The thoughts of ending the compulsory one year service to fatherland can be disheartening for many. Even though most people would publicly profess they can't wait for the service year to come to an end, deep down they are engulfed with the fear of what happens next. Over the years, people have come to realise the need to rely less on paid employment (that are hard to come by) and opt for businesses in whatever form. However, the business atmosphere in the country is so challenging that even mainstream players are finding it difficult to operate effectively. It's few days to the POP of the 2016 batch 'B' stream 1 corp members, so here I'm going to be stating some activities and businesses you can engage in while you continue searching for paid employment. Some can however kick start their careers from these. These businesses can be started with as little as #40000 which I believe the most extravagant corp member should be able to save.
CONFECTIONERY AND PASTRIES: The demand for pastries grow each passing day and believe me people's taste are continually changing. So, for anyone with requisite knowledge in the making of doughnuts, small chops, sausage, samosa, cakes and so many others. You can enhance your skills by starting out with the little capital you have. It would be unwise to target the large market rather try to dominate a small portion of the market while you expand.
RETAILING OF SECOND HAND CLOTHINGS (OKRIKA): This business is booming largely due to the underdevelopment of Nigeria and I see it getting bigger. Get reliable sources to buy from and always ensure you buy the A-grade that looks like new. Also target a smaller market and package your stocks. Have you imagined repackaging these wears in a better form rather than just placing it on the ground like it's mostly done? You can do that in your case. Ensure to offer good prices and know your target markets. *here is a secret, female wears sell faster than male, you know the ladies always want to slay even with half empty purses*.
IMPORTATION BUSINESS: Why use your phone for social media alone when you'll be consuming the same amount of data shopping on ecommerce sites in Asia? The importation business has helped Nigerians a lot as it has made it easy to obtain various materials directly from manufacturers. Of interest however is phones and computer accessories. The population of phone users keep increasing by the day, this provides a good market for accessories as people would always have problems with their phones one time or the other. Ensure you know the type of phones generally used in your area and get quality accessories as this is what counts. However, a lot of care need to be taken in this trade, ensure you learn from experienced people so as to avoid being swindled by scammers.
MARKETING OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE: This is a very old business that's been dominated by uneducated folks. Before the period of mass unemployment in Nigeria, no educated individual would consider this a viable source of income. With proper knowledge about source of supply and target markets, one can make it big time in this business. Recognise areas where some commodities are produced in large quantities and transport it to target markets where demands are high. It's not advisable to travel far distances with little capital in businesses such as this as the profit made might be very small. You can have someone get the commodities for you while you sell to people around you at good prices.
INVESTMENT: There are quite a number of good investments in town at the moment that offers good returns after a period of time ( not ponzi schemes). Get necessary information about the credibility of the investments and sit back while you watch your money grow. There's a large foray into agricultural investment at the moment.
SUPPLY OF VALUABLES: There was a friend of mine who started to buy semolina, wheat, beans powder and so many other staple foods when she finished service. She bought in large quantities at low prices and sold to people in her neighborhood and church. She offered to always deliver to their doorsteps and in no time they began to rely on her to get anything concerning food for them. This was where she made it. You can start something similar or employ another approach.
FARMING: Good old farming, I don't think I can love any profession more. People must eat and defecate, companies will continue to need raw materials. This is an indication that farming will forever be relevant. As sweet as that sounds, you need to be prepared to face the challenges that come with good practices. Start as little as you can and scale appropriately.
Finally, you should be glad your POP is coming at a time close to Christmas which is a good time to make money for intelligent and street smart individuals.
Note: All the businesses stated above are note fail proof, all businesses are bound to fail. What guarantee successful businesses are what the owners know and do. Wish you the best in life endeavors.
Compiled by Osfeld team.
Facebook.com/osfeldagro, twitter:@osfeldagro.

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