₦airaland Forum

Let me add a challenge I encountered:

A group (five) of independent organisation within the same industry belongs to a common forum setup specifically to explore avenues for joint working and cost sharing. A project mandate and project brief was jointly developed for a joint infrastructure project. A detailed business case was subsequently developed. The project will cost ten figures what put up. Cost sharing options were documented in the business case. All the work was done by forum programme management. Joint funding was required with a single project management structure. Each of the participating organisations needs to pitch the business case to their management board and obtain approval and funding commitment. There was an overall consensus that the project needed to be executed and of the key benefits are realisable. Problem is some of the forum members think they are getting the short end of the stick in terms of cost sharing. There was no consensus agreement on the cost sharing options presented. Other source of endless debate was the project management structure (five different organisations) and reporting relationship (considering that five different management boards provides funding and needs to be carried along). The forum management is responsible for programme management but is not influential in this case. There is a consensus that project needs to be executed. There is no do nothing option.

What project structure will you suggest for this project? What are the main items you'll want to put in your risk management plan? How will you seek to mitigate the risk of a back and forth in the case of a major change requiring significant additional funding? What will your communication plan look like?


Please note that the project is progressing well now after much acrimony. I just want to find out what others will do differently.

A motivation letter is generally expected to answer three questions:

1. Where am I (situation analysis)?
2. Where do I want to go (goal)?
3. How will the masters degree assist in the goal achievement?

I think you have the general idea in the letter. You need to work on the flow and cut out information that won't answer any of the questions above. Then you'll be done.

Does anyone know roughly much capital I would require to start up the firm?

I don't think starting up a law firm will be different setting up any professional services firm in Nigeria. Amount of capital? That will depend on what you're looking to do and at what scale you're looking to operate. It is not a problem a business plan and cash flow forecast will not do. I will expect your main start-up cost be business equipment and office running cost. I won't suggest hiring junior lawyers when you're starting out unless you're sure they'll be busy or they be bringing jobs with them (very unlikely unless they are partners). You'll probably need a secretary and/or a law clerk (for run around).

You need figures not stories. Here we go:

Start-up capital costs.

Office furniture – N500,000 (depends on your taste, the image you’re projecting and where you’re buying )
Office equipment (computers, copiers, printers, scanners, etc) – N1, 000,000 (this can be adapted to fit your resource constraints)
Premises rental - (though your mum is providing this, but it is still an equity contribution)

Start-up expense
Company registration - N12, 000 (I think)

Recurrent expense (1 year)
Salaries (yourself (100k this might be modest) one secretary (40k/m) and one clerk (25k/m)) – N1, 980,000
What else am I missing?

I think this will likely be your main equity requirements and also a rough guide of what you’ll need to make in a year to be viable. Your family and family friends and their friends can be your initial source of contact.