I came across an article at NigeriaGalleria.com just now, that not only highlights some of the challenges of doing business online from Nigeria, but also offers some solid advice on going around the challenges. It’s titled: “Obstacles to Conducting Internet Business in Nigeria“.
These obstacles vary from the poor electricity supply in Nigeria, to the lack of an online payment system (aside the expensive Interswitch gateway). I must confess that this article has inspired me to offer some suggestions to folks in Nigeria, on how they can receive and make payment online for their personal and business needs.
Back to NigeriaGalleria.com, I must say that I love the article. The author is not named but he/she is objective enough to concede that Nigeria has a very bad name on the Internet. No thanks to the 419 and ebay scammers. He/she also points to the fact that some online businesses do not do business with residents of Nigeria, at all and has this to say to them:
The reality is that we don’t need them to be successful. Nigeria has a population of more that 140M (2006 estimates) and counting, and there is enough cash in the economy and e-business awareness to make money online without bowing down to Paypal, Yahoo and other characters that believe that nothing good can come out of Nigeria. The Nigerian economy is large enough to create internet millionaires and billionaires without funds from abroad. Nigerian IT gurus can team together to develop a Nigerian online payment system, if that is not in the works already.
Things are changing gradually, with Visa and MasterCard coming to Nigeria, and Nigeria being delisted from the FATF blacklist. A day will come when Paypal will beg to come to Nigeria the way Google was grilled before they were allowed to operate in China.
Are you in Nigeria trying to survive in a honest way online? Share your thoughts about your experiences and challenges.
10 responses so far ↓
1 Ifeoluwa // Aug 12, 2007 at 9:12 pm
Its really difficult trying to survive in a honest way online as you put it.
Not with the difficulty in opening a paypal account which most companies pay with in Nigeria.
To be sincere, I am tired of this whole idea of making money online here in Nigeria…….as it is a difficult thing for you, if you are not financially buoyant enough to carry out the processes
2 Oluniyi David Ajao // Aug 13, 2007 at 5:22 am
Ifeoluwa, I agree with you that it is indeed very difficult doing business on the Internet, from Nigeria. Aside the 419 menace, the biggest problem in my opinion, is the grossly inadequate electricity supply. It is possible to go around all the problems but one needs much money to do that.
But then, with enough faith, perseverance and handwork, nothing is impossible.
3 Nathaniel // Aug 31, 2007 at 12:36 am
Yes sir, you have said “RIGHT”..Internet business and trying to make a living from the internet had been so tidious these days for we the nigerians that it only take consistency, perseverance, handwork and determination coupled with some raw cash to be invested if not out rightly impossible to make money online…Meanwhile, to many trying to make money in a legit way as become a white elephant project cause it was nt a kind of “get rich quick” or “get rich over night’ idea..It takes the favour, and the grace of God *lol*
Moreover, I have gotten a legit way of making money online with the investment of little amount, and this program could pay off within a day if taken serious and back up with hardwork, it has worked for me and its still working for me up till now… And it can WORK FOR ANYONE TOO.
Check it out here http://www.e-cashmint.blogspot.com
4 Godfather // Jan 15, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Severally I have been disturbed by the figures I read and hear people make online and yet Nigerians are kept away from it. The height of my anger is that we have people here in the country that walk shoulders-high in the name of internet gurus. To such group of people I have have this to say. “there is no amount of success outside the home can make up for failure in the home” Keep doing it out there and let your home be a total failure. You are indeed a failure.
If you have no tears in your eyes, I weep looking at Nigerians trying tirelessly to make ends meet online in a lawful and legitimate way, but all their efforts are futile. Yet you parade yourselvs as brothers and fellow Nigerians.
5 iupac // Jan 25, 2008 at 12:59 am
guy i don tire for this naija. person no see food chop. the clothe wey i wear now na borrow borrow. As you see me now i don tire
6 chinemere onuekwusi // Apr 18, 2008 at 4:11 pm
well most people still find it difficult to believe that you can make money online in Nigeria.Well making money online in nigeria is possible,though it is not as easy as you would want ,but however one can still make a reasonable income online in nigeria if you remain resilient and dogged in you resolve like me.well if you want to know more on unlimited online making possibilities available to average Nigerians like you.Hit my blog site on chinemeremz.blogspot.com or email me on chinemeremz@gmail.com
7 'Yemi Eke // May 13, 2008 at 5:12 pm
well guess you guys said it all I think if we all work together maybe we can open a back door out of poverty and frustration for most Nigerians. I recently opened a website to help people like my self who have tried for years to make legit money and who have avoided the yahoo yahoo stuff not just because it’s wrong, but also because it puts us in a situation where people from other parts of the world restrain themselves from anything Nigerian.Lets help Nigerians make a positive change
8 Eke Opeyemi // May 14, 2008 at 8:21 am
well it’s quite a pity that in a country like ours we can actually claim that “gurus” exist anyway we just need to put our heads together to help one another in proffering legit, minimal risk, online money making solutions. ‘course I believe that online jobs could be our long awaited doorway out of poverty please if you want to help visit my website yemiekesworld.page.tl. goodluck
9 luther // May 16, 2008 at 5:17 pm
please,kindly update me on how to do business online
10 LAWUMI // Jul 2, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Can some one send info on how to do honest bussiness online.
I’l realy appriciate it.
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