Are there any more problems? I mean I feel as if Nigeria has potential but it's like Im missing something. It's like half of the media says that Nigeria startups are the next big thing, but when I talk to other half of Nigerian developers/programmer, they tell me something else...something like the media is lying. Like even the startups that come out from Nigeria, none of them seem 2 me 2 be solving real challenges/problems. They seem like clones n copycats that will never succeed. Like there is gotta 2 b more opportunities than Social Networking, E-Commerce and blogging. What about the crime sector. Y isn't an app that can stop child trafficking/kidnaps/robberies in cars. What about an app/software that can help the illiterate read/learn? Or an app/software that can expose corrupt policemen at checkpoints? Like what am I not seeing?

Even Rocket Internet companies, are not making things different. They just cloning things Is it dat people can't afford internet? Is it dat people can afford internet but we lack innovation? Like what is the main problem with us?

Nigerian Software Developers are having hard time with the process of developing softwares.

Abdulhakeem1:
Nigerian Software Developers are having hard time with the process of developing softwares.

What process?
Is it that we lack ideas?
Is it that we lack innovation?
Nigerian is full of challenges n problems that we can turn into solutions and make money from?
The problem is what are these problems? Is it money? Should we make more offline apps than online apps? Should we focus on helping people become more literate? Should we focus on people becoming more tolerant?

Here are some Nigerian startups that I see. Are any owners of them on Nairaland:

http://www.startupranking.com/top/nigeria
http://nigeria.startups-list.com/

I have been going through this thread from the beginning to this point and here is my own contribution.
First, am glad that we Nigerians have started thinking beyond oil revenue that has made our government to forget every other source of income. Now, oil prices have fallen, and what the government is doing is just to reduce the benchmark until it gets to $0.
Many countries (eg Isreal, North Korea, China) that do not have natural resources like oil invested aggressively in technology and now it is paying off for them, while those oil-rich countries are crying over oil price drop.
It is high time Nigeria started looking into Technology as the saviour of the economy. Venture capitals should be made available for startups with useful ideas. So many Nigerians have good ideas but due to lack of funding and unconducive business environment, those ideas still remain unrealized dreams.
When it comes to software development as a means to salvage this country, I can attest to my own personal experience.
For you to be on the frontline of current trends in software development, you have to commit to big R&D. For one to do his own personal R&D, he needs consistent power and internet access. Nigeria power supply is still a problem, and how much does one have to run generator for 10hrs, when it is hard to get money to buy coffee during the programming exercise. Our internet data providers are still not helping matters when it comes to research as we still experience high data charges with poor network.
In conclusion, I will say that while any serious software developer will do his best despite harsh economic environment, it is only when the government fully gives attention to technology and solves fundamental issues like power, then can we know that Nigeria can make it in software development in particular and technology in general.

toshodei:


What process?

challenges, problems and the set backs

toshodei:


Should we make more offline apps than online apps?

which factor is much more appreciated in our Environment? I Think the offline app. Or what do u think?

toshodei:


Should we focus on helping people become more literate? Should we focus on people becoming more tolerant?

more tolerant, in what sense?

Guy u talk final

Urine:
Mark has a point but at the moment, the demand and supply graph doesn't look good. To make matters worse, government has a terrible soft spot for software developed abroad.

Billyonaire:
You are one of a kind, always believing everything Nigerian must be lower quality than what is sold abroad. And another problem with your reasoning methodology is; Any time you hear the word abroad, your mind goes to America, Europe and Canada. Does it occur to you that Nigerians can export softwares to Ghana, Togo, Benin, all other African countries, Asia and Oceania ?

Please endeavor to overhaul your thought process, its negatively infectious. No offense, just helping you think right.

If you have tried getting on the global market, you would know that trade is done most time through a middle person and most of the time the middle person is PayPal. And unfortunately, PayPal doesn't trust Nigerians simple as that. So it doesn't matter if it's Africa or Asia or the Americas. If your trade is not internal (within Nigeria) , you are screwed. And we all know that dealing softwares in Nigeria is more than half less profitable that international.

Just letting you know that your analysis is wrong.

laykhorn:
this is exactly what has lingered in my mind for some time now. We need to start a tech revolution. This should start with you and me...
What is the contribution and efforts of people like Seun Osewa, Mark Essien and Sims Shagaya who have made it big in IT. Nairaland doesnt even have an office yet.
Oga Seun, How does relatively low profiled people like myself who have nothing more than some knowledge in C, Python and Web development under their belt contribute? I want a reply

Fortunately for you, C is the foundation in which most mobile apps as well as softwares are built upon. Expand your knowledge to include the children of c (c#,c++) and then start with mobile development.

gj22:


If you have tried getting on the global market, you would know that trade is done most time through a middle person and most of the time the middle person is PayPal. And unfortunately, PayPal doesn't trust Nigerians simple as that. So it doesn't matter if it's Africa or Asia or the Americas. If your trade is not internal (within Nigeria) , you are screwed. And we all know that dealing softwares in Nigeria is more than half less profitable that international.

Just letting you know that your analysis is wrong.

I am sorry, have you ever heard of the word 'wire transfer' ?

I'm not shooting down your idea just providing some perspective.

Software saving Nigeria is a steep uphill task. To significantly contribute to GDP with software you've got to be highly competitive in the global software market. Writing code for local customers, private and public alike can only serve wealth distribution and growth of the industrial base but you need exports if GDP is to be impacted in any meaningful way to supplement or replace oil.

Last time I checked only the US had double digit percentage share of the global software market standing at about 40% while everyone else; Japan, Germany, united kingdom and China included struggled with single digit percentages. To put that in perspective 10% of the global software market is about $40 bn which comes down to less than $12bn after taxes. So to make a fifth of what we currently make from oil with software exports we've got to beat the Japanese and German software makers with our software exports.

Quite honestly, barring some exponential growth in that market and corresponding demand as well as reduction to barriers of entry (writing web apps is one thing, designing, architecting and developing maintainable, high Performant world class code is a different animal all together) I find it very hard to see how we can achieve this. It would require unprecedented coordination across the country sustained for decades impervious to changes in government administration and that's assuming all infrastructural problems disappear magically. Nigeria has never done such a thing before. But I guess there's always a first time.

Proper economic diverfication is our major hope. Each governor needs to hire business development consultants to meet with business leaders in each state and to conduct research to identify exploitable human capital and other resources and provide broad outlines for business ideas. Publicize the resulting report then have oil blocks licensed to a venture capital bank, kind of like bank of industry, dedicated to funding top naija graduates charged with starting businesses centered on exports inspired by the aforementioned report. Did you make a first class? Heres a scholarship to business school and one million dollars, take a look at the nation wide research on exploitable resources and suggested business ideas, identify a target export market and subjugate it.

A multifaceted plan of this nature is still a long shot but is more likely to save us.

kastonkastrol:
yeah it will be a great thing if the government support you guys but I don't see that happening in the next 100years to come. Maybe someday the nigerian government will invest in software developing by enabling a good operating environment for our software developers and engineers, but currently nobody is talking about that. The two major contestants for the presidential seat are yet to mention anything like "software developers" in their campaign speeches. Btw lack of investing in software engineers is not only a problem peculiar to Nigeria alone but to Africa as a whole.

Our leaders are only talking about agriculture, reviving dead industries etc. They don't talk about technology which is the future. Is kinda sad though.

Anyway it will really be a promising future if our government invest in you guys in the nearest future.

If everyone produces software who would produce food.

Billyonaire:
I am sorry, have you ever heard of the word 'wire transfer' ?

Wire transfers are very expensive especially for upcoming developers. And some software middlemen e.g Google play and amazon appstore do not offer them. I wrote the challenges earlier in a post on page 2 or so. I am a BlackBerry developer so, I know what I am talking about.

And as a joke, 'wire transfer' is not a word, it's 2 words.

So if all these problems are in Nigeria how was Mr. Seun able to create the best internet social forum for Africans in Africa? How was Naij.com able to have millions of visitors per day? How was Linda Ikeji able to make millions off of something simple as a blog? Like what did they do different? What did they know? Are u sure that the problem is not lack of ideas or innovations?

Billyonaire:
I am sorry, have you ever heard of the word 'wire transfer' ?

Don't mind him.

Currently, there are lots of Nigerians on Freelancer and most likely oDesk & Elance.

And you can even sell stuff anonymously - with a virtual address, a pseudonym and virtual assistants - from any country of your choice.

toshodei:
So if all these problems are in Nigeria how was Mr. Seun able to create the best internet social forum for Africans in Africa? How was Naij.com able to have millions of visitors per day? How was Linda Ikeji able to make millions off of something simple as a blog? Like what did they do different? What did they know? Are u sure that the problem is not lack of ideas or innovations?

We are not talking about making upper middle class money. We are talking about replacing oil, you know, making that Arab money or more apt that Facebook money (Facebook probably made about $10billion last year how much did Linda make? ) I'm not putting her down just making a useful comparison.

You however raise a very important point, innovation. That's the silver bullet in all this talk. Because the interconnected world is a global digital village, if you have the right idea, funding and ultimately consumers would self-assemble around even a mediocre implementation of it. I would have to agree with you on that point but you see the problem is who is more likely to be innovative? An American in Silicon valley or a Nigerian in ikeja? There's no monopoly on innovation but many things are cognitive helpers like, having the best schools, importing the best intellects, having the most capital, taking the most risks, etc etc.

Leading innovation of the kind that delivers world class products like Google and Facebook don't come out of the US by chance but by design. There are a plethora of factors that align up nicely and are critical enablers, factors that Nigeria doesn't have in spades like the US does.

Right now on the abstract landscape of all possible Web applications the next "Facebook" sits waiting to be discovered. Simultaneously, there are 7 billion minds each with varying likelihoods of stumbling on that next Facebook. Ask yourself what are the modes of thought responsible for increasing the chances of one of those minds being the thought leader that fearlessly explores uncharted mindspace to get to that new app? And why for as long as we can remember the US has always struck gold in that department.

Don't mind me. I just think this is a marvelous idea for some interesting thought experiments.

But there are many problems (opportunities) in Nigeria that can be solved and make people some money. Alot. 1 is that not everybody can afford smartphones. Another is no electricity. There are so many ways to make money from these problems. Look at it this way. There are over 70 Million Internet Users in Nigeria. Can't somebody make an app that will cost $1 and get these 70 million to buy it? Or can't somebody make a website that have 70 Million Nigerians click on the website at least once per day?

toshodei:
But there are many problems (opportunities) in Nigeria that can be solved and make people some money. Alot. 1 is that not everybody can afford smartphones. Another is no electricity. There are so many ways to make money from these problems. Look at it this way. There are over 70 Million Internet Users in Nigeria. Can't somebody make an app that will cost $1 and get these 70 million to buy it? Or can't somebody make a website that have 70 Million Nigerians click on the website at least once per day?

To replace oil you need an export market. What you suggest only redistributes money trickled down from oil.

digitalembrace:
I'm not shooting down your idea just providing some perspective.

Software saving Nigeria is a steep uphill task. To significantly contribute to GDP with software you've got to be highly competitive in the global software market. Writing code for local customers, private and public alike can only serve wealth distribution and growth of the industrial base but you need exports if GDP is to be impacted in any meaningful way to supplement or replace oil.

Last time I checked only the US had double digit percentage share of the global software market standing at about 40% while everyone else; Japan, Germany, united kingdom and China included struggled with single digit percentages. To put that in perspective 10% of the global software market is about $40 bn which comes down to less than $12bn after taxes. So to make a fifth of what we currently make from oil with software exports we've got to beat the Japanese and German software makers with our software exports.

Quite honestly, barring some exponential growth in that market and corresponding demand as well as reduction to barriers of entry (writing web apps is one thing, designing, architecting and developing maintainable, high Performant world class code is a different animal all together) I find it very hard to see how we can achieve this. It would require unprecedented coordination across the country sustained for decades impervious to changes in government administration and that's assuming all infrastructural problems disappear magically. Nigeria has never done such a thing before. But I guess there's always a first time.

Proper economic diverfication is our major hope. Each governor needs to hire business development consultants to meet with business leaders in each state and to conduct research to identify exploitable human capital and other resources and provide broad outlines for business ideas. Publicize the resulting report then have oil blocks licensed to a venture capital bank, kind of like bank of industry, dedicated to funding top naija graduates charged with starting businesses centered on exports inspired by the aforementioned report. Did you make a first class? Heres a scholarship to business school and one million dollars, take a look at the nation wide research on exploitable resources and suggested business ideas, identify a target export market and subjugate it.

A multifaceted plan of this nature is still a long shot but is more likely to save us.

You're a great thinker. I must admit

digitalembrace:


To replace oil you need an export market. What you suggest only redistributes money trickled down from oil.

Im not interested in replacing oil. Did Mr. Seun replace oil in order to become a millionaire? Do internet entrepeneurs need to replace oil in order to make it? Im saying what are the problems/opportunities in Nigeria that developers/programmers can make money from? There are many problems (opportunities) in Nigeria that can be solved and make people some money. 1 is that not everybody can afford smartphones. Another is no electricity. There are so many ways to make money from these problems. Look at it this way. There are over 70 Million Internet Users in Nigeria. Can't somebody make an app that will cost $1 and get these 70 million to buy it? Or can't somebody make a website that have 70 Million Nigerians click on the website at least once per day?

toshodei:


Im not interested in replacing oil. Did Mr. Seun replace oil in order to become a millionaire? Do internet entrepeneurs need to replace oil in order to make it? Im saying what are the problems/opportunities in Nigeria that developers/programmers can make money from? There are many problems (opportunities) in Nigeria that can be solved and make people some money. 1 is that not everybody can afford smartphones. Another is no electricity. There are so many ways to make money from these problems. Look at it this way. There are over 70 Million Internet Users in Nigeria. Can't somebody make an app that will cost $1 and get these 70 million to buy it? Or can't somebody make a website that have 70 Million Nigerians click on the website at least once per day?

My bad. I thought you were staying on topic, i.e referring to the title of the thread.

I completely agree with you. There are many ideas that can make you millions in the Nigerian tech space. You don't need to innovate. It's enough to copy. Naija is behind the curve.

digitalembrace:


My bad. I thought you were staying on topic, i.e referring to the title of the thread.

I completely agree with you. The are many ideas that can make you millions in the Nigerian tech space. You don't need to innovate. It's enough to copy. Naija is behind the curve.

I think we need to innovate. Copying and Cloning has not done much good for us, because we don't have the same type of economies, opportunities or problems that 1st and 2nd World Countries have. I believe that what makes Nairaland so important and special is because it is dedicated to Nigerians at home and Nigeria Diaspora. If we can do what Nairaland did to other areas, we will be good.

BuddhaPalm:


Don't mind him.

Currently, there are lots of Nigerians on Freelancer and most likely oDesk & Elance.

And you can even sell stuff anonymously - with a virtual address, a pseudonym and virtual assistants - from any country of your choice.

So, you think the system is different for those sites? I am on all those sites you mentioned and the problem is still the same. Most people do not want to wire money because it's really expensive. Most people in the international online market go with PayPal. It's like making 10k when what you really should be making is 100k.

It's not a matter of minding me, it's a matter of knowing what the hell you are talking about before talking.

gj22:


Fortunately for you, C is the foundation in which most mobile apps as well as softwares are built upon. Expand your knowledge to include the children of c (c#,c++) and then start with mobile development.

Thanks...

Seun:
Develop websites and management portals for local businesses around you using your knowledge. When your skills are world class, offer the same service to foreigners over the Internet. At that point you'll start earning dollars. You can also choose to become a webmaster.

Thanks.

gj22:


So, you think the system is different for those sites? I am on all those sites you mentioned and the problem is still the same. Most people do not want to wire money because it's really expensive. Most people in the international online market go with PayPal. It's like making 10k when what you really should be making is 100k.

It's not a matter of minding me, it's a matter of knowing what the hell you are talking about before talking.

You sir, are the one who knows nothing about these freelancing sites.

Doesn't matter if the employer pays with cowrie shells. Freelancer.com for example sends payment straight to your account.

Indians are banking, Pakistanis are banking. I've even given projects to people from Kenya and Uganda.

Employers don't generally care about your location. But your REVIEWS.

They have NOTHING to fear since payment is released to you only after you meet agreed upon milestones.

@gj22

And I forgot to add, only a fool will wire money or even make a DIRECT PayPal payment for these services over the internet.

Everyone pays by ESCROW.

...your beloved PayPal doesn't offer buyer protection for services. I learnt that the expensive way.

toshodei:


Im not interested in replacing oil.

But This Topic Is Interested in Dat.

toshodei:
Im saying what are the problems/opportunities in Nigeria that developers/programmers can make money from? There are many problems (opportunities) in Nigeria that can be solved and make people some money. 1 is that not everybody can afford smartphones. Another is no electricity. There are so many ways to make money from these problems. Look at it this way. There are over 70 Million Internet Users in Nigeria. Can't somebody make an app that will cost $1 and get these 70 million to buy it? Or can't somebody make a website that have 70 Million Nigerians click on the website at least once per day?

Many IT People Can Do Dat but We need to Replace Oil Revenue. THAT'S Where Exporting Comes In. Even if Oil Isnt Falling in World Market, Govt. should contribute to the Software Industry, it Will surely yield good. All of your Suggestions are good, but d revenue of startup will one way or the other be trickle down from oil

Abdulhakeem1:
Many IT People Can Do Dat but We need to Replace Oil Revenue. THAT'S Where Exporting Comes In. Even if Oil Isnt Falling in World Market, Govt. should contribute to the Software Industry, it Will surely yield good. All of your Suggestions are good, but d revenue of startup will one way or the other be trickle down from oil

Many IT people can do what? If many IT people can do it, y dont we have more million/billion dollar startups in Nigeria or Africa? Like what is going on?

digitalembrace:
I'm not shooting down your idea just providing some perspective.

Software saving Nigeria is a steep uphill task. To significantly contribute to GDP with software you've got to be highly competitive in the global software market. Writing code for local customers, private and public alike can only serve wealth distribution and growth of the industrial base but you need exports if GDP is to be impacted in any meaningful way to supplement or replace oil.

Last time I checked only the US had double digit percentage share of the global software market standing at about 40% while everyone else; Japan, Germany, united kingdom and China included struggled with single digit percentages. To put that in perspective 10% of the global software market is about $40 bn which comes down to less than $12bn after taxes. So to make a fifth of what we currently make from oil with software exports we've got to beat the Japanese and German software makers with our software exports.

Quite honestly, barring some exponential growth in that market and corresponding demand as well as reduction to barriers of entry (writing web apps is one thing, designing, architecting and developing maintainable, high Performant world class code is a different animal all together) I find it very hard to see how we can achieve this. It would require unprecedented coordination across the country sustained for decades impervious to changes in government administration and that's assuming all infrastructural problems disappear magically. Nigeria has never done such a thing before. But I guess there's always a first time.

Proper economic diverfication is our major hope. Each governor needs to hire business development consultants to meet with business leaders in each state and to conduct research to identify exploitable human capital and other resources and provide broad outlines for business ideas. Publicize the resulting report then have oil blocks licensed to a venture capital bank, kind of like bank of industry, dedicated to funding top naija graduates charged with starting businesses centered on exports inspired by the aforementioned report. Did you make a first class? Heres a scholarship to business school and one million dollars, take a look at the nation wide research on exploitable resources and suggested business ideas, identify a target export market and subjugate it.

A multifaceted plan of this nature is still a long shot but is more likely to save us.

So only first class grads should get such easy windfall eh? Did it occur to you that most of our schools are just in bad shape? Corruption, oppression, malpractices, personality cults are the daily order. Yep governors should work harder, but not the way ur putting it. Govs and business leaders are among those actively maintaining the status quo of the country today. Dey should simply shelve and fight corruption and do their jobs of developing infrastructure (especially schools). In short that's where research can then be carried out and encouraged. And how about the federal govt work on paypal among other international things using diplomacy, UN and the like? Once again we need to BIRTH THINGS. That is the only way to have something to export. The americans birthed and OWN IT when u look at the history, so I am not surprised by ur findings.

Check this out ~> https://www.nairaland.com/2211833/what-best-web-based-businesses-start