4 Challenges of being a Digital Entrepreneur in Nigeria
Godsdelight Agu
Creative Non-Fiction Writer | Storyteller | Retired Social Media Manager/Digital Marketer | Bespoke Career Branding Specialist | Professional CV/Cover Letter Writer | LinkedIn Profile Optimization Specialist | Creator
According to entrepreneur.com, "Entrepreneurs can change the way we live and work. If successful, their revolutions may improve our standard of living."
Think about Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO and co-founder of Facebook, and think about how his brain-child has revolutionized the way we live, think and do business.
With digital technology available at our fingertips, entrepreneurship has become so "easy"!
Entrepreneurs no longer look like "entrepreneurs"! Entrepreneurs of our time wear Tees, shorts & Crocs to work.
However, like every other form of entrepreneurship, digital entrepreneurship comes with various degrees of challenges.
No doubt, being a digital entrepreneur is hard. But, I'll tell you what's harder, being a digital entrepreneur living in Nigeria.
In this article, we'll be looking at the common challenges that face digital entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
But before that, If you're hearing the term "digital entrepreneur" for the first time, it's very important we start by explaining the meaning of a digital entrepreneur.
Who is a Digital Entrepreneur?
A digital entrepreneur can simply be described as anyone who builds a business using digital technology & skills.
More collaboratively, we can say digital entrepreneurs are those who build business ventures or see entrepreneurial opportunities on the internet by creating or selling digital products or services.
These digital entrepreneurs do not need neck-breaking startup capital to start their businesses.
All they need to start up their businesses are - a smartphone/laptop, internet connection, and a power source (electricity).
Some years back, when the internet & smartphones started becoming popular, people who were always on their phones or on the internet were termed "lazy" and "unproductive.
Today, businesses are built with simple clicks on links and buttons on computers and smartphones.
Most digital entrepreneurs don't have to work the proverbial
"9 to 5"… They don't need to go out of their homes to a place called an "office."
They just sit back, in any position they deem fit, and work!
Some common examples of Digital Entrepreneurs
As digital technology advances around the world, new niches are created and more internet entrepreneurs emerge every day.
In this article, we'll be taking a look at some common examples of digital entrepreneurs that you've most likely heard of.
Small & Large businesses are beginning to have budgets for influencers to promote their products and services on their personal pages. The good thing is, you don't even need a million followers to make this happen! With an engaged following of just 5K, you're on your way to making extra bulks on social media!
And the list goes on.
You don't need a physical store, you don't need to pay rent, you don't need any start-up capital… All you need is a smartphone/laptop, a stable internet connection & stable electricity.
Challenges of Digital Entrepreneurs in Nigeria
According to statistics from 2021, there are over 50 million digital entrepreneurs in Africa, and Nigeria takes a huge chunk of this market.
Inasmuch as being a digital entrepreneur and the creator economy is growing every day in popularity, living in Nigeria continually presents digital entrepreneurs with a trailer load of challenges.
I'll briefly talk about 4 major challenges that beset me in the face every day!
1. Poor Electricity:
The struggle of getting constant electricity to work as a digital entrepreneur in Nigeria is the most frustrating challenge!
Why do we have a country where electricity is rarer to find than gold on the surface?
Digital entrepreneurs living in Nigeria have to deal with turning on generators on a daily basis if they must work!
What about those who don't have money to buy generators yet?
You might have to find a place with regular light to visit and work at.
In most cases, this is very unconducive! (I personally detest this idea!)
Those who are already rich in the ministry will get solar panels installed in their houses, and use solar energy!
(This is actually a good option!)
Some others have to keep multiple power banks and inverters to substitute for our lack of light!
2. Bad Internet/Network:
The next big challenge is our bad, very bad internet connection in Nigeria!
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I honestly didn't realize how poor & unstable our internet was till I started working with foreign clients!
Nigeria's poor internet is bound to frustrate you when you need it the most.
I've used Glo, Airtel, 9mobile…. and all of them are mad!
Our bad internet will make you sound robotic during meetings, and will keep kicking you out of meetings!
There are days when you're unable to access any link or even check your emails.
Nigeria's internet is wack!
And working as a digital entrepreneur living in Nigeria can really be frustrating.
We aren't even talking about how expensive our internet is.
A colleague from India once told me he bought stable, unlimited internet for an entire month at less than $5 (that is, about NGN 3,000).
The least I spend on data on a monthly basis is NGN 10,000, and I have to be extremely careful of what I download or watch.
3. The misconception that all internet entrepreneurs are scammers
Once again, I really can't wrap my head around why most people think that all people who make money off the internet are "Yahoo boys or girls".
This too, like the other challenges can be really annoying!
It's actually a very big insult to classify digital entrepreneurs alongside "fraudsters".
Digital entrepreneurs are hard workers, we keep late nights, we work, unwork, and rework.
Our creative juices are always flowing, and for most of us, even while sleeping, we conceive inspiration.
If you don't know the career opportunities available on the internet, you might need to use Google or join my School of Digipreneurs.
Policemen should understand there's such a thing as a "digital entrepreneur", and that not every dollar made off the internet was through duping people.
They really need to stop harassing our "tech bros" and "digipreneurs"!?
Nobody mentioned in any sacred book that someone has to be old in order to be rich!
The internet has made it easy, super easy to retire even before age 40 ??
The question is not if the internet can make you rich; the question is, how much money are you willing to make off the internet?
So please, we are not Yahoo boys and girls ??…. We are gainfully employed digital entrepreneurs ??
4. International Payment "Wahala"
After digital entrepreneurs have worked so hard to earn money, especially off foreign clients, the headache comes when it's time to receive payment.
CBN wants to steal your money!
PayPal & Payoneer want to steal your money!
If you've ever worked for foreign clients, I know you can totally relate to this one!
I remember when I worked for this client, and my pay was supposed to be $200.
Then, one dollar was still about NGN 570.
I was supposed to get over NGN 110,000, but like you guessed right, I never got that!
My client's desired payment gateway was Payoneer, and that platform painfully exchanged dollars at NGN 400 per dollar!
I was losing over 30K, each time I transacted with him, and I found it really painful!
Cryptocurrency is trying to solve the problem of borderless cash transfer in the world, but Central banks and Governments won't adopt it!
This is one big challenge!
Conclusion
Beyond the challenges, being a digital entrepreneur is the best thing that has happened to me!
And if I have to be birthed again and pick my career path, I'll definitely be a digital entrepreneur.
If you're a digital entrepreneur living in Nigeria, what are some of the challenges you face?
Can you relate with some of my own challenges?
I'd love to know!