Quartey: Direct Selling Model Will Enhance Nigeria’s Economy

Senior Legal Counsel, sub-Saharan Africa at QNET, Theodocia Naana Quartey, speaks about the technology behind the QNET’s direct selling model, and its commitment to boost the Nigerian market and economy. Emma Okonji presents the excerpts:   

What is the significance of the product exhibition organised by QNET in Lekki, Lagos last week?

We have noticed that a lot of people know the company QNET but they are not very familiar with our lifestyle and wellness products.

This particular product exhibition is to open up our products to individuals, especially those in Lagos. I came to Lagos and I realised that clean water is an issue in some parts of Lagos and this has compelled people to question the source of the water before taking it. And so there is need for water purifier in Lagos, which is one of the products we are showcasing in Lagos.  

However, like we said, people all over the world, use different gadgets, both for domestic use and personal use and some of the gadgets could be harmful to human health because some of them emit electromagnetic waves that could harm the human body. The gadgets are necessary evils, so we have to use them, but if a company has products that can keep people safe while using the harmful gadgets, I think it is something we should let everybody know about. So the significance of the product exhibition is to create the awareness that we have products that can keep people safe, while using gadgets that could be harmful to the human body.

Tell us about QNET

QNET is a lifestyle and wellness company, using the direct selling model of marketing. We have a wide range of products that we sell on our e-commerce platform, which means that all our products are sold solely online. You will not find any product of QNET in a retail shop, at least not yet. We have a network marketing arm, which ensures that individuals that are interested in building businesses out of our products, promote our products, and are able to earn commissions from product sales. The commissions come when they are able to promote products and promote further purchases. Commissions are made only when products are purchased by individuals who are introduced to the products of the company. QNET was established in 1998 in Hong Kong. 

We currently have our headquarters in Hong Kong and our operational office in Malaysia. We operate in over 25 countries, and we have various partnership and agency agreements with several other companies. 

Could you highlight some of the key activities and initiatives QNET has undertaken in Nigeria recently?

In recent times, we have engaged in product exhibitions. Last year, we had product exhibitions in Lagos and Abuja. The exhibitions brought to the fore, what the company is about, the product of the company, and many more. We have engaged in educational campaigns with several other institutions.

We currently have a running agreement with the Federal Ministry of Employment and Labour where we have educated some youth in the labour market on how to detect fake job offers from real ones, equipping them with the necessary knowledge about the market. Our company has a soft spot for the disadvantaged in the society. Through our Rythm Foundation, which is a corporate social responsibility initiative, we have engaged in FinGreen, which is our financial literacy education programme, targeted at empowering youths on various financial literacy skills to make them financially independent. 

Can you tell us more about FinGreen?

FinGreen is a financial literacy programme where young people are equipped with financial literacy skills to be able to make some money for themselves and become financially independent. For the past two years, we have had these engagements with over 1,300 youth.

The beneficiaries of the financial literacy programme, who are now FinGreen ambassadors, are always celebrated on their graduation ceremonies where we charge them to remain good ambassadors of FinGreen, while training other Nigerians on financial literacy skills, through their various social media networks.

Currently, we are running the ‘Say No’ campaign, which is a campaign that seeks to prevent the proliferation of job and travel scams, telling people exactly what the company stands for and what it doesn’t stand for.

We have also carried out periodic donations during Ramadan celebration and more in various parts of the country. 

Why is QNET doing all that?

We are doing all these because we love people. The founders of QNET have a soft spot for elevating youth from poverty. We are trying to move people from poverty into a state where they can fend for themselves and help raise others. Our Rythm actually means Raise Yourself to Help Mankind. So our founders found it absolutely necessary to show people, especially young people, how to lift themselves up from poverty and then make something good of themselves and then affect the entirety of the community.

You just talked about the ‘Say No’ campaign. How many countries are you running the campaign and what has been the impact on people since the campaign started? 

Currently, we are running the ‘Say No’ campaign in three countries. Just last month, we launched another campaign, ‘QNET Against Scam’, in Ghana.

The impact we have had so far is that we have now been able to engage stakeholders who have wider coverage like the International Organisation for Migration. We are also talking to the Ghana High Commission in Nigeria, and we are in talks with the Federal Ministry of Employment and Labour. What we are doing actually, is to protect the ordinary youth on the street who would hitherto have fallen victim to a scam by some individuals that are out there, seeking to swindle others.

Transblue has been QNET’s legal representative in Nigeria since 2022. How has the journey been so far? 

The journey has been fantastic so far. Transblue has offered us a platform where we are able to reach the Nigerian market. Now, through their innovation and through their partnership, we have been able to reach the ordinary Nigerian.

They have given us ideas on how Nigeria works. Our partnership has made QNET a local company in Nigeria. Transblue has also ensured that taxes including VATs, are paid on time.

Transblue has also ensured that the issues of independent representatives on the ground are catered for on time. They have ensured the registration of all our products and product certificates. And this has been very helpful. 

Can you tell us a bit about the QNET business model? 

As I said earlier, we use the direct selling model, which in its simplest form, is word of mouth. We use spoken words from the mouth to promote QNET’s products.

If I use a QNET product like the eGuard, which is yet to be introduced into the Nigerian market, if I use this product, which protects me from radioactive waves, and I think it is fantastic, I will reach out to people and tell them that I have used the product and that the product is very efficient and extremely good. This is the direct selling model that QNET adopted and it has been very efficient. Direct selling model is the best selling model globally, and it is beneficial to all.

Aside benefiting from the efficacy of this product, people can earn good commission when the product is sold and purchased with their reference number. This is what the direct selling is all about, which is door to door business.  Through this method, the products move from the manufacturer straight to the consumer cutting out all the middlemen that could attract additional cost. And then the network marketing aspect is where people are able to make money for purchasing and for introducing the products to be purchased by others.

QNET is unique from other direct selling businesses because is purely online. So, you will not find a QNET independent representative stocking up products to resell. 

If anybody is introduced to the product, the person is able to purchase the product directly from QNET, and then QNET sends it to its stock office like Transblue, where the individual is able to pick up the products right from its source, whether from Germany, from Malaysia, from Hong Kong, or any other part of the world. 

Still on direct selling method, research has proven that direct selling is the best method of selling products. Since you adopted the method, how has it impacted QNET’s business?

Let me talk about the direct selling industry in general. It has been in existence for over 100 years and it is the fastest growing method of sales globally. You know why? The reason is that anybody from all walks of life can sell the products.  You can be a Banker or a Lawyer or a Fashion Designer and be engaged in direct selling. Whatever the occupation that people are into, they can still add direct selling to what they do.

The impact cannot be overemphasised. Buyers and end-users get their products directly from the manufacturer. It gives multiple streams of income to individuals. Anyone can do the direct selling irrespective of the educational background because it doesn’t require certain level of education.  All you need is your keen sense of marketing and the ability to learn fast. If you are able to learn about the product and you are able to market the product, then direct selling is for you. 

How is QNET leveraging technology to deliver its service?

All our products are highly technologically based. But what we have done to make it easy for individuals to participate in our business, was to develop the QNET app that allows people to interact easily with us. The QNET app allows users to have their business in their pockets. With the app, the users can have everything they need as their tools to learn about the QNET products. Whatever information they need about QNET, such as the policies and procedures, including everything they need to know about QNET, are all embedded in the QNET app. People can go to the Apple store, and they can go to the app gallery on Huawei and they will find the QNET app there.

How does QNET envision its role in creating product awareness in Nigeria, using the direct selling method? 

This is a start. We are starting with the introduction of our products, letting people know what our products do, and how our products can help them.

As we advance in our product awareness creation, we are relying on media to take the message out there, because we know very well that definitely questions are going to come from the public that desire to purchase and use our products. Transblue offices are accessible to everyone and as these things happen, and as what we are hoping for happens, we know that the products will spread far to reach out to more people over there.

The ordinary Nigerian on the street will have access to our products and the products are everyday products. So, we envisage staying in Nigeria for a very long time.

What message would you like to convey about QNET’s commitment to Nigerians? 

The message is clear. We are committed to our Rythm. We are committed to raising ourselves to help mankind. Whatever it takes to help mankind, we will do it in Nigeria and in other countries where we operate.

Whatever it takes to help the Nigerian market, we will do it. We are relying on our collaboration with everyone, with state agencies, including government at the federal level and we are hoping that the partnerships that we have established will open doors, and even bigger doors for Nigerians, especially the youth.