20/10/2026
There is something I have been thinking about lately as an entrepreneur.
Imagine spending your time, money, and energy building a business. You work hard to get your product right, comply with regulatory requirements, and earn the necessary certifications. You do all of this because you want to build something people can trust.
Then, you meet someone in a position of authority, someone who understands the importance of the standards you have worked so hard to meet.
The person appreciates what you are doing, offers helpful information, and encourages you.
You are grateful because, as a small business owner, every bit of genuine support matters.
But somewhere along the line, you begin to wonder, "Must the support always come in the form of a gift?"
Why can't the person who understands the value of your product simply patronise you?
Why must the entrepreneur always be the one giving, even when what they have worked hard to produce is something the other person can afford to buy?
This is not about refusing to give gifts. Every business owner enjoys sharing their products, and product sampling is a perfectly legitimate way to introduce a brand.
The concern is when gifting begins to feel like an expectation rather than a voluntary gesture.
And this is where my thoughts become even more interesting.
What happens when the same people who understand the importance of regulation continue to patronise products from the open market without making the effort to establish whether those products meet the required standards?
Let me bring this closer to home.
At Ebom Palm Oil, we have invested time and resources in building a brand around quality, regulatory compliance, and consumer confidence. We want families to have greater confidence in the palm oil they use to prepare their meals. We want businesses to know that there is a supplier they can hold accountable.
We are not claiming to be the only good palm oil brand in the market. Neither are we saying that every unregulated product is unsafe. But there is a reason regulatory standards exist, and consumers deserve to take them seriously.
So, when a business owner goes through the trouble of doing things properly, what kind of encouragement do we offer when we appreciate the product but are unwilling to pay for it?
Can we genuinely promote compliance while failing to support the businesses making the effort to comply?
I believe this question goes beyond palm oil. It speaks to the experience of many Nigerian entrepreneurs who are trying to build legitimate businesses in a challenging economy.
We complain that local businesses do not last. We complain that products are expensive. We complain that entrepreneurs cut corners. Yet, sometimes, we overlook the costs of doing things properly and the importance of supporting those who make that effort.
Small businesses do not survive on compliments alone. They need customers. They need people who will pay for their products, recommend them to others, and give them a fair chance in the marketplace. They need institutions that do more than tell them what to do; they need an environment in which doing the right thing makes business sense.
And perhaps this is where we all need to reflect, whether we are civil servants, corporate executives, professionals, or ordinary consumers. When you meet a small business owner who is genuinely trying to build something worthwhile, you do not always have to give them money, offer them a contract, or become their business partner.
Sometimes, the most meaningful support is simply to become a customer.
Buy the product. Pay the right price. Give honest feedback. Recommend the business if you are satisfied.
And if you cannot patronise the business, that is perfectly fine, too. But let support remain a genuine choice, not an expectation that the entrepreneur must continually give something away to earn goodwill.
As for us at Ebom Palm Oil, we will continue to do our part by investing in quality, uphold the standards required of us, and build a brand that consumers can trust.
But we also hope for a marketplace where compliance is not merely demanded of small businesses but rewarded through informed purchasing decisions. Because at the end of the day, the best way to encourage a business to do things properly is not just to praise its standards. It is to support the business that has made the effort to meet them.
And sometimes, that support begins with something as simple as making a purchase.
©Libby Offem-Oke
