Nigeria is a great country when it comes to African soil and globally. We may be facing too many challenges but we are still surviving. I bet you, there are some African countries that can’t even bear even 70% of what we are facing and still manage to stay together. But we have done it all and still staying strong. well that’s an issue for another day.

I have travelled far and wide to many places and I can confirm that Nigerians are the best Business minded people in African. And with what I have seen and compared, I brought out this powerful lessons that other African countries can learn in business from Nigerians, most especially the south easterners (Igbos).

Punctuality/Seriousness- During my university days in Ogun state, I could remember there were two business men who stay opposite each other upstairs in my compound. One is an Igbo family and the other a Yoruba family. Both own a shop in the popular Sapon market in Abeokuta. On a daily basis, as early as 5:30am, the Igbo Family would have woken up praying because I do hear their voices. By 6:00am, they are out of the house to return by 9pm. I rarely see their faces week days, only on Sundays when they don’t go for their business. But for the Yoruba family, I don’t know when they wake up but I hear them pray by 9:30 or 10am. They pray for up to 1 hour and leave for their business probably 11:30am or 12pm and return by 6pm.

This is one quality I love so much about the Igbo man. They are dame punctual and serious when it comes to this area. They don’t want to miss and loose the early morning market.

Another illustration is a place in Johannesburg, South Africa. There are about 4 flats in the building with occupants, 2 Nigerian family. The other 2 families are 1 Ghanian and a South African family at the 4th flat. In which only one Nigerian family, the Ghanian and South African are into business. Food business precisely, and they all own a small mobile eatery in a place close to a popular primary and high school. As early as 6am, the wife of the Nigerian man who owns the eatery leaves home. By then all the food and pastries were ready. She leaves home to her place of business. But for the Ghanian, she stays at home till 9am before taking her food to her joint. While the South African takes her food to her joint by 11am when the high school must be having their break time. But what struck me was when the Nigerian woman was asked why she normally goes to her joint as early as she does. She said she does that because she doesn’t want to lose the early morning market. Most of the parents who come to drop off their kids as early as 7am, majority of them don’t do the usual “Tea and bread,” they rather buy solid food like pasta that she sells. So she has the opportunity to sell as much as possible, and she has come to have as much customers during that morning market. And before one knows what is happening, by 12pm, she is done for the day.

So why the Ghanian and the South African wait for the children break time, the Nigeria would come as early as possible to provide for the parents of the children and also provide food during the break time. She knows she has immersed customers so she is regular to meet up with that early morning just to satisfy her customers. And less I forget, the Nigerian woman is an Igbo.

The Igbo business man doesn’t joke with their business time. He’s punctual to meet up with customers.

Sweet Mouth/Talk- I walked up to a woman who sells roasted corn. I priced the corn she had. She said all her corn was N70 for 0ne and I wanted to buy. I told her to reduce the price for N50, even the corns were too small for N50. As I told her to reduce the price for me. Come see abuse ooo. This woman begin abuse me with yoruba ooo . “Omo oloshi niyen. Fii agbado mi le. Ema lo joor. Oloshi, werey.” Meaning: “You are a fool, mad man. Leave my shop and go.” All because I priced her corn for N50. I was so embarrassed. I left the place, and less I forget, she is a Yoruba woman.

I went to another place which was an Igbo woman. She told me her corn was N70 for one. I priced it for N40. Na so the woman begin sweet talk me with her mouth. The way she talked and how she talked about her corn, I nearly started thinking that the corn was planted and harvested in heaven and was brought to the earth. The way she hyping her corn, I finally ended up buying it for N60 which I never budgeted.

The above incident is same thing that happens anywhere when you go to buy clothes from an Igbo shop. The way they sweet talk one to buy their goods is amazing that it might even be fake goods and you wouldn’t know. They use their words to hypnotize customers. All of them have that ability to sweet talk. They mastered it that I asked one on a hot Saturday that I would love to learn how to sweet talk costumers in buying my goods because am going into business.

The Igbo businessman charms you with words that has power to convince your instincts that even if it’s a fake product, you would definitely buy it. I Love that sweet talk quality and its definitely one who chooses to succeed in business should learn from the Igbo business man.

Business Sense- The Igbo Business man has a great business sense. The aggression, seriousness and mind in which he puts in his business can’t be compared with the way Buhari handles corruption. He sets a purpose, profit and he’s determined to achieve his purpose. Since the beginning of the country, Nigeria, the Igbos have been made mockery of by other tribes that dem too like money. Now tell me, Na who no like money abeg! Na only Igbo people like money? Any little thing, “Igbo people too like money and business.” Yes they do and it’s really helping the economy of the country. They believe in entrepreneurship business and it’s really working for them. If some can’t go to school, they start up a business. At least it decongests the number of unemployed people in the streets. I so much admire the Igbo man’s business sense. Sometimes I do wonder if God actually blessed them with that special kind of gift. But you can still learn it. If Chiya from China who does well in computer village Lagos can possess this qualities after mingling with Onitsha boys, that means other people can.

http://www.hovabuzz.com/frontline/999-an-illustration-of-3-strong-lessons-to-learn-from-the-nigerian-igbo-business-men

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These characteristics though rampant among igbos is not peculiar to just igbos. Nice observations

Op i seconed al those motions xcept for NO.1. Abeg we igbos dey pray wela wela

My igbo tribe, so much love.

The hausa man nko

Rubbish

The secret of business is to know something that nobody else knows. The Igbo business man is a master at that.#igbo kwenu. Ya!!

I fully agree with no 2.

#keduNIGERIA...

No 2 is so on point

i dont agree with no 2. It depends solely on individual. If from a tender age you have bad mouth even if you go to work under someone that character will show up. Bad mouthing is not common with only the Yorubas.
nice write up anyway