₦airaland Forum

[center][img]http://www.nairaland.com.nyud.net:8090/img/opera.png[/img]
Nairaland, the Nigerian Forum on Opera[/center]
I don't like Opera browser as much as Firefox. It's pretty good, pretty fast, but not the fastest by any means. It used to be lightweight compared to Firefox but now they're basically the same.

I dislike the fact that the Opera browser works so differently from Internet Explorer, and the free version uses some of your valuable screen estate to display ads. But as the screenshot above shows, you have the option of displaying lightweight text ads instead of images.

Well, I find it difficult to call myself an entrepreneur because I have hardly any possessions that are not work-related, the place from which I work is not even mine, et cetera. I'm still a struggle-preneur!

I believe that the web is the best and most cost-effective platform for a technology-based business, and for some time I've been in a personal race to try to really understand and start exploiting this platform (the Internet) before others people wake up to its potential!

My cause is helped by the fact that my current 'competitors' are not as aggressive as I am: the Nigerians that actually have the resources to make a difference do not see much value in the web, and the solopreneurs with website development skills are relatively inexperienced in business. This gives me a little more time to get my act together, which I'm grateful for.

But the lack of any reasonable 'working capital' or 'budget' does not help me at all, and I have certain 'principles' that tend to deny me of opportunities. But at the end it would be worth it by the time I'm running a billion-dollar business and I own 75%-100% of the company instead of the 5%-15% that I would own if I had been able to get people to invest big in my vision!

Seun, ... do you want your company to grow big and have more shareholders?

I'll be quite happy to have my company grow very big, but preferably without the burden of shareholders who don't have a genuine interest in my business but really just want to profit from my labor or fund their retirement!

I've just finished watching this week's episode of the show. The presenter of the show is Ashionye Michelle Ugboh and the winning numbers were ... well I forgot, but I know there was a 9, a 29, a 30, and I think a 32!

Mozilla Firefox is the browser I admire the most; I can't do without tabbed browsing and there are so many extensions available to customize your experience.  [I imagine that] Firefox extensions are easier to write than Internet Explorer toolbars/plugins and more likely to be free and open sourced.  What made it possible for me to switch to Firefox in the first place what's its improved speed and compatibility with Internet Explorer (using the same shortcuts, etc).

Unfortunately, I'm back to using Internet Explorer because I discovered that the new MSN Toolbar also offers tabbed browsing in Internet Explorer!  (If you want us to discuss this, let me know and I'll open a new thread).

So I'm a fan of the Mozilla Firefox browser but I'd like to beg the developers to provide more compatibility with Internet Explorer out of the box.  Certain commercial/webmaster features just don't work well in Firefox yet. For example, until recently there was no official google toolbar for Firefox.  No Alexa toolbar either.  Webmasters will know what I'm talking about!

70%, Jogego, and this is based on the dubious assumption that the cost of importation is negligible.

Please feel free to post about other PC resellers with better prices that CeBroker; I like their prices, but I would be happy to find something cheaper.

Why should I be doing research about other people's companies when I can use the same brainpower (with the money I say I want to invest) to start my own business and yield returns by directly solving people's problems instead of just by outsmarting others?

Feel free to share your information on treasury bills openly on the board. I'm interested in this information you have at your disposal. Thanks.

Almost all the single people I know have plans for marriage.  Women start panicking when they are approaching 30 and suitors are no longer there, while the men are pressured by family members to "settle down". 

You probably want to get married.  Yes, I mean you!  Why do [color=#000077]you[/color] want to get married?
- It is because you want children?   If so, why not just adopt a baby?
- Is it for social recognition or respect?  Why not just make some money and flaunt it to get respect?
- Is it for love?  Is there any guarantee that his/her love wont evaporate after marriage like that of your five to ten former lovers?
- Is it because the society demands it?  You'll be surprised that when you 'bone society' and keep doing your thing the rumors will eventually die down because people have their own problem to worry about.  Nobody complains about the dressing Charly Boy anymore.

Ok, I still want to get married.  I think it's love I'm looking for; love in all dimensions.

What about you?

If your town is currently not connected to the Vmobile Network and you'll like to vote, please send me a PM via the forum and I'll look up the 'town code' for you.

Gbenga Sesan, the first Information Technology Youth Ambassador of Nigeria (as appointed by the Executive Cyberschuul in Lagos) owns a personal domain name - gbengasesan.com, and runs his personal website on this domain.  On this website he posts his articles and presentations, links to his various projects, and information about himself - including pictures.

Edward Popoola, the current IT Youth Ambassador, also owns his own personal domain name and website, edwardpopoola.com, which includes his profile and pictures, articles and presentations, blogs (yes, he runs two blogs - including Jangbalajugbu  ) and links to the various organizations he likes or is involved with.

Roland Ukor, the young programmer who won an Award for a cyber-cafe timer he wrote and sold to so many cafes used to host his personal website on the domain rolandukor.com but unfortunately the site is no longer available (he forgot to renew the domain).

Seun Osewa, my proud but humble self (who am I kidding? ), holds the personal domain name seunosewa.com but all you see when you visit the site is a collection of links to his various involvements including Nairaland.  It used to be a blog.

Advantages of buying a domain to hosting your personal home page/website:
[list][li]Well, it's cool  .[/li]
[li]It shows that you're serious on the Internet, since you must have spent money to get the domain.[/li]
[li]If the home page is really well-designed and you're a part-time web designer, your personal site will do a lot to convince your clients about your ability to deliver.  It just might open the floodgates of heaven and rain riches on you![/li]
[li]Well, it's cool  .[/li][/list]

Disadvantages of hosting your personal website on a unique domain:
[list][li]Some of us can't design very well and we refuse to spend money to hire web designers.  The result?  Ugly personal websites![/li]
[li]Once you're holding and using such a domain it becomes impossible to drop it, even when you're no longer spending so much time online.  You have to keep renewing the domain every year for the rest of your life.  This money should be spent on something more important (like spraying Owambe parties or taking your girlfriend to Mr. Biggs ).[/li][/list]

Do you know other Nigerians who have bought domains specifically for hosting their personal websites?  Do you think this is a wise practice? (a .com domain name costs 1500 to 5000 naira per year).  I'd like to recommend the practice, anyway, especially for those of us commited to dotcom careers.

As you all know, Nigerians love free things ("awoof". I have seen fellow Nigerians spend hours online, spending their money, looking for 'free SMS'! The only thing we love almost as much as what is 'free' is what is 'cheap!'

There is this company that has been advertising very cheap laptop and desktop computers on 'Compulife Magazine' (Wednesday Guardian Newspaper, used to be Tuesday) every weekfor several months. Their prizes are so good that I've decided to download their price list and share it with Nairaland members planning to buy computers soon:

[list][li]Dell Latitude C600 Laptop, with Pentium III 750Mhz CPU, 128 Mb RAM, 20GB hard disk drive, sound card, modem, 14.1-inch TFT Display, and touchpad - 79,900 naira[/li]
[li]1.6GHz Pentium IV System Unit in a Siemens Tower XL Case, 256 Mb RAM, 20gb hard disk drive, with CD-ROM drive, sound card, and LAN card - 49,900 naira[/li]
[li]1.0Ghz Pentium III System Unit (Maxdata Artist) with 256mb RAM and other accessories as above - 32,900 naira[/li]
[li]400Mhz Celeron System Unit with 128mb RAM, 4Gb hard disk, etc. - 9,900 naira [/li][/list]

They have several PCs between 10,000 and 16,000 naira, so if you're a student or thrifty PC buyer you should take a look at this company. I've only listed the offers that caught my eye. The Company's name is CeBroker, and you can visit their website at www.cebroker.ch. Thanks.

The difference between a bank and a company is that the bank is obligated to give you your money and the government has laws in place to help keep banks afloat.  The government goes out of its way to monitor the banking sector and initiate reforms when necessary.

The companies whose shares you are holding do not have any obligation to keep the stock price high, and they do not have to pay you any dividends.  If the majority shareholders are able to embezzle money from the company or justify the payment of excessive compensation to themselves and their managers, they may decide not to pay dividends.  As a shareholder holding shares worth maybe 20,000 naira in a billion naira company, what can you do to prevent that?  Absolutely nothing, and that's what makes me hesitant to invest.

You are right, bioye, that a lot of people are making money through the stock market.  The stock market is a game and every game must have a winner - even a lottery has a winner!  But for every winner, there are several losers and many of them are as intelligent as we think we are.  I just want people to know that before they put their savings into stock expecting to become rich as a result.  Some people selling stocks give people the impression that if it's a good company the shares will appreciate but the price of stock is purely a function of demand which is a function of the reputation of the company and not it's actual performance per se.

Note: To carry the argument beyond this point we may need statistics from the Nigerian Stock Exchange and publicly traded companies in the country.

Hello,

Let's talk about websites being managed by companies in based Nigeria or webmasters who work from Nigeria. Which one, apart from Nairaland, is your favorite?

My favorite is ShopForLess.com, Nigeria's first and best online shopping portal. I've never used it before - that's another story - but all the reviews I've come accross have been positive. The site does a good job of encouraging people with the means to order from them, but for now I think it's only practical for those living abroad since customers in Nigeria need to make a trip to the bank to pay them. Perhaps online shopping will really take off when the Interswitch and Etranzact people get serious?

So what's your favorite website based in Nigeria?

Seun.

Hello Chimanu,

Nice topic. When you buy shares in a publicly traded company, you're entrusting your financial future into the hands of the current and furute management of that company as well as the people who may take over from them into the future. 

Since when did Nigerians start trusting complete strangers to this extent? I mean, when you think about the level of corruption in our country it's extremely risky to invest in any company if you'll not have any say over the way it is managed.  That is why I shake my head when I think of the almost-distressed banks peddling their shares to [size=5pt]greedy[/size] Nigerians who want to make money out of the labor of other people.

If I'm fortunate to have lots of money I'd prefer to invest it in:
- A savings account, because the financial sector is policed by the government - even if the bank goes under you will not lose all your money (Deposit Insurance). Of course, the value of the money will go down with time due to the effect of inflation.
- Strategic investment in real estate - Plots land and property on the outskirts of major cities and in less developed towns, because as such areas develop and businesses start moving in, the landed properties will increase in value.  But even if that does not happen the land will still have more or less the same value as before.
- Entrepreneurship - I have lots of ideas of my own, so why should I give the money to someone else when I'll have little or no say in how it'll be spent?

Now all I have said really only refers to a situation where you buy shares during the initial public offering (IPO).  When you buy and sell shares during normal stock trading you're only playing a game (gambling) with your money and it is a well known fact that the number of people that lose is always greater than the number of people that win (the difference goes into trading fees collected by stock brokers).

If I have special knowledge about a particular company or industry that other investors don't, then I might trade the stocks to make some money.  But generally I'd simply not want play games with my hard earned money.
I will not invest in the stock market, especially not in Nigeria, and I will not advice my fellow youths to do so.

I'd like to invite others to present their points of view.  See also why do people fall in love with stocks

Thanks.

Related Topic: MTN Lead in the Nigerian Telecom Sector. Do you think MTN is really in the leadership position and do you think they can be overtaken easily?

Hot-angel is exactly right even though I'm not the one that told her.  Nairaland is a place where Nigerians meet to interact with each other via various interesting public discussions on every topic under heaven.  You can discuss any topic that is constructive, clean and interesting.  Nairaland is the only Nigerian forum that performs free copy-editing for it's posters.  The only forum that aims to be as clean, clear and easy to read as a good online newspaper!

The "naira" part of the name does not imply that we offer any financial services.  The business concern behind this site does not offer any financial services at the moment.  (not we wouldn't provide such services if we could!)

The Nairaland Forum is intent on being the dominant force in its domain, and you are invited to contribute often and become a part of our success.  We'd appreciate that!

Sorry, drbigdaddyg, International calls are definitely not free in any country! If hot-angel wants to call your MTEL line for example, MTEL will collect some money for the call ("termination fee" and so her phone company has no choice but to charge her well.

Besides, they would want to charge as much as MTN does, but because of the intense competition in their phone industry the freebies have to be thrown in to attract subscribers to the more lucrative services, such as international calls and phone calls made during the 'peak period'.

I only support the idea of lottery if the bulk of the money raised by the lottery is used for charitable causes like donating to orphanages, et cetera. So in your mind you'll know that even if you don't win you're donating to charity. Then the percentage of the ticket sales used to pay the prize can simply be written off as a marketing expense (people would donate more money if it gives them the chance to make millions!)

One idea behind lotteries is that the grand prize winner should never have to work again, but the 2 million naira jackpot in this lottery is too small to give anybody that kind of confidence. Perhaps they ought to increase it to 20-50 million naira?

Hello Vicuzo,

What do you mean by MTN's lead?

Globacom and Vmobile, not MTN, have the lead when it comes to customer satisfaction and good public relations:
- Globacom tariffs are just as high as MTN's tariffs, the per-second billing rate they pioneered was more expensive than MTN's per minute billing, yet the masses see Glo-mobile as a liberator and MTN as an expensive network.  This is called good public relations.  It helps that they also have the most advanced network (GPRS, WAP, MMS) though in practice it can hard to activate those features!
- According to a recent NCC Report on the quality of service of GSM Phone Networks in Nigeria, the the Vmobile Network is at least as bad as the MTEL network, yet if you poll their customers you will discover that most Vmobile subscribers simply have nothing bad to say about the network.  This is called customer satisfaction.

So where does MTN have the lead?
- Number of subscribers?  Could this simply be because mobile phone users on the MTN network are not ready to throw away their old MTN SIM cards when they buy new lines from Vmobile and Globacom?
- Quality of TV Advertising?  Is MTN in the telecommunications business or are they now in the movie business?
- 'Sponsorship' of Politicians? No comments!
- Profit?  Do we have figures from Vmobile and Globacom to compare with MTN's published financial results?

How can assume that MTN has the lead when:
- Vmobile is seen the most customer-friendly phone network.
- Globacom is seen as a liberator and the company with the best technology.
- MTEL, the most pocket-friendly phone network, is now as reliable as the others.
- While MTN is ... "like a bimbo"?

Regards.

drbigdaddyg,

Sorry about the loss of your friend. May God comfort his friends and family.

Best Regards.

Not one pinch of truth in it, I'm afraid.  Nobody even died.

Can you tell us about:

- How you prepared for the test the first time and what you scored?
- How you've been preparing for the next exam and for how long?
- Other information that will help our US-bases members to be able to advice you on GRE preparation?

Thanks.

Let me calculate how much money this 'All Night Talk' practice would cost in Nigeria using one the popular mobile phone networks:

'All night' = about 6 hours = 360 minutes or so.
Cost of talk time on the MTN Network = 39 naira per minute.
Cost of 'All Night Talk' = 360 * 39 naira = 14,040 naira!

14,040 naira is about $100-$110! How much will it cost you in the US?

Nobody died. That's a good thing. I hope they figure out a way to fix this.

I don't have the answer to that question, but I'm sure that they will give you such details if and when your application is accepted. That's the Nigerian way of doing business; we love to withhold important pricing information until the very last minute! Whereas, such pricing information can help you decide whether or not to apply.

For those who are you're trying to fill this role, I'd like you to know that the new topics on the home page (especially those with 0 replies) are much more important than topics in the chatterbox. So when you want to do your early posting you should check the home page first.

Jogego, the students and lecturers who are in universities abroad are not the 'masses'. They are the 'elites'! Compare the number of Nigerians who want to travel out to the number who actually do. You should agree with me that those who are doing well outside the country are not the masses.

The masses are the people I pass by everyday when going to town to shop for one thing or the other and I can't say they are as educated as they need to be. Even those that have degrees in Nigeria have not necessary learnt all they ought to have learnt before getting the degrees. Besides, university students in Nigeria are not the masses either, because the vast majority of Secondary School leavers do not get admission into Universities.

Believe me, if I was one of the masses, I will [i]not[/b] be running this site today. So the real 'masses' may bot be as well-to-do as you think.

[color=#990099]Ringo[/color] is a "full service telecommunications distribution company, specifically created to change the face of retail marketing of GSM, PTO and all telephony products and services through the development of Ringo Supershops pan-Nigeria."

The shops would sell "state-of-the art telephony products and services from all the wireless networks (GSM/PTO) and manufacturers of handsets/accesories including recharge cards and SIM cards" and provide a "world class shopping environment for the discerning consumer."

The company (Ringo Telecommunications Limited) seeks to "appoint franchisees and operators who would run these supershops in all the key commercial cities in Nigeria as an ongoing profitable venture".

What sort of franchise operators are they looking for?
[list][li]Individuals who have standard shops in major streets in key commercial cities/towns in Nigeria in locations that are "quite visible and enjoy excellent human and vehicular traffic", who are "willing to transform these shops to the Ringo franchise", with their branding and an exclusive contract to only sell products offered by Ringo"[/li]
[li]Individuals who are already selling telephony products (sim cards, recharge cards, handsets and accessories) in standard shops <snip> and are willing to take their shops to the next level <snip>.[/li]
[li]Individuals who have just acquired standard shops in prime locations and who have been seeking/waiting for the right platform to actualize their interest.[/li]
[li]Individuals/organizations who own or run chains of standard stores, either in one particular city or in different cities, and would be willing to partner with the Ringo Brand to bring their store chain into the Ringo franchise.[/li]
[li]Entrepreneurs looking for a profitable and low risk venture to invest their money in, who are willing to acquire shops/stores in good locations within Nigeria and manage their investment themselves <snip>.[/li]
[li]Housewives looking ro run a store close to their homes which they would manage themselves.[/li][/list]

What floor area does your shop need to be?
[color=#990099]Ringo Dream[/color] Shops: 50-60 square meters.
[color=#990099]Ringo Classic[/color] Shops: 28-35 square meters.
[color=#990099]Ringo Point[/color] Shops: 8-12 square meters.

What other jargon do they want you to know?
Ringo Business Model - the business model you wil have to follow if accepted.
Ringo Entrepreneur - A cool name to call yourself if they choose you!

What to send to the operators of the 'Ringoshop' scheme?
- A formal application stating your name, address, telephone number and email address.
- Educational qualifications.
- Your business locations with directions (how to reach your place).
- Dimensions of your store/shop.
- The kind of business you are involved in.
- Picture of the entire building with an arrow pointing to your store.
- Why you are interested in partnering with the Ringo brand.
- Who will be managing the business and her educational qualifications.
- If you do not own a shop/store at the moment, write to inform them about your passion to become a franchisee and the possible location of your intended shop.

[color=#990099]Ringoshop[/color] Franchisee/Operator Scheme Address:
Ringo Telecommunications Limited, PMB 21719, Ikeja.
Email: [email]franchisee@ringoshops.com[/email], [email]info@ringoshops.com[/email]
Website: www.ringoshops.com

Hope you find this useful!  Source: Page 42, The Guardian Nigeria, July 20 2005