₦airaland Forum

Chai! That's so sad. May the Lord comfort her through this dark period.

Anojian was arrested in July after a religious dispute erupted online following an incident involving Hindu pilgrims in Sri Lanka. During the exchange, a user reportedly made derogatory remarks about a Hindu deity, prompting Anojan to respond in Tamil with an insulting comment about Prophet Muhammad. He later deleted the comment and posted an apology video, but screenshots were reportedly sent to his employer and Saudi authorities.

Let's be calming down o...

It was a reaction to an insult. And he apologised.

And this is why the Muslim world gets a bad rap. Imagine if other Muslims SPEAK out against this, that will actually be helpful to begin to change the narrative.

E no reach curse level oga.

People have free will. And most will vote with emotions.

Do your best to encourage others.

DAILY POST reports that despite the CNG initiative being implemented by the Federal Government across various states, transport fares have remained elevated, with fuel prices standing between N1,370 and N1,410 per litre in Abuja and its environs.

What's the plan to make these promises come to pass?

This people will be thinking that someone wants them to fail but they themselves are not setting themselves up for success.

What's this refinery actually doing to keep getting a recurring line item in the budget year after year? And now another increase?

Here are five habits that will separate you from 80% of freelancers and service providers immediately:

HABIT 1: CONFIRM EVERYTHING AT THE START — IN WRITING

Before you begin any job, send a short summary of what you both agreed to. Not a long contract with legal language — just a simple WhatsApp message or email that says:

"Just to confirm what we agreed: I will [describe the work] and deliver by [date]. The fee is [amount], with [payment structure — e.g., 50% upfront, 50% on delivery]. Revisions included: [number]. Please confirm this is correct and we can get started."

This one message prevents the majority of client problems.

It stops the client from expanding the scope mid-project without discussion.

It reminds both of you of the deadline so nobody is surprised.

It creates a record you can refer back to if there is a misunderstanding later.

The number of freelancers (especially in NIgeria) who skip this step and then spend weeks arguing with clients over what was agreed is genuinely heartbreaking — because a two-minute message would have prevented the whole thing.

Confirm everything. In writing. Before you start.


HABIT 2: COMMUNICATE DURING THE JOB — DO NOT DISAPPEAR

This is the single biggest complaint clients have about Nigerian freelancers. And this one irks me seriously.

Not the quality of the work. The silence.

You take a job, collect a deposit, and then the client hears nothing from you for seven days. No update. No check-in.

From the client's side, that silence feels like panic.

They start wondering: has this person collected my money and vanished? Is the work going well? Did I make a mistake hiring someone I don't know?

You do not need to send daily updates. But a brief message every two to three days — especially on longer projects — costs you nothing and gives the client enormous peace of mind.

Something as simple as:

"Hi [name], just a quick update — I'm about 60% through the work and everything is going well. Still on track to deliver by Thursday."

That message, sent on the 3rd/4th day of a two-week project, makes the client feel like they are in safe hands.

They relax.

They stop second-guessing.

And they will remember that feeling when they decide whether to hire you again.

Way overpriced for the Nigerian-used version.

...
At the time FIFA was reviewing the Congo eligibility case, Véron Mosengo-Omba, an ally of Infantino, was preparing to contest for the presidency of the Congolese football federation.

Two months later, following Congo’s qualification for the World Cup, Mosengo-Omba emerged as the sole candidate and was elected president after eight other contenders had either withdrawn or been disqualified following changes to eligibility rules.

Mosengo-Omba, however, said he was unaware of FIFA’s findings regarding Mpasi’s eligibility.

Infantion's corruption is next-levels, and he has sufficient accomplices.

Gone are the days when Westerners resign in shame after even brief allegations.

There is WHAT you do — which we have dealt with in great detail.

And there is HOW you do what you do. That's what we will look into now.

How you deliver your work.

Here is something nobody tells you early enough in this side hustle world or even as a pro — getting a client is only half the job. What you do between "yes, I'll take the work" and "here is the final file" is what determines whether that client comes back, tells their friends, or ghosts you the moment the project ends.

Let me tell you about two designers.

Same skill level. Same city. Same type of clients.

Designer A delivers good work. You send her a brief, she disappears for two weeks, then drops a Google Drive link in your DM with no explanation, no context, no "here is what I did and why." When you ask for a revision, she goes quiet for five days. When she comes back, the revision is half-done. You pay her because the final result is decent — but you never hire her again.

Designer B delivers the same quality of work. But when you send her a brief, she replies within a few hours confirming she received it and when to expect a first draft. Three days before the deadline she sends a quick update — "almost done, on track for Friday." She delivers the work with a short note explaining her design choices so you understand the thinking. When you ask for a revision, she acknowledges it within the hour and tells you exactly when it will be done.

Same skill. Completely different experience.

Guess which one has a full client list, a four-month waiting list, and clients who refer her without being asked?

The difference is not talent. It is professionalism in delivery.

And professionalism, unlike talent, is something you can decide to practice starting today.

Oga Peter Obi, you don't have to come out and say this. Especially with no evidence.

You can do better. Don't fall into the same cycle like these current lots.

ACTION POINT:

Before you move on, do the following. It takes less than fifteen minutes.

Step 1 — Write down the skill you identified from earlier. (If you did not do that, go back and pick one now.)

Step 2 — Search on Twitter/X or Instagram for what people with that skill are charging. Use search terms like "I charge for social media Nigeria" or "copywriter rates Nigeria" or "graphic design price Lagos." Look at five to ten results and write down the range you find.

Step 3 — Set your starting rate. Using the range you found, pick a number in the lower-to-middle band. Write it down. This is your current rate. Not "I'll decide later." Right now, in your notes app, write:

"My starting rate for [service] is [amount]."

That number now exists. It is no longer a vague idea floating in your head.

The moment you give your skill a price, you stop treating it like a hobby and start treating it like a business.

And that's how you start.

Take action now. Only action-takers see results.

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Have you identified your skill?

Have you estimated your rate?

Have you already charged for a skill and you are wondering whether you are undercharging. Let's talk it through.

Drop your replies. Let's engage and gain clarity.

(If you prefer an exclusive approach, you can email: support@startbizarena.com)

No more time-wasting. You don't have to wait till 2027 before you start preparing.

The time is now.

Follow the thread. Let's build.

HOW TO RAISE YOUR PRICES OVER TIME

Your starting rate is not your forever rate. Here is a simple rule:

After every three to five clients, review your pricing.

If you are getting inquiries without much effort, your price is probably too low.

If every single client negotiates hard or pushes back, your price might need slight adjustment — or your pitch needs work.

Raise your prices gradually and announce it matter-of-factly, not apologetically.

"My rates are increasing to [new rate] from [date]. Current clients on ongoing work will be moved to the new rate after their current project ends."

That is it. No long explanation. No begging for understanding.

Confidence in your pricing is part of the service you are selling.

The balance is ensuring you're delivering the best service at the best possible rate.

Yes, they should chase their handlers and suppliers, but at least, catching the carriers is also part of whole gig.

NDLEA is doing well and they need to step up their interrogation to crush down this menace because how are these things coming into the country in large quantities?

Several attempts to get reactions from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and the Ministry of Finance since last week have met a brick wall. Our correspondent, who visited the Abuja offices of the two organisations, could not get any comments. Also, calls, texts and WhatsApp messages sent to their spokespersons were not responded to.

Why are we not surprised?

Daily Trust reports that despite rising prices, there has been no significant increase in the Excess Crude Account (ECA) established as a buffer for saving oil revenues earned above the budget benchmark.

While Nigeria is earning more from higher international crude oil prices, one of the country’s traditional oil savings mechanisms, the ECA, is showing little evidence of benefiting from the price surge, as checks indicated.

The lack of discipline in transparency will lead to easy mismanagement.

If you're doing the right thing for the country, you'll be eager to share the news.

Great news. Kudos to the leadership and all the officers.

Amotekun is looking like a good choice after all.

But how is ISWAP able to operate in Ondo all this while?

Why is he explaining? Only results terminate insults.

And then on the D-day, only one-third will vote.

Abeg, where are the movement and civic society groups trying to turn out the votes across the states?

Whenever a party resorts to fringe issues, you know they don't have substance. It's like when someone resorts to insulting you, it's because their argument is weak.

It's a distraction. And it works. Because people are so much in their feelings too much of the time.

Good for her. Especially in SA of all places.

Sexual purity is for your own good. Too many stupid things come with hooking up around.

Good for him.

victoryenergy:
Hmmm ... the oloriburuku use pics from sophisticated Lagos as an image to describe a third word country..😮😮, am going to report her to amoda in Aso rock😊

The reality is that there are pictures of shithole resemblances scattered across major US cities.

gare:
Madam Congresswoman, the United States signed an agreement on solid minerals with Nigeria in New York in September 2026, involving Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, and the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau, on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly.

So, when it comes to accessing and developing our mineral resources, Nigeria is no longer a “shithole.” Mind you, access to our minerals is not an American right; it is a privilege granted by Nigeria and subject to our laws, terms and national interests.

She will say she's focused on immigration, not resources.

The present-day GOP is looking like a lost cause with their undying loyalty and fealty to one man.

Love that comment: "Access to Africa is a privilege. Not a right"

African leaders should adopt that and move like that. Let's see how angry the Westerners become (when they start using their intel, military, internal divisions, and the biggest of all - economic leverage against Africa).

Has Nancy seen how America is gradually falling in global rankings for healthcare, education, happiness? They are currently moving like third-world countries with their nappy-time leader.

BlackViper:
These are the heroes of FreestuffNg and Hachenoire 😂😂😂

So on top of all the bragging and sponsored mouthpieces, this is the best they can do?

It's all part of the game for the former KGB-turn-President. It's a multi-pronged approach.

Old habits die hard.

Tight underpants are not good for men

Seems Morocco is more forward-looking and equitable than their Arab counterparts.

Hopefully she does well and opens the door wider.

That her party name though

BUT WHAT ABOUT WORKING FOR FREE?

Some people say: never work for free. Your skill has value from day one.

Others say: always do free work at the start to build a portfolio.

Here is the honest answer: free work makes sense in exactly ONE situation — when you are getting something of equal or greater value in return.

That value can be:
— A strong, detailed written testimonial you can use publicly
— A portfolio piece from a well-known or well-regarded brand
— Access to a network or referral pipeline that would take you months to build alone
— Clear permission to use the work as a sample to show other clients

Free work is an investment — but only if you define clearly what you are investing for.

Free work with no testimonial, no portfolio piece, no referral, and no learning?

That is not investment. That is exploitation — and it happens more than it should.

If someone asks you to work for free, ask yourself: what exactly am I getting from this? If you cannot answer that question clearly, the answer is no.

APPROACH 2: CHARGE BASED ON THE RESULT, NOT YOUR TIME

This is the mindset shift that separates people who earn properly from people who stay stuck in the "affordable" lane forever.

When a client hires you to manage their social media, they are not paying for your time.

They are paying for more customers, more visibility, more trust in their brand. When they hire you to write their website, they are not paying for words — they are paying for the ability to convince visitors to call them, buy from them, or walk into their shop.

So when you price, ask yourself: what is the value of this result to them?

A small business in Lagos spends N150,000 on a poorly designed banner that nobody clicks.

If your email copy helps them convert even TEN new customers who each spend N20,000 — that is N200,000 in revenue from your work.

Is N50,000 for that copy expensive? Not at all. It is a bargain.

When you understand the result you are delivering, you can price it relative to that value — and defend your rate with confidence when a client tries to negotiate you down.


APPROACH 3: THE BEGINNER'S PRICING FORMULA

If you have no idea where to start and the above two approaches still feel abstract, use this simple formula:

Step 1 — Estimate how many hours the job will take you honestly.
Step 2 — Decide what your time is worth per hour to you. Be realistic but not insulting to yourself. For most skilled beginners in Nigeria, N3,000 to N8,000 per hour is a reasonable starting point. For international clients, $10 to $20 per hour is a good start.
Step 3 — Multiply hours by your hourly rate.
Step 4 — Add 20% for revision rounds, admin, back-and-forth messages, and the mental energy that every project costs you that you cannot bill line by line.

Example: A social media content calendar for one month.
Estimated time: 8 hours.
Your rate: N5,000 per hour.
Base: N40,000.
Plus 20% buffer: N48,000.

That is your quote.

Not N10,000 because you are afraid.

N48,000 because that is what the work is worth and what your time costs.

There are three simple approaches that work well for beginners. Use whichever fits your situation.

APPROACH 1: RESEARCH WHAT OTHERS CHARGE AND POSITION SLIGHTLY BELOW

This is the easiest starting point and it requires no guesswork.

Go to Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook groups in your niche and search for what people with your skill are charging. You will find people posting their rates openly — or you can simply observe what the general range looks like.

For context, here are some rough market rates for some of the skills we discussed earlier:

— Social media management (one platform, one month): N40,000 – N150,000
— Graphic design (single flyer or post): N5,000 – N25,000
— Graphic design (full brand identity): N80,000 – N300,000
— Copywriting (one webpage): N30,000 – N100,000
— Video editing (one short-form video): N10,000 – N50,000
— Content writing (one blog article): N10,000 – N40,000
— Virtual assistance (per month, local client): N50,000 – N120,000
— Virtual assistance (international client, per hour): $5 – $20

Now that you know the range, position yourself in the lower-to-middle band — not at the very bottom.

You are not the cheapest option.

You are the newer, equally capable option at a fair introductory rate.

If the market rate for a service is N40,000 to N100,000, your starting rate might be N35,000 to N50,000 — with a clear plan to raise it after your first three to five clients.