The Valechhas – Inside the Investment Portfolios of Top10 Int’l Family Investors in Nigeria

Mr. Ramesh Valechha is chairman, Milan Group – one of the pioneer business conglomerates in Nigeria. Valechha has over 36 years of business experience worldwide and serves on the board of various companies in Nigeria. With his background and experience, he is the man that defined the growth path of Milan Group, providing the innovative leadership that the group has come to know. He has Mr. Rajesh Valechha on the executive leadership seat as managing director, who is experienced in all aspects of the business and has been in Nigeria for over 26 years.

Milan Group started operations in Nigeria about 40 years ago as a trading company, dealing in electronics, electrical equipment, consumer and sundry items. The group has diversified in to various lines of business ventures and has established branches in other African countries as well as Dubai, India, The UK, Geneva & China.

The Milan group covers a wide range of businesses, including automobiles, shipping, transport, hotel, consumer goods imports and real estate. Its products and services are offered through a network of branches across Nigeria.

The group launched its automobiles business line in 1999 when it began to import and distribute vehicles tyres, including MRF brand tyres of which it is the sole distributor in Nigeria.  Milan Group owns a state-of-the-art distribution centre in Lagos free zone and boasts the largest tyre distribution centre in the Nigeria. It is also a major dealer in vehicle batteries and lubricants, serving customers in 32 states of the country.

The company is a major importer and distributor of parboiled rice, cube sugar and fertilizer in Nigeria. It handles about half a million tonnes of these commodities within Nigeria yearly. It runs a big haulage service that has prospered for over a decade.

The company takes on major investment in real estate and development of prime properties. One of its major projects is the development of Intercontinental Hotel that sits on a 6000 square meter space in Victoria Island, Lagos. Towering 100 meters into the skyline, Intercontinental Hotel is marked as the tallest hotel building in Nigeria at present, comprising 358 rooms with six trendy F&B outlets offering international and local cuisine. Banqueting facilities include 1,000-seater banquet hall and eight meeting rooms with state of the art health club and Spa. The building is described as an engineering marvel, encompassing two basements stretching down 12 meters below sea level – which houses the car park, plant & machinery.

In its shipping services, the company undertakes complete clearing, forwarding and agency services of its own cargoes as well those of clients. The company handles about half a million tonnes of cargo in Nigerian sea ports yearly. It has its own fully integrated break bulk shipping operation and guarantees cargo delivery within one week of arrival.

Milan Group has a network of branches covering all the major cities in Nigeria, employs more than 1,000 staff and provides indirect employment to about 10,000 people.