How I Defeated Poverty Through Block Molding Business–Woman Who Makes Over N4m Weekly Speaks

The Founder of Shas Mama Block Ltd, Risikatu Shittu has said that she makes over N4m weekly from the sale and distribution of the product to builders in Abuja.

Shittu told THE WHISTLER that when she started the business in 2005, she never thought that she could make a fortune from molding blocks, which is an industry that is dominated by men.

“Every business depends on money, but without concentrating and investing time, you can’t succeed,” said Shittu, who started Shas Mama Blocks back in 2005 from almost nothing.

Being a woman was another limitation she had to contend with in a male dominated field.

The industry is very lucrative particularly with real estate developers massively investing billions to bridge Nigeria’s housing deficit which is estimated at 20 million.

Shittu is one of the lucky women who have excelled in the business of block molding regardless of gender barrier.

She said, “When I came to Abuja, I was supplying building materials and I was heavily owed in some of the sites I worked. I was broke.

“So, I started removing sand from a small river behind my house in 2005. I did it all by myself. My husband and children later joined me.

“When I mined up to a tipper, we will sell it. I sold it for N700 then. I will keep the proceed. I sold for some time before a man came to me and demanded a space to mold 24,000 blocks which I gave him.

“He didn’t leave with his machines. He left everything that he came with.”

The development marked the beginning of the success of the woman who has arguably become one of the biggest block dealers in Abuja.

“I thought within myself to start my own with the equipment he left. I raised money for about ten bags of cement. Then cement was N700 per bag. So, I saved N700 which I used to buy ten bags of cement. That was how I started,” said the Abuja based businesswoman.

From the ten bags of cement, she started molding blocks which she sold out to a builder.

“Later I became an employer after I stopped removing sand by myself. I started hiring many workers. Some of them are retired now and I have also employed their children.

“In 2006, the space became too small, so I had to expand,” she added.

She said the business has evolved and so many entrants have made the market very competitive.

“When I bought my fairly used machine, grader and other equipment, I spent a little above N80,000. But now the same machine is worth over N300,000 for the fairly used,” she said.

Shas Blocks has grown to own about five trucks that deliver its products to its various clients across the FCT.

The proprietor said she currently supplies over 30,000 blocks weekly making a gross income of over N4m.