vision and business acumen continue to set the pace in the sector. Here are the Top 10 families behind the factories driving the nation’s industrial backbone.
10. The Dantatas
Business: Dantata Organization
The Dantata Organization Ltd stands as one of Nigeria’s most enduring family-owned conglomerates, with operations spanning diverse industries and expansion plans reaching Saudi Arabia and beyond. The company’s foundation and growth are credited to Aminu Alhassan Dantata, born in 1931 in Kano State, Nigeria. A visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist, Aminu Dantata has been recognized nationally with the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) and served as the first Chancellor of Katsina State University.
The second generation of the family continues the legacy with Tajuddeen Aminu Dantata, Group Managing Director; Abubakar Sadik Aminu Dantata, Managing Director of Express Petroleum and Gas Company Limited; and Hassan Aminu Dantata, Director and Managing Director of Fertilizer Processing Company Limited.
Hailing from a lineage of accomplished business figures, including Ahmadu, Sanusi, and Abdulkadir Dantata, the family remains deeply involved in all aspects of the business.
9. The Ezennas
Business: Orange Drug Company
The Orange Drugs story began in 1985, when Sir Tony Ezenna transformed his father’s small chemist shop into Orange Drugs Limited with just N15,000 in seed capital.
Subsequently, Orange Drugs Limited joined the beauty care industry through the importation of soaps, creams, and other beauty products. By 2006, the Company commenced the local production of different brands of soaps in Lagos, and this was aimed at boosting the Nigerian manufacturing sector and also creating jobs for the populace. In order to meet up with the challenges in the global economy, Orange Drugs Limited later diversified its line of business by the establishment of Orange Kalbe Ltd and Orange West Africa Limited, leading to the formation of the Orange Group.
In the pharmaceutical space, Orange has forged enduring partnerships with some of Indonesia’s largest firms, including Kalbe Farma, Tempo Scan Pacific, Dexa Medica, and Mensa Group on products like Procold, Mixagrip, Sudrex, Boska, Delta Soap, Passion Energy Drink, and Extra Joss Energy Drink. They also offer products like Ginmil, Mintacid, and Tempovate Cream. Its relationship with Kalbe Farma dates back to the company’s founding in the 1980s, reflecting a decades-long commitment to international collaboration.
Recognition of Orange’s impact came early. In 1995, the company received the “Star Donor Award” from the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria for its contributions to healthcare.
8. The Nasreddins
Business: Nasco Group
NASCO Group is one of Nigeria’s most enduring manufacturing giants, with a legacy that stretches back to 1963. The company was founded in Jos by Ahmed Idris Nasreddin, a visionary entrepreneur who established the first jute bag factory in sub-Saharan Africa. His mission was clear: provide Nigeria with modern, efficient packaging for its vast agricultural output at a time when the young nation needed industrial solutions to support its growth.
From that single factory, NASCO expanded steadily, diversifying into food products, household goods, packaging materials, and industrial chemicals. The company built its reputation on consistent quality, innovation, and a strong commitment to local manufacturing—a philosophy that helped shape Nigeria’s FMCG landscape for decades.
After the pioneering work of Ahmed Nasreddin, leadership transitioned to his son, Attia Nasreddin, who has served as Managing Director and now Chairman/CEO. Attia guided NASCO through modernization, brand expansion, and regional growth, reinforcing its position as a trusted name in millions of West African homes.
7. The Fajemirokuns
Business: Henry Stephens Group
One of Nigeria’s most storied family ventures began with Chief Henry Oloyede Fajemirokun, CON, a visionary industrialist whose influence spanned trade, industry, and regional integration. Upon his death in 1978, the eldest son, Chief Dele Fajemirokun, inherited the sprawling Henry Stephens Group, comprising 19 companies, including industrial manufacturing, trading, shipping, and service enterprises.
Facing heavy debt, Dele revitalized the group, securing loans and restoring operational stability. His bold acquisition of a majority stake in T-CAS, an American firm owed millions by the Nigerian Ministry of Communications, transformed a modest N50,000 loan into a lucrative venture, exemplifying the family’s entrepreneurial audacity.
He went on to build an empire across insurance, food, telecoms provisioning, and investment.
His personal gambit during AIICO’s privatization, using 11 shell companies to secure an 11% stake, later acquiring the Bahamian 40% holding, made him the majority shareholder.
He chaired AIICO’s board, Kings Guards Securities, Johnson Wax (Baygon & Raid), Food Concepts & Entertainment (Chicken Republic), Xerox Nigeria, FSS Gases, Bluechip Communications, and DF Holdings
Today, the Fajemirokun family continues its multi-generational legacy, with Kikelomo Fajemirokun serving as director at AIICO Insurance.
Credit: Nairametrics
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