ERP, eCommerce and IT for Nigerian distributors and retailers

Challenges we see

Distributors, wholesalers and retailers of every size are being asked to sell through more channels with tighter margins. The recurring problems:

• Inventory you cannot trust. Stock levels differ between the warehouse system, the stores and the online shop, so orders are oversold or stock sits unused.
• Omnichannel without integration. Point of sale, eCommerce, marketplaces, EDI with retail partners and accounting run separately, with staff re-keying orders and adjustments.
• Import costs hidden in the margin. Freight, duty, clearing charges and exchange-rate swings on dollar-priced goods are not allocated to products, so true margins are unclear.
• Batch, expiry and returns tracking. Regulated or perishable products need lot and expiry tracking, and returns and credit notes pile up without clear processes.
• Replenishment by guesswork. Reorders depend on someone noticing low stock rather than on rules and sales history.
• Card data, power and store networks. Every store has payment terminals, Wi-Fi and back-office PCs that need to be secured and supported, and that need to keep running through grid outages.

How Promatics helps

Maximising cloud technology is essential for omnichannel, but it is far from easy. We approach it from both sides:

• ERP. Prometheus ERP or another platform selected through our ERP implementation service becomes the single source of truth for items, stock, purchasing, sales and accounting.
• eCommerce. Our eCommerce development team builds and connects B2B ordering portals and consumer storefronts that read live stock and pricing, designed mobile-first.
• Integration. Business system integration links POS, eCommerce, marketplaces, EDI partners, shipping carriers and accounting so orders and inventory flow without re-keying.
• Reporting. Data analytics turns sales, margin and stock data into dashboards for buyers, store managers and finance.

For day-to-day technology, our managed IT services provide a fully remote, 24/7 help desk for managed-service clients with response targets set in the service agreement, system design and networking for stores and warehouses (including redundant links and power backup for POS and warehouse devices), software licence management, hardware procurement and inventory, cabling and phone systems, on-site systems maintenance where your agreement includes it, and a layered cybersecurity stack aligned with recognised frameworks such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. A virtual CIO runs strategic assessments, gap analysis and project management, and we coordinate directly with your POS, carrier and telecom vendors.

Prometheus for distribution and retail

The distribution and retail edition of Prometheus ERP is built for multi-location selling and supply:

• Inventory control and multi-store management.
• Batched items, returns and credit notes managed easily.
• Landed cost vouchers, taxes and charges, and multi-currency accounting.
• Automated stock replenishment, auto-reorders and material requisitions.

It can be deployed on-premises or in the cloud, including in a local data centre in Lagos or Abuja, and extended to neighbouring systems across your business.

Nigerian regulatory and operating context

• Taxes. Systems must calculate VAT (7.5 %) correctly by product and customer, handle withholding tax, and keep records the Nigeria Revenue Service and state revenue services can audit.
• Importing. Importers deal with duties and clearance through the Nigeria Customs Service, so landed costs, tariff classifications and clearing-agent data need to flow into the ERP. Trade under AfCFTA and ECOWAS arrangements adds its own documentation.
• Product traceability. Food, drugs, cosmetics and other regulated goods may require lot tracking and recall readiness under NAFDAC rules, which depends on accurate batch and expiry records.
• Card payments and data protection. Accepting cards means meeting PCI DSS, and customer data is governed by the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 (NDPA). Promotional messages must follow the NDPA's consent rules and NCC rules on unsolicited messages.
• Customs and currency. Dollar-priced inventory and imports mean exchange-rate changes feed straight into cost and margin, so the ERP should record rates at the time of each transaction.

This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Confirm your obligations with your accountant, clearing agent and legal advisers.