Why Every Nigerian Believes They Can Start a Business From Scratch (and Fail Hilariously)

Nigeria: the land where ambition meets optimism… and sometimes chaos. Every week, social media lights up with friends, colleagues, and even strangers announcing their latest business venture. From “Organic Shea Butter for Every Home” to “Handmade Earrings That Will Change Your Life,” Nigerians believe they can start a business from scratch—and the confidence is unshakable. But the journey? Often hilarious. Eyes Of Lagos reports,

1. The “I Saw It Online” Entrepreneur

Somewhere in Lagos, a young Nigerian sees a viral TikTok video about someone selling homemade candles and immediately declares:

“I’m quitting my job. Candle business time!”

Two weeks later, their candles smell like burnt socks, their Instagram page has 20 followers, and they’re already blaming the government for lack of support.

2. The Family “Investor”

Every Nigerian startup comes with a mandatory family pitch:

• Uncle: “How much do you need?”

• Cousin: “I can give 5,000.”

• Aunt: “Make sure you give me 50% of the profits.”

Despite the small investment, Nigerian entrepreneurs act like Elon Musk—with zero marketing plan and minimal capital.

3. The “Business Plan” That Doesn’t Exist

Many Nigerians start businesses with a plan so detailed it can fit on a napkin:

“Step 1: Sell product. Step 2: Make money. Step 3: Retire young.”

Sometimes, “Step 1” is simply buying items from Alaba Market and hoping customers magically appear.

4. Social Media: The Business School

Nothing screams “legit entrepreneur” like posting products on Instagram or X. The hashtags fly:

#HustleNaija #SupportSmallBusiness #BuyFromMe

Even when no one buys, the post gets 50 likes from your mom, your aunt, and one random cousin you barely know, and suddenly the entrepreneur feels like the next Jeff Bezos.

5. Hilarious Failures (and Lessons)

The Nigerian business journey is full of funny, relatable fails:

• A guy sells plantain chips only for birds to eat half the stock.

• A lady launches a perfume line but forgets the caps—spillage everywhere.

• A man tries importing gadgets but orders from a fake website—hello, cardboard boxes full of rocks.

Despite all these, the optimism never dies. In Nigeria, failure is just the first chapter of the success story.

The Takeaway

Every Nigerian may think they can start a business from scratch, but the real magic is the journey: the hustle, the social media ads, the family pressure, the tiny wins, and the laughable fails. It’s what makes Naija entrepreneurship both relatable and hilarious.

So, to every Nigerian with a side hustle idea: buy that candle, post that TikTok, and laugh when it goes wrong—because in this country, ambition always comes with humor.