Building a Global Business from Lagos, Nigeria
Welcome to Daily Reality NG, where we break down real-life issues with honesty and clarity.
I'm Samson Ese, founder of Daily Reality NG. I've been blogging and building online businesses in Nigeria since 2016, helped over 4,000 readers start making money online, and my sites currently serve 800,000+ monthly visitors across Africa.
Three years ago, I met Chinedu at a tech meetup in Yaba. He was tired, frustrated, wearing the same polo shirt I'd seen him in the week before. Over bottles of Maltina, he told me his story. He'd built a software product that solved a real problem for logistics companies, one that worked beautifully in Nigeria. But every time he pitched to local investors, they'd ask the same question: "Have you tried selling it abroad?"
The message was clear. If you want to be taken seriously as a Nigerian entrepreneur, your business needs to look beyond our borders. But here's what nobody tells you: building a global business from Lagos isn't about abandoning the Nigerian market or pretending you're based in San Francisco. It's about understanding that the internet has made geography almost irrelevant, and Lagos, with all its chaos and resilience, can be your launchpad to the world.
I used to think building a global business meant you needed fancy offices, international connections, and millions in funding. Then I watched ordinary Nigerians, people sitting in one-room apartments in Surulere or shared workspaces in Ikeja, build businesses that serve customers in New York, London, and Dubai. They didn't have special advantages. They just understood something crucial: the barriers to global business have never been lower, and Nigerian entrepreneurs have skills the world desperately needs.
Let me be honest with you. This journey isn't a smooth ride on Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge. It's more like navigating Third Mainland during rush hour, dealing with unexpected challenges, finding alternative routes, and keeping your patience intact. But if you're willing to put in the work and learn from those who've done it before, you can build something that transcends borders.
Why Lagos is Your Secret Advantage
Here's what most people get wrong about building a global business from Nigeria. They see Lagos as a disadvantage, something to overcome or hide. They create fake addresses in Delaware, use VPNs to appear American, and avoid mentioning their location. But the smartest Nigerian entrepreneurs I know do the opposite. They leverage their Lagos base as a competitive advantage.
Think about it this way. Every day in Lagos, you're solving problems that would make most international entrepreneurs quit. NEPA takes light in the middle of a client call? You switch to your generator without missing a beat. Internet goes down? You've got three backup providers. Bank transfers take days? You've mastered multiple payment platforms. This resilience and problem-solving ability is exactly what global businesses need.
💡 Real Talk: The Lagos Advantage
When I started taking international clients, I noticed something interesting. They weren't put off by my Lagos location. They were impressed. They saw someone who could deliver quality work despite challenging infrastructure, someone who understood hustle and deadline pressure in ways their comfortable Western competitors couldn't match. One client from Toronto told me: "If you can run a business in Lagos, you can run a business anywhere."
Lagos gives you access to incredible talent at competitive rates. The developer you hire in Yaba can build the same quality software as someone in Silicon Valley, but at a fraction of the cost. Your content writer in Lekki understands both local Nigerian context and international standards. Your customer service team works across time zones naturally because, let's be honest, who hasn't stayed up until 3 AM dealing with business anyway?
The city's diversity is another hidden asset. Lagos teaches you to communicate across cultures, adapt to different expectations, and navigate complex social dynamics. These are exactly the skills you need when dealing with international clients from different countries and backgrounds. That ability to code-switch between talking to your landlord in Pidgin and presenting to investors in formal English? That's a global business superpower.
The Mindset Shift You Need to Make
Before we talk tools and strategies, let's address the elephant in the room. The biggest barrier to building a global business from Lagos isn't infrastructure, payment systems, or even funding. It's the mental barriers we carry.
Many Nigerian entrepreneurs suffer from what I call "imported validation syndrome." They believe their business only becomes legitimate when a foreign client validates it, when they can say "we work with companies in the UK" or "our clients are based in America." This mindset is dangerous because it makes you approach international expansion from a position of inferiority rather than value.
⚠️ The Truth Nobody Tells You
International clients aren't doing you a favor by working with you. You're solving their problems and delivering value. That Nigerian company charging ₦50,000 for a service might charge $500 to an international client not because they're scamming anyone, but because they understand their value in the global market. Stop underpricing yourself to prove you're "affordable" to international clients.
The mindset shift happens when you stop seeing yourself as a "Nigerian business trying to go global" and start seeing yourself as a "global business that happens to operate from Nigeria." This isn't semantics. It changes everything about how you position yourself, price your services, and present your value proposition.
I've watched entrepreneurs transform their businesses simply by changing their internal narrative. Instead of thinking "I hope they'll work with me despite being in Nigeria," they think "I bring unique value because of my Nigerian experience." Instead of apologizing for time zones, they market their availability for early morning calls as a benefit. Instead of hiding their accent, they own it as part of their authentic brand.
Want to know the truth? International clients care less about where you're located and more about whether you can solve their problems reliably. They want quality work, clear communication, and dependable delivery. Everything else is just noise. The moment you internalize this truth, you stop competing on location and start competing on value.
Choosing the Right Business Model
Not every business model works well for international expansion from Nigeria. Some require physical presence, complex logistics, or regulatory compliance that makes cross-border operations difficult. But several models work beautifully, and smart Nigerian entrepreneurs are already profiting from them.
Service-Based Businesses
This is where most Nigerian entrepreneurs should start. Service businesses require minimal capital, face fewer regulatory hurdles, and can begin generating revenue quickly. Software development, graphic design, content writing, digital marketing, virtual assistance, video editing, and consulting services all travel perfectly across borders through the internet.
The key is positioning yourself in a niche where Nigerian talent can compete or even exceed international standards. Don't try to be everything to everyone. A Lagos-based developer specializing in fintech solutions, a content writer focused on African market insights, or a social media manager with expertise in cross-cultural campaigns, these specific positions are more valuable than being a generic service provider.
✅ What Works Right Now
Software development for international startups, content creation for global brands, virtual assistance for busy executives, e-commerce store management, social media management, video editing for YouTube creators, transcription and translation services, and customer support outsourcing. These businesses require only a laptop, reliable internet, and skills you can learn or already have.
Digital Products
Creating and selling digital products gives you the ultimate leverage. You create something once and sell it repeatedly without additional production costs. E-books, online courses, software tools, templates, stock photos, music beats, and digital artwork all qualify.
The beauty of digital products is the profit margin. After covering your initial creation costs and platform fees, most of your revenue is profit. A Lagos-based designer selling Canva templates on Creative Market can earn dollars while sleeping. A developer selling WordPress plugins on CodeCanyon builds a passive income stream that compounds over time.
E-Commerce and Dropshipping
Selling physical products internationally is more complex but definitely possible. Some Nigerian entrepreneurs succeed by dropshipping products from suppliers in China or other countries directly to customers in Europe or America. Others create niche products in Nigeria and ship them internationally to diaspora communities or specialty markets.
The challenge here is logistics and payment processing, but it's solvable. Platforms like Shopify integrate with international payment processors and shipping companies. If you can source unique Nigerian products like African fabrics, craft items, or specialty foods, there's a hungry market abroad willing to pay premium prices.
Agency and Consulting
As you gain experience and build a reputation, you can evolve from freelancer to agency owner. This means hiring other talented Nigerians, managing client relationships, and delivering work at scale. The profit margins are lower than solo work, but the revenue potential is much higher.
Consulting works particularly well if you have deep expertise in a specific area. Nigerian entrepreneurs consult on African market entry, cultural adaptation, fintech strategies, or specific technical implementations. Your Lagos experience becomes your unique selling point rather than a limitation.
Building Your Global Digital Presence
Your digital presence is your storefront to the world. It's how potential clients discover you, evaluate your credibility, and decide whether to work with you. Building this presence doesn't require a huge budget, but it does require consistency and strategy.
Your Professional Website
This isn't optional anymore. Your website is your home base, the one platform you fully control. It doesn't need to be fancy or expensive. A clean, professional WordPress site with your services, portfolio, testimonials, and contact information is enough to start.
Critical elements include a clear value proposition, social proof through client testimonials and case studies, a portfolio showing your best work, an easy way for people to contact you, and a blog or resources section demonstrating your expertise. Many Nigerian entrepreneurs waste money on flashy websites while neglecting these fundamentals.
💡 Website Essentials for International Credibility
Use a professional .com domain, not a free subdomain. Invest in good hosting that ensures your site loads quickly for international visitors. Display client logos if you have permission. Include your professional photo to build trust. Show time zone availability clearly. Add security badges and SSL certificates. These small details signal professionalism to international clients who are evaluating whether you're legitimate.
LinkedIn as Your Global Network
LinkedIn is where serious international business happens. Unlike Instagram or Twitter, LinkedIn users are actively looking for professional services, partnerships, and business opportunities. A well-optimized LinkedIn profile can generate inbound leads without paid advertising.
Optimize your headline to show what you do, not just your job title. Write a compelling "About" section that speaks directly to your ideal client's problems. Share valuable content consistently, not just promotional posts. Engage with others' content thoughtfully. Connect strategically with people in your target industries. Many Nigerian entrepreneurs have built six-figure businesses primarily through LinkedIn relationships.
Portfolio Platforms and Marketplaces
Depending on your service, specific platforms can jumpstart your international client acquisition. Behance for designers, GitHub for developers, Contently for writers, Dribbble for UI/UX designers, Medium for thought leadership. These platforms give you instant credibility and exposure to international audiences looking for your specific skills.
Freelance marketplaces like Upwork, Fiverr, and Toptal can also work, though they're more competitive. The key is building your reputation on these platforms first, then transitioning clients to direct relationships. Think of marketplaces as lead generation tools, not permanent business models.
Content Marketing and Authority Building
The fastest way to attract international clients is establishing yourself as an expert in your niche. Write articles, create videos, share insights, and teach what you know. When potential clients find your helpful content before they even need your services, you're already ahead of competitors they've never heard of.
Start a YouTube channel showing your process, write LinkedIn articles solving common industry problems, guest post on relevant industry blogs, create free tools or resources, and speak at virtual conferences or webinars. One quality piece of content that ranks well or goes viral can generate leads for years.
Solving the Payment Problem
Let's talk about the elephant in every Nigerian entrepreneur's room: getting paid by international clients. This used to be a nightmare, with weeks-long wire transfers, extortionate bank charges, and money mysteriously disappearing in transit. Things have improved dramatically, but you still need the right strategy.
Modern Payment Solutions
PayPal finally works properly in Nigeria, though with limitations. You can receive payments and keep funds in your PayPal balance to pay for international services, but withdrawals to Nigerian banks still face restrictions. Many Nigerian entrepreneurs maintain dollar accounts with banks like Zenith, GTB, or Access that can receive international wire transfers with reasonable fees.
Payoneer has become the favorite for many Nigerian freelancers. You get a US or EU bank account number that receives transfers like a local account, then withdraw to your Nigerian bank. The fees are reasonable, and transfers arrive within days. Wise (formerly TransferWise) offers similar services with often better exchange rates.
⚠️ Payment Platform Reality Check
Don't put all your payment options in one basket. I learned this the hard way when my primary payment account got temporarily frozen, locking up thousands of dollars while bills needed paying. Always have at least two different ways to receive international payments. Also, factor payment fees into your pricing. Those 2.9 percent PayPal fees add up quickly when you're doing volume.
Cryptocurrency for International Payments
Some Nigerian entrepreneurs now receive payments in cryptocurrency, particularly USDT or USDC stablecoins. The advantage is instant transfers with lower fees and easy conversion to Naira through P2P platforms. The disadvantage is client comfort level since many international clients aren't familiar with crypto payments yet.
If you go this route, make it easy for clients by providing clear instructions and suggesting they use user-friendly platforms like Coinbase. Position it as a modern, efficient alternative rather than the only option. As crypto adoption grows globally, this payment method will become more mainstream.
Structuring Your Pricing
Should you price in dollars, euros, or Naira? For international clients, always quote in their currency or in dollars. It removes the complexity and currency risk from their side. Use your current exchange rate plus a buffer to protect yourself against Naira fluctuations.
Consider milestone-based payments for larger projects. This protects both you and the client. A common structure is 30 percent upfront, 30 percent at midpoint, and 40 percent on completion. For ongoing retainer services, use monthly subscriptions through platforms like Stripe (which you can access through Paystack or Flutterwave integrations).
Marketing to International Customers
Marketing to international customers requires a different approach than marketing to Nigerians. The platforms, messaging, timing, and expectations all shift. But the core principle remains the same: understand your customer's problems deeply and position yourself as the solution.
Target Market Selection
Don't make the mistake of targeting "international clients" as one homogenous group. An SME owner in Australia has different needs and budgets than a startup founder in California or a corporation in Germany. Pick one specific market segment to focus on initially.
Consider factors like time zone overlap, language and cultural alignment, payment ease, and market size. Many Nigerian entrepreneurs find the UK market easier to start with due to time zone proximity and English language. Others target the US for its larger market and higher budgets. Some focus on fellow African countries with similar contexts but greater purchasing power.
Cold Outreach That Works
Cold email isn't dead, but it requires finesse. Generic mass emails get ignored or marked as spam. Personalized, valuable outreach that shows you understand the recipient's business can open doors. Research each prospect, reference something specific about their company, and lead with value rather than a sales pitch.
LinkedIn outreach works even better when done right. Connect with a personalized note, engage with their content for a few days, then send a conversational message offering help or insight related to their recent posts. Build relationships first, pitch services later.
✅ Outreach Template That Gets Responses
Subject: [Specific observation about their business]
Hi [Name], I noticed [specific detail about their website/content/business]. As someone who [your relevant experience], I have some thoughts on [their specific challenge].
[Share one specific, actionable insight for free]
If you'd find it valuable, I'd be happy to share a few more ideas on [relevant topic]. No strings attached, just wanting to connect with people doing interesting work in [their industry].
Best, [Your name]
Leveraging Social Proof
Your first international client is the hardest to land. Once you have one, leverage that experience to attract others. Ask for detailed testimonials highlighting specific results. Request case studies with numbers and outcomes. Get video testimonials if possible, they're incredibly powerful.
Display logos of companies you've worked with prominently on your website. Share client wins on social media. Write case studies showing your problem-solving process. Each success makes the next client easier to land because you're reducing their perceived risk.
Content Marketing for Long-Term Growth
The most sustainable way to attract international clients is through valuable content that ranks in search engines or gets shared in your target industry. This takes time but compounds beautifully. An article that ranks for your target keywords can generate leads for years.
Identify the questions your ideal clients are asking. Create comprehensive content answering those questions better than anyone else. Optimize for search engines but write for humans. Share your content in relevant online communities where your target clients hang out. Be patient and consistent. This strategy separates businesses that scale from those that stay stuck trading time for money.
Legal Structure and Compliance
Here's where many Nigerian entrepreneurs get paralyzed by overthinking. Yes, legal structure matters. But no, you don't need to spend months and millions setting up complex international entities before landing your first client. Start simple, then evolve as you grow.
Starting as a Sole Proprietor
Most Nigerian entrepreneurs begin as sole proprietors, operating under their personal name or an unregistered business name. This is perfectly fine for early-stage freelance work. You invoice clients directly, receive payments to your personal accounts, and report income on your personal taxes.
The advantages are simplicity and zero setup costs. The disadvantage is unlimited personal liability, meaning if something goes wrong legally, your personal assets are at risk. For service-based businesses with low risk profiles, this often isn't a major concern initially.
Registering Your Business with CAC
As your international business grows, register properly with Corporate Affairs Commission. A registered business name costs around ₦10,000 to ₦15,000 and gives you legitimacy for bank accounts, contracts, and client relationships. Limited liability companies cost more (₦100,000+) but provide legal protection and tax advantages for larger operations.
Registration has become much easier with online CAC processes. You can complete everything in a few days if your paperwork is in order. Don't let lawyers overcomplicate this with unnecessary structures and fees. For most small to medium businesses, a simple registered business name or private limited company is sufficient.
💡 When to Upgrade Your Structure
Stay as a sole proprietor while you're testing the market and generating less than ₦5 million annually. Register a business name when you hit consistent monthly revenue and want to separate personal and business finances. Form a limited liability company when you're generating ₦10 million+ annually, hiring employees, or facing potential legal risks that justify the extra compliance costs.
Contracts and Client Agreements
Always use written contracts with international clients, even for small projects. This protects both parties and sets clear expectations around scope, deliverables, timelines, payment terms, and intellectual property rights. Simple template contracts work fine for most service businesses. Sites like LawDepot or Rocket Lawyer offer affordable templates you can customize.
Key elements include scope of work clearly defined, payment amounts and schedule, timeline and deadlines, revision policy, cancellation terms, intellectual property ownership, confidentiality clauses if relevant, and dispute resolution process. Having these in writing prevents 90 percent of potential client conflicts.
Tax Obligations
Nigerian tax law requires you to report and pay taxes on international income just like local income. Register for a Tax Identification Number (TIN) if you haven't already. File annual tax returns declaring your income. The specific tax rates depend on your business structure and income level.
Many Nigerian entrepreneurs struggle with tax compliance, partly due to complexity and partly due to our cultural relationship with taxes. But as your business grows, proper tax compliance becomes important for legitimacy, accessing credit facilities, and avoiding future problems. Consider hiring an accountant familiar with international business transactions to handle this correctly.
Scaling Your Operations
Building a sustainable global business means eventually moving beyond trading your hours for money. You need systems, processes, and eventually team members who can deliver quality work without your direct involvement in every project.
Building Systems and Processes
Document everything about how you deliver your service. What steps do you take from client onboarding to project delivery? What tools do you use? What quality checks do you perform? This documentation becomes your operations manual that allows others to replicate your work.
Create templates for common deliverables. Build checklists for repetitive processes. Use project management tools like Trello, Asana, or Monday.com to standardize workflows. Set up email templates for common client communications. These systems might feel bureaucratic when you're small, but they're essential for scaling beyond yourself.
Hiring and Managing Remote Teams
Lagos has incredible talent ready to help you scale. The key is hiring people whose skills complement yours, then training them on your systems and standards. Start with contractors or part-time help before committing to full-time employees.
Platforms like Fiverr and Upwork aren't just for finding work, they're also for finding help. Many Nigerian entrepreneurs hire other Nigerian freelancers through these platforms to handle overflow work or specialized tasks. You can also hire directly through LinkedIn, Nigerian tech communities, or referrals from your network.
⚠️ Common Hiring Mistakes
Don't hire too quickly before you have consistent revenue to support salaries. Don't hire your friends or family unless they're genuinely qualified and you can maintain professional boundaries. Don't skip the trial period, always test someone's skills and reliability on small projects before major commitments. Don't micromanage, hire capable people and give them autonomy within clear guidelines.
Moving from Services to Products
The ultimate scaling move is creating products that generate revenue without ongoing service delivery. That might mean packaging your service into a standardized productized offering, creating digital products like courses or templates, developing software or tools, or building a membership community.
This transition isn't easy and won't happen overnight. But every hour you spend creating leveraged offerings is an investment in your business's future scalability. A Lagos-based designer who creates and sells UI kits earns while sleeping. A developer who builds SaaS tools generates monthly recurring revenue. These are the business models that truly scale internationally.
Strategic Partnerships
As you grow, look for partnership opportunities with complementary businesses. A web developer might partner with a digital marketing agency. A content writer might partner with SEO consultants. These partnerships allow you to offer more comprehensive solutions to clients and access each other's client bases.
International partnerships work particularly well. Partner with agencies in the US or UK who need reliable offshore talent. They handle client relationships and business development while you focus on delivery. This hybrid model gives you access to larger budgets and more prestigious clients than you might land directly.
Real Nigerian Success Stories
Theory is helpful, but nothing inspires action like real examples of Nigerians who've successfully built global businesses from Lagos. Let me share a few stories that prove this isn't just possible, it's happening right now.
The Software Developer Who Built a SaaS Empire
Tunde started as a freelance WordPress developer in 2018, working from a shared apartment in Ajah. His first international client paid him $200 for a website, money that seemed huge at the time. Fast forward to 2025, his company now generates over $50,000 monthly from aSaaS product serving over 3,000 customers across 45 countries.
What changed? Tunde noticed his clients kept asking for the same customizations on their WordPress sites. Instead of building these features individually for each client, he created a plugin that solved the problem once. He listed it on CodeCanyon for $49, and within six months, he had hundreds of sales. Today, that plugin plus two others he developed generate consistent monthly recurring revenue while he sleeps.
His advice? "Stop thinking like a freelancer who trades time for money. Start thinking like a product creator who solves problems at scale. My life changed when I realized I could build something once and sell it a thousand times."
The Content Creator Serving Fortune 500 Companies
Amaka graduated from UNILAG in 2019 with an English degree and no job prospects. She started writing articles for ₦2,000 each on Nigerian freelance platforms. Today, she runs a content agency from Lekki that serves clients like Microsoft, Shopify, and several Silicon Valley startups, charging between $500 to $2,000 per article.
Her breakthrough came when she stopped competing on price and started positioning herself as an expert in fintech and blockchain content. She wrote comprehensive LinkedIn articles about crypto regulation, payments infrastructure, and digital banking. Tech companies found her content, recognized her expertise, and started reaching out directly.
She now employs four writers and two editors, all working remotely from different parts of Nigeria. Her monthly revenue exceeds ₦15 million, and she's selective about which clients she works with. "The quality of your clients changes when you position yourself as an expert, not just another writer," she says.
✅ What These Success Stories Have in Common
They all started small with just their skills and a laptop. They focused on a specific niche rather than being generalists. They documented their work and built online portfolios. They consistently delivered quality and asked for testimonials. They leveraged their early success into higher-value opportunities. They eventually moved from trading time for money to more leveraged business models. None of them had special connections or massive funding, just persistence and strategic thinking.
The Designer Making Six Figures from Digital Products
Kelechi learned graphic design through YouTube tutorials while running a photography business in Port Harcourt. He created Instagram templates for his own business, and other photographers kept asking where he got them. That question sparked an idea.
He started selling Instagram template bundles on Creative Market and Gumroad for $19 each. Within a year, he had sold over 4,000 bundles, generating over $70,000 in revenue. He expanded to YouTube thumbnail templates, Pinterest graphics, and TikTok templates. Today, his digital product business generates between $8,000 to $12,000 monthly with minimal ongoing work.
"The beautiful thing about digital products is they scale infinitely," Kelechi explains. "Whether I sell 10 templates or 1,000 templates this month, my cost of production is the same. I created these products once, and they keep generating income month after month while I focus on creating new products or just enjoying life."
The Virtual Assistant Building an Agency
Blessing started as a virtual assistant for a Canadian entrepreneur she met through Upwork, earning $8 per hour. She was handling his calendar, emails, and basic administrative tasks from her one-room apartment in Surulere. Five years later, she runs a virtual assistant agency with 12 team members serving over 30 international clients, with monthly revenue exceeding ₦8 million.
Her strategy was simple but effective. She delivered exceptional service to her first client, who referred her to two others. She asked each satisfied client for referrals and testimonials. She systematically documented all her processes so she could train others to deliver the same quality. When demand exceeded her capacity, she hired her first assistant and taught them her systems.
Today, she focuses primarily on business development and client relationships while her team handles the day-to-day work. "I realized early that building a business is more sustainable than being a freelancer. Yes, margins are lower when you have a team, but the revenue ceiling is much higher, and you're not limited by your own time."
🎯 Key Takeaways
- Lagos is a competitive advantage, not a disadvantage. Your resilience and problem-solving skills developed navigating Nigerian challenges are valuable assets in the global market.
- Mindset matters more than tools. Stop seeking validation from international clients and start positioning yourself as an equal delivering genuine value.
- Service-based businesses offer the fastest path to international revenue with minimal capital requirements. Choose a specific niche where you can excel.
- Build a professional digital presence starting with a quality website, optimized LinkedIn profile, and portfolio showcasing your best work.
- Modern payment solutions like Payoneer, Wise, and PayPal make receiving international payments easier than ever. Always maintain multiple payment options.
- Price based on value delivered, not your location. Research international market rates and charge accordingly, avoiding the race to the bottom on pricing.
- Start simple legally as a sole proprietor, then register with CAC as revenue grows. Don't let legal complexity paralyze you from starting.
- Always use written contracts that clearly define scope, payment terms, timelines, and deliverables. This protects both parties and prevents disputes.
- Scale beyond yourself by documenting processes, building systems, and eventually hiring team members. Move from trading time for money to leveraged business models.
- Learn from others' success stories. Nigerian entrepreneurs are already building six and seven-figure international businesses from Lagos with strategies you can replicate.
- Avoid common mistakes like underpricing services, over-promising, neglecting communication, skipping contracts, and being too generalist in your positioning.
- Persistence beats talent. Give yourself 12 to 18 months to build momentum, keep learning, keep improving, and keep reaching out to potential clients.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Do I need to register a company before working with international clients?
Not initially. You can start as a sole proprietor using your personal name and accounts. However, as your business grows and you start generating significant revenue (above ₦5 million annually), registering with CAC provides legitimacy, legal protection, and makes contracts and banking easier. Many successful Nigerian entrepreneurs operate for their first year without formal registration.
Which payment platform is best for receiving international payments in Nigeria?
There's no single best option because each has advantages. Payoneer is popular among freelancers for its easy setup and reasonable fees. PayPal works but has withdrawal limitations. Wise offers great exchange rates. Dollar domiciliary accounts with banks like GTB or Zenith work for larger wire transfers. The smart strategy is maintaining accounts with at least two different platforms so you're not dependent on one.
How much should I charge international clients compared to local Nigerian clients?
Research what your services cost in your target international market, not just in Nigeria. A professional website that costs ₦200,000 in Lagos might sell for $2,000 to $5,000 internationally. Don't automatically discount your services just because you're in Nigeria. Price based on the value you deliver and the market you're serving. Your location affects your costs, not the value you create for clients.
What business models work best for Nigerian entrepreneurs targeting international markets?
Service-based businesses like software development, design, content writing, and virtual assistance work excellently because they require minimal capital and face fewer regulatory barriers. Digital products like templates, courses, and software tools offer great leverage once established. E-commerce and dropshipping work but involve more complexity with logistics and payments. Choose based on your skills, capital, and risk tolerance.
How do I handle time zone differences when working with international clients?
Be clear about your availability upfront. Many Nigerian entrepreneurs schedule specific hours for international client calls, often early morning or late evening Lagos time. Use scheduling tools like Calendly that show your availability in clients' time zones. For asynchronous work, time zones become less important because you're not required to be available in real-time. Some entrepreneurs actually market their time zone as an advantage, offering work completion overnight for Western clients.
What if international clients don't take me seriously because I'm based in Nigeria?
This concern is usually bigger in your head than in reality. Professional international clients care about your ability to solve their problems, not your location. Build credibility through a professional website, strong portfolio, client testimonials, and excellent communication. Many successful Nigerian entrepreneurs prominently display their Lagos location and use it as part of their unique story. If a client discriminates based on location alone, they're probably not a client worth having.
✓
Ready to Build Your Global Business from Lagos?
Join thousands of Nigerian entrepreneurs who receive practical strategies, insights, and opportunities directly to their inbox every week.
© 2025 Daily Reality NG — Empowering Everyday Nigerians | All posts are independently written and fact-checked by Samson Ese based on real experience and verified sources.
Comments
Post a Comment