How to set up a Creche/Day Care School in Nigeria

A day care or crèche is a place where babies, toddlers and young children are kept during the daytime while their parents are busy with work. It’s a sort of playground/classroom setting where these younglings hang out, play, rest and are taking care of by trained handlers so that later in the day after work the parents can come pick them up.

The Opportunity

There is a high demand for Creche and day care schools in our urban centers in Nigeria. Why do I say that? How many working class mothers do we have in many of our cities? How many of them have nannies to look after their kids? Fact is toddlers can be a big distraction in the workplace and many mums know this hence why they choose to enroll their darlings in Creches and day care centers. This is the reason many primary schools set up nursery arms to serve as day care centers.

Who is the business for?

If you love children and you’re very good at looking after them then you may want to consider going into this business. However the challenge is always keeping your kids in safe hands and making sure that nothing bad happens to any of them. If you’ve handled children in Sunday school or have taught in a nursery school or have looked after children before then give it a try.

Marketing

This is a business you can start from your home informally approaching nursing or working mothers in your neighbourhood, at church or any other gathering letting them know what you do. If you wish to rent it makes sense to pick a room in a strategic location which is easy to access by your target group. You can later start printing fliers when you have attracted a small number of clients. Even if you can find 4 or more people initially it’s worth it, make do with that and as you become more consistent and better at what you do, you’ll gain more customers.

Requirements

To set up something like this you’ll need the following;

Mini Flat – N800,000 per annum

12 Small Chairs – N24,000

3 Small tables – N24,000

Toys – N40,000

TV set – N40,000

VCD player – N15,000

Book shelf – N60,000

Kiddies books and stationery – N30,000

Others – N500,000

Total: N1,533,000

How profitable is the Creche Business in Nigeria?

Like all businesses that depends on many factors but considering that parents pay N30,000 per term for nursery schooling you could charge each parent say N5,000 per month. Let’s assume you have 12 enrollments multiplied by 5 that’s N60,000 for the first month.

Breakdown first year (this is an estimate)

50 enrollments X N60,000 = N3 million

Running expenses (rent, salary, electricity etc) = N2.4 million

Profit before tax = N600,000

Return on Investment = 40%
Pay Back Period = 2 to 3 years

This is a business you can run for years without approaching banks for loans as it can expand on it’s own. It’s a cash cow.

Good luck.

If you need a well written business plan but don’t have the time or expertise you can contact a specialist business plan writer to do a detailed analysis of a business opportunity or market survey. Simply call: 0803 206 4106

How to set up a Mini Supermarket Business in Nigeria

At one point in time we’ve had cause to visit a supermarket to buy various consumables for our domestic needs whether or not they were edible. As we speak there are more than 10,000 registered supermarkets or grocery shops in Nigeria. However here in Nigeria when we talk about supermarkets we often times mean a corner shop where we can buy whatever we need.

The Business Opportunity

There are many people in Nigeria who don’t buy household consumables in bulk, that’s often because they live at subsistence level – leaving from hand to mouth or don’t have the time to go to the open market or big supermarkets where they can order for goods in bulk. That explains why there are so many kiosks selling ‘provisions’ and household items in many corners of streets in big cities and towns in Nigeria. In some corner shops, business is so brisk that daily sales could be as high as N200,000 with sales margin being 3% gross profit could be N6000 or more daily.

Challenges of Owning and Running A Supermarket in Nigeria

There are too many people doing this business that means to really overcome the competition and make great sales you have to do something really spectacular that will beat your competition hands down. Robbery incidents are common in some corner shops at night and being a product based business theft from staff is also common. Add the problem of erratic electricity supply. Also for this business to succeed you need to get a good location for your shop which isn't easy.

Who is A Supermarket Business Suited For?

If you have a regular job, you can set up this business and employ a sales person to manage it while you’re at work. A small scale business person can also embark on this business as a starting point to bigger things. Students in higher institutions can set it up so too unemployed people.

Start-up Requirements

Stock – N 2,000,000

Cash at hand - N 500,000

Furniture – N 150,000

Generator set – N150,000
2 years Rent - N600,000

Others – N 1,000,000

Total – N 4,400,000

If you need a well written business plan but don’t have the time or expertise you can contact a specialist business plan writer to do a detailed analysis of a business opportunity or market survey. Simply call: 0803 206 4106

How to Set up a JAMB/UTME Tutorial/Prep Classes Center in Nigeria

There is this prestige that many Nigerians have with being called graduates. Most young Nigerians who want to build a career only think of white collar jobs and you can’t secure one if you don’t have a university degree or a Higher National Diploma from a recognized polytechnic in Nigeria. The examination body responsible for preparing students to gain admission into Universities and Polytechnics in Nigeria is the Joint Admission and Matriculation board (JAMB) while the various Universities and Polytechnics conduct separate examinations to admit deserving students into various department through an aptitude test known as Universities/Polytechnics Matriculations Exam also known as Post UME.

Market Opportunity

There are at least 1.7 million Nigerians who would want to take the 2014 Jamb/UTME examination and majority of them lack sufficient experience or knowledge on how to prepare for these examinations. An experienced tutor/instructor who understands how the process works from time of registration till admissions and eventual matriculation stands to gain a lot especially in the big towns and cities all over Nigeria. In some cases intending JAMB takers (JAMBITES) pay as much as N5000 per month to prepare for 4 subjects, imagine if you had 40 students to teach per month, that would be N200,000 to say the least.

Challenges

But it a good idea always sounds good until it’s tested. There are many challenges you’ll face such as suitable location as many students tend to judge a prep center by its location which is not easy to find. If you’re using under a tree or behind someone’s house it makes you look like a quick buck. Also you’ll have to deal with examination touts and mercenaries as some of them might want to poach your students into patronizing them. It’s common these days to have people waiting for already answered questions sent to their phones in the exam halls thanks to touts who may give your business a bad name if you’re not careful.

Business Strategy

There are several strategies you can adopt to make money for yourself apart from charging fees. You can sell handouts, JAMB scratch cards and key points for your students to study at their own leisure time. Another strategy will be to have both morning and evening classes. Morning classes could start by 9 am and end by noon Mondays to Fridays and 10 am till noon on Saturdays while evening classes could run from 4 pm till 7 pm Mondays to Fridays and 4 pm till 6 pm on Saturdays or probably give Saturdays off for evening classes depending on your capacity. As stated earlier you’ll also need a good location like a shop space in a busy neighbourhood or very close to a university/polytechnic area or where there are many secondary schools. This is just a marketing strategy to put you close to the students.

Requirements

You’ll need to have one subject teacher who is really good at each subject. For instance someone can specialize in chemistry and physics, another teacher may take biology and geography, another might take Maths, while literature and English can go to another teacher. You pay your teachers per class taught like say N500 per class with each class lasting for 1 hour.

Start-Up Capital

Rent – N60,000

Stationery (Marker board, pens, textbooks etc) – N50,000

Furniture (10 benches and desks) – N80,000

Generator set – N20,000

Others – N20,000

Total – N230,000

Conclusion

The business is not for everyone as you need to have a passion for teaching and an eye to hire good teachers. There are many graduates of colleges of Education who are unemployed and many of them would be glad to teach for a small fee. Overall it’s your reputation that will sell your business for you so strive hard to make it work well for you.

How to start an Ice Cream Business in Nigeria

How many times has it occurred to you perhaps when on a date to treat your guest to some tasty and romantic ice cream delight?

Don’t ask me what I think just put the question to young ladies who want to be pampered or kids who are out with their folks what they think of ice cream and you’ll get the idea. It’s a lucrative business because there is proven demand for the product the key however to turning a profit is if you can overcome the cost of providing power supply and have a suitable location that doesn’t cost too much to go with it.

There are quite a number of ideas you can play around with on how to market your business and attract new customers but just keep in mind that like all businesses innovation is what will give you an edge in a competitive market place.

There are many varieties of ice cream people love to savour

How you’ll make your money selling Ice Cream

These are some ways in which you can quietly make your money from this business:

-         Selling directly from your stand to potential customers

-         Outdoor/catering for parties and events

-         Special deliveries to homes and offices

Start up Equipments and Costs

Ice Cream making machine – N180,000

Refrigerator/Freezer – N50,000

Furniture – N50,000

Rent – N60,000

Gen set – N40,000

Others – N250,000

Total = N630,000

Want to start an ice cream business in Nigeria and need a comprehensive business plan call me: 0803 206 4106 or email me: paulonwueme@gmail.com [Serious enquiries only please]

Start a Digital Photography Business in Nigeria

A digital photography business is one which involves the commercial taking of pictures and photo shots for different people. Such shots could include passport photos, full length photos and portraits among others.
This business as an SME business is especially suitable for people seeking part time income such as students, workers who do not earn much or small scale businessmen looking to spread their tentacles.

For as little as N 15,000 one can start a digital photography business taking shots of people at social events such as weddings, parties, conferences among other social gatherings or in very busy places such as universities and other institutions of higher learning or in commercial areas like business districts of the Lagos metropolis (Yaba especially Tejuosho, CMS, Ikeja among others).

Equipments needed for a digital photography business include;

1. A digital Camera or maybe two or more possibly
2. A printer
3. A photo studio
4. One or two computers
5. Lighting sets
6. Other studio equipments

Note that you do not need all these to start except the digital camera which must be of good quality. You could be flexible about the business if you have little funds charging customers the fees for snapping them but going elsewhere to print your shots if you do not have the resources to start with all the equipments.

Hiring workers

As a small start up entrepreneur you could be your only employee, however if you which to combine your full time job with this business you may need to employ a clerk who of course should be trust worthy. Ideal candidates for this job would be young school leavers seeking to occupy themselves with work. Salary range could be N 10,000 to N 20,000 monthly.

Labour requirement is not stringent as a clerk who doubles as an assistant and apprentice can be employed to serve or attend to customers in your absence although more hands might become necessary as the business grows.

Challenges faced in this business

Like all businesses that run on electricity, the poor state of electricity supply is a major challenge any person thinking of doing this business will face. The use of generators is a must if you are going to run the business especially when you have many orders to contend with. Another problem might also be location as most digital photography businesses that do well are usually situated in easy to locate and accessible places where a lot of first time customers can work in for their jobs. Getting to pay rent in such places isn’t mean stuff.

Opportunities in this business

Many businesses have brands that need promotion. The digital revolution has also ensured that nobody considers using the cameras of the 1980s and 90s. People want to look better than their real selves and one way to do this is to improve on the quality of photos with hi definition digital cameras. Also there will always be the need to submit documents for official purposes hence people would naturally want to upload or print their pictures.

Learning the basics about the business

1. Ensure that you have great picture taking skills. Customers will certainly mess you up if you render them poor services.
2. Service delivery is king in this business as many obscure photography businesses are thriving thanks to the effect of word of mouth and referrals from satisfied customers.
3. Where and when to get new photo materials must be clearly noted because failure to do this might mean running behind schedule on jobs given to you.
4. You could find out more about this business when you research into the

opportunities and requirements.

In conclusion digital photography although not offering the same opportunities as more lucrative SME ventures can be a stepping stone towards other related businesses that offer bigger and more promising rewards.

How to make money in Nigeria - Writing Articles

I often come across questions by people who want to know how they can make money online in Nigeria by writing articles on some Nigerian websites. Many people would want to have this information for various reasons; job seekers who want to have a source of income, workers looking for an additional source of income and writers looking for new ways to improve their profession.

One thing I must say is that it is not a get rich quick scheme and so don’t expect to make a lot of money overnight. Secondly, if you are a poor writer don’t waste your time trying to make income from writing because your work will be flagged. Thirdly let me also say that people with a doubtful mindset towards making money online have already failed even before they set out.

Now to the gist of this article, I have been writing online since 2009 and although I was aware of making money by writing articles online but back then I wasn’t doing it to make money and even if I wanted to I still had poor knowledge of what to do. Now the situation is different, I make money writing articles and it is on a part time basis.

Let me set the ball rolling. I have been a member since 2009 of Hubpages. In case you don't know Hubpages is a revenue sharing website that uses adsense, amazon and its own in house ad program to display contextual adverts on every published webpage on its site under a 60-40 sharing formula. Members will have their webpages displayed 60% of the time with adsense or other adverting programs bearing their accounts with the remaining 40% going to hubpages. The main advantage with hubpages is that it is regarded by search engines as an authority website and for that reason webpages can easily be indexed by search engines.

Another place to write for money is elance, although I am new to it, elance offers a highly competitive writing environment both for writers and clients who have to bid for contracts. Income generated from here varies from $5 per article to any amount the client can afford to pay. There are different other arrangements by which one can make money such as being paid per word or per hour. The choice is really between client and writer. The website owners charge a commission on every deal and there is no contextual advertisement like adsense or others.

Also blogging is another way to make money online from writing articles in Nigeria. In Nigeria, the most common and most affordable way to blog is to use google’s blogger program just as you can see with this blog. It offers users a chance to build web traffic and monetize that traffic thereby making money from contextual advertising which is what I do on this blog as one of my income streams.

Finally, the art of money making is not a day’s job. It needs time to mature and of course wisdom to make it but when it starts happening, it can be a fulfilling experience.

To learn more about websites that pay good money to Nigerian writers, how to get started and more contact me (paulonwueme@gmail.com, 0803 206 4106, BB Pin: 235AB9BC)

7 Lucrative Products To Sell Online in Nigeria

What can one find to sell online in Nigeria to make some serious cash these days? It would seem that with so much unemployment out there that the internet can at least offer some amount of hope for unemployed people or people with business savvy, here are some interesting ideas to pursue to start making money online in Nigeria.

Deals

Deals are special offers that people can get at reasonable prices. There are many examples of deals such as; discount sale of special items, promotional sales, travel deals and so on. If I have a boutique that is new in town and I want to let people know about it, one of the best ways to do this will be by offering an irresistible price for a high value item like may be corporate suits. Deals are popular online selling items in Nigeria.

Real Estate

It is hard to find real estate companies that don’t do internet marketing because many of them know that Nigerians are going online to look for apartments or houses to buy or sell.

Cars

Cars are also in high demand, if you do business online selling cars you are bound to meet customers but to succeed in this business you must know a lot about internet marketing.

Mobile Phones

Nigerians never seem to tire when it comes to buying mobile phones. Selling phones online is another way to smile to the banks.

Hotels and reservations

Nigerians are willing to look for hotels to secure reservations for business or pleasure. You will find that helping people with finding good hotels for great prices is another fast moving online product to market.

Flights and Airline tickets

Airline tickets and flights are also great online best selling items in Nigeria.

Information

Information about how to make money, training and certifications packaged as ebooks or reports are excellent money making products as well.