QNET's ethical shift: Redefining direct selling for Nigeria's 2026 rise
The Role of Trust in Entrepreneurship Amid Rising Youth Unemployment
In a country where youth unemployment is on the rise and informal business models are under increased scrutiny, trust has become a critical factor in shaping the future of entrepreneurship. As Nigeria grapples with these challenges, QNET, a global wellness and lifestyle company, is repositioning ethical direct selling as a viable solution for micro-entrepreneurship.
QNET, which has been operating in Nigeria through independent distributors and digital sales channels since 2021, is focusing its efforts on creating a regulated and transparent pathway into entrepreneurship. This approach is not about quick income but rather about fostering sustainable opportunities that align with the evolving market conditions and regulatory landscape.
The Nigerian market, where millions of young people depend on informal income streams, has seen an intensified focus on distinguishing legitimate direct selling from fraudulent schemes. Regulators have been working to ensure consumer protection, transparency, and accountability, reshaping expectations for how such businesses operate.
Ethical Direct Selling: A New Model for Micro-Entrepreneurship
QNET’s 2026 strategy for Nigeria centers on integrity, strict regulatory compliance, and responsible stakeholder engagement. According to Ayokunmi Solesi, General Manager for QNET in Nigeria, ethical entrepreneurship must be anchored in transparency and accountability if it is to remain a credible pathway for economic participation, especially for young Nigerians facing limited formal employment opportunities.
At the core of QNET’s model are product value, transparent compensation structures, and adherence to consumer protection standards. These principles align with the global direct selling industry’s performance, as highlighted in the WFDSA 2024 STATS Report, which showed the channel generating around $164 billion in retail sales and supporting more than 104 million independent representatives worldwide.
QNET ensures that Independent Distributors (IDs) earn solely from verified product sales rather than recruitment-based incentives. This distinction—earning from products rather than recruitment—is widely recognized by regulators as the primary line separating ethical direct selling from pyramid-style schemes.
Product Innovation and Consumer Protection
Product innovation remains a key pillar of QNET’s 2026 outlook in Nigeria. Through its partner Transblue Limited since 2022, the company has hosted workshops and expos, such as the 2025 Lagos Product Expo, to promote innovation and youth opportunities. These events showcased certified wellness products while addressing misconceptions, with over 8,000 attendees at the Abuja edition alone.
QNET’s product portfolio spans health, wellness, personal care, and home living. The Amezcua range, including the Amezcua Bio Disc and Chi Pendant, remains among the company’s most recognized offerings. Complementing these are timepieces and accessories under the Bernhard H. Mayer brand, such as the OMNI Watch, which earned a Silver Stevie Award in 2025 for its sustainability-forward design.
Strengthening Consumer Protection and Education
Consumer protection is expected to be a central pillar of QNET’s strategy amid rising financial fraud in Nigeria. The company is expanding preventive and defensive measures to safeguard consumers. Its “Say NO!” public awareness campaign, launched in 2023, focused on helping citizens identify fraudulent schemes through mass outreach and community engagement across Nigeria and other West African markets.
This effort was reinforced through structured collaboration with Nigerian authorities, including the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), aimed at disrupting impersonation networks and protecting the integrity of legitimate entrepreneurship.
Internal Compliance and Educational Initiatives
Beyond external advocacy, QNET believes ethical direct selling must be enforced from within. Between 2022 and 2023, the company suspended more than 80 distributor accounts across Sub-Saharan Africa for ethics violations, underscoring its zero-tolerance approach to misrepresentation and misconduct.
Complementing these legal efforts are educational programs, such as QNET’s signature financial literacy program, FinGreen Programme, launched in 2022 in partnership with Transblue Limited. This initiative has trained over 1,500 young people and women across Nigeria in budgeting, saving, responsible spending, and digital financial literacy skills to avoid exploitation.
Future Outlook
Moving forward, QNET aims to strengthen its role in Nigeria’s formal economy by positioning ethical direct selling as a viable pathway for micro-entrepreneurship, income diversification, and skills development, particularly among young people navigating an increasingly competitive labor market.
As Nigeria’s gig economy matures under tighter regulation, QNET argues that the future of direct selling will be decided less by scale and more by trust—measured in transparency, consumer protection, and the economic literacy of those it empowers.
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