By Sanya Ademiluyi

So klin, Wow, Viva  are the leading brands hoping to fill the large market gap left by Omo,the iconic detergent brand which once dominated the Nigerian market like a colossus. A market survey conducted by MarketingDay in Abuja and Lagos has shown. At the end of 2023,personal hygiene product giant, Unilever Nigeria announced that it had ceased production of the iconic Omo and Lux brands.

Omo detergent made and marketed for decades in Nigeria by Unilever is a cleaning powerhouse. Wives and cleaners say it is several times a more powerful detergent than many other products  on the market. Indeed, Unilever’s advertising for Omo was for a long time based on a little goes a long way. Now, with Omo’s gradual disappearance from the country’s markets during the course of last year, families had no choice but to turn to other brand products that are available on the market. 

So far,there is no dominant brand in the Nigerian household detergent market. So klin appears to have an edge though, having been in the Nigerian market for over two decades and achieved a reasonable market share as a challenger to Omo.In the early 2000s,Soklin introduced a second line brand product, Mama Good into the market. Competing on low price ,the Good mama brand has grown dramatically over  the past decade, establishing a significant market presence.

Another challenger, Waw was launched into the Nigerian market in 2011.It is owned by Expand Global Industries,a Nigerian unit of Henkel,the German consumer goods company. Over the years, Waw has gradually gained market share, although accurate market data are unavailable 

Viva ,another notable market player is the flagship brand of Kano-based Aspira Industries. Launched into the market in 2009,Viva appears to be doing well and undoubtedly has been given a shot in the arm, with the disappearance of Omo and its second line brand, Sunlight ,from the market.

Good Mama has gained so much market popularity over the years that it is now often mentioned by consumers before its forerunner, So Klin. Who becomes the dominant player or market leader among these three is anyone’s guess.