How Young Nigerians Are Building the Future (And How You Can Join Them)

There is a certain type of energy that you get when you observe the youth in Nigeria.

It is in conversations, in small entrepreneurial endeavors popping up all over, in the way in which ideas are transmitted rapidly. With most of our population being under the age of 35, it is evident that we have a nation full of pent-up energy, innovation, and drive. but for many people, that energy feels trapped. It is like having a car that keeps revving but is not quite moving forward.

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The truth is that our generation will determine the future of Nigeria’s economy. The question is how.

This "how" is being revealed as increasing numbers of "structures" appear that seek to fulfill this aspiration.

The best practical example in recent times is the launch of the Nigerian Youth Academy (NiYA) Startup Pitch 2.0 by the Federal Government of Nigeria itself. The initiative was more than a program; it was a declaration of interest. Grants of up to ₦100,000,000 were offered, by NiYA to encourage job creation and promote the homegrown digital innovation desperately needed to solve national challenges.

At a gathering of young innovation thinkers, one thing became even clearer. Its time is coming; the kind of businesses that are eventually going to thrive and the ones NiYA seeks to develop are those that are DIGITAL BY DESIGN. Not supplemental, but foundational.

Therefore what does that entail in terms of your personal journey?

Step 1: Change How You See Technology

Most people still view technology as something additional to their business down the line. "This is a tool I would utilize to acquire more customers." 

But times are changing. Currently, the online world isn’t simply a supporting platform. It can very well become the core platform where your business really exists.

Just think about it. The old method may have consisted of opening a store and later a Facebook page or a simple website. The new generation of business might be to have your online presence as your main shopfront. Even before you put up a store in Yaba or Garki, you would have been able to sell to people in Port Harcourt, Kano, and Enugu.

That’s the change.

Instead of asking, "How can technology help my business?" you start asking, "How can my business exist because of technology?" This is how you construct something scalable, a kind of business that initiatives like the program of NiYA are structured to support.

Develop Skills

You don’t need to have ten certificates. What you need is the ability to get things done in the digital world. You don’t have to know how to program or code. What you need to know is how the digital world functions. Learn how an ecommerce store works or how technology can help you go from spending hours doing customer service to not.

    NOTE:

E-commerce is all about trust-building.

Proper communication is a must.

Consistency is a must. Just like Tarevisos checks the businesses in order to ensure that they are legitimate, you have to work on your own reputation by doing what you promise.

Test Fast and Learn Faster

Here is one thing most entrepreneurs find difficult.

"A beautiful idea is still inadequate if it does not address a real-world problem."

This is exactly why you need to test early. Make your solution as simple as possible and go show it to real people. Listen to what they say. Listen to how they respond and adjust accordingly.

It is not necessary that your first idea is the best. It only has to be tried out. At the end of the day, one has to let go of the idea and not the solution to a problem. That is the difference between the scaling businesses and those that get stuck.

This digital transformation is larger than any given business. It is transforming the whole economy. Visualize a fashion designer in Lagos able to serve up-and-coming boutiques in Onitsha.

Visualize the convenience of fast and secure payment.

Visualize the ease of accessing logistics with just one click. Visualize all young entrepreneurs having an equal footing to access customers, funds, and opportunities whether in Makurdi or Sokoto.

THIS IS THE NIGERIA WE TOO CAN BUILD.

A NIGERIA WHERE DIGITAL CONNECTION REPLACES LIMITATION!

“At Tarevisos, it is what we live and breathe” says Engr. Patrick Somto, CEO of Tarevisos.

“We are more than a website, we are a connection between genuine buyers, genuine suppliers, and eliminate the tedious search process.”

We remove the stress of looking for credible sources.

This is how we establish trust by verifying every business.

We have a platform where serious buyers converge with genuine sellers.

We believe, passionately, in the youth of Nigeria, in their creativity and their strength. Your ideas aren’t too small.

Your dreams aren’t unrealistic. The time to start is literally now. Your potential isn’t just real. It’s powerful. And honestly, it’s ready to shake things up.

Begin building your digital future today.