“Learn a Skill, Build a Business,” Tonimas MD Tells ASLA Participants on Industrial Tour

Participants of the Abia State Leadership Academy (ASLA) Cohort 2 have been urged to embrace entrepreneurship, acquire practical skills and build businesses that can stand the test of time.

Managing Director of Tonimas Oil and Lubricating Plant, Chief Louis Enukeme, gave the advice on Wednesday during an industrial your of the Tonimas oil and Lubricating Plant, Aba.

Enukeme said the essence of the tour was to expose young leaders to the realities of manufacturing and inspire them to think beyond conventional career paths.

Standing before the sprawling industrial facility, Enukeme walked the participants through the company’s journey from a single filling station founded in 1965 by his late father to one of Nigeria’s leading indigenous energy and manufacturing businesses with about 65 filling stations and multiple production plants.

He explained that the lubricating oil factory, established in 1991, had grown steadily over the years through deliberate investment, innovation and reinvestment.

According to him, Tonimas initially imported its plastic containers in Lagos before transporting them to Aba, a process that became increasingly expensive.

“When we discovered it was no longer economically viable to bring our plastics from Lagos, we decided to manufacture them ourselves.

“Today, we have expanded with several automated machines and increased our production capacity,” Enukeme said.

Using the tour as a learning opportunity, Enukeme challenged the participants to pursue skills that create lasting value rather than relying solely on trends driven by social media.

“Learn a trade. Learn a skill. Build a business.

“Technology will continue to change, but people with practical knowledge will always find opportunities to adapt and succeed,” he advised.

Responding to questions from the participants, he identified succession planning as one of the biggest challenges facing many family-owned businesses in Nigeria.

He encouraged entrepreneurs to involve their children and younger family members in their businesses early enough, so they can understand the vision, navigate difficult periods and sustain the enterprise across generations.

“If you want your business to outlive you, don’t wait until it is fully established before bringing your children into it. Let them grow with the business, understand the challenges and improve on what you’ve built,” he said.

Enukeme also shared personal memories of his late father, describing him as a disciplined entrepreneur who believed in lifelong learning despite having little formal education in his early years.

He recalled that his father later enrolled at Abia State University Uturu, earned both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and remained committed to personal development because he understood the value of education.

“My father always came here looking for what could be improved. He believed excellence starts with discipline, cleanliness and constant learning.

Those values remain part of our culture today,” he said.

The Tonimas MD assured the students that future editions of the industrial tour would be better structured to allow participants more time for practical demonstrations and interactive learning.

Speaking on behalf of the ASLA participants, Great Ikedi, thanked the management of Tonimas Group for opening the company’s doors to the Academy.

“One lesson I will take away is how the company identified a challenge, stopped importing plastic containers and began producing them locally.

“That is innovation, and it shows that every challenge can become an opportunity,” he said.

Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Public Communication, Mr Dodoh Okafor, who responded on behalf of the President of ASLA, Prof Kenneth Kalu, said the visit perfectly complemented the Academy’s leadership and entrepreneurship curriculum.

According to him, the Tonimas story demonstrated how vision, resilience and continuity could transform a small business into a thriving industrial enterprise.

“Everything we’ve been teaching about leadership became real today.

“This company proves that with vision, discipline and commitment, young people can build institutions that will outlive them,” Kalu concluded.

The participants were taken through different sections of the factory, including the plastic production unit, blending section, warehouse and packaging lines, where they observed how lubricating oils are produced, packaged and prepared for distribution across the country.