Nigerian Startup

Nigerian startups raise more money in a single month than whole of 2020

In a month tech investors decided to open their investment wallets in an unusual manner, five Nigerian startups have found themselves $202 million richer. It is the most investment in a single month since 2019 and beats the whole money raised in 2020.

READ ALSO: Nigeria’s fiscal position remains precarious despite rising oil price

Flutterwave opened the month of March with a $170 million Series C funding that pushed its valuation to over $1 billion; Havenhill Nigeria Limited, a clean energy company raised $4.5 million on the same day as Flutterwave; Kuda Bank followed with $25 million; Termii and Kwik came a day later announcing raising $1.4 million $1.7 million each.

It is the most funding closed in a month since the $200 million investment by Visa in Interswitch. Although Paystack pulled in $200 in the deal with Stripe in October 2020, it is an outright acquisition and so does not count as funding.

The $202 million funding is even more impressive as it eclipses the record of the entire investment in 2020 when about 82 Nigerian startups could only haul in $170 million. According to a report compiled by StartupLists, venture capital investments in Africa took off on a high note in the first three months of 2020 only to be blindsided by the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and consequent lockdowns and economic meltdown across the world.

Fear and anxiety left many investors scampering for safety with their funds put on ice until some certainty could be restored. Hence, investments in tech startups were impacted negatively in the second quarter but in the third quarters, investments began to pick up hitting more than 75 percent of the funding raised in previous quarters 2020.

2021 has been significantly different. Startups such as uLesson, an education technology company, with $7.5 million kicked off the year, indicating investors may be regaining their confidence and are willing to start writing big cheques again. March is certainly proving the investors are ready to push more money into the hands of Nigerian startups.

One reason experts say is responsible for the rise in funding is growing confidence driven by returns on investment of venture capitalists in the country. Paystack’s acquisition may have sold the idea once again that Nigeria does have the talents and solutions to tackle payment and other developmental challenges in Africa.

This could be responsible for the influx of first-time foreign investors. Quona Capital which led a $3 million investment in Cowrywise in January and the lead investor in Kuda Bank’s $2 million Series A raise, Valar Ventures – founded by Peter Thiel – were investing for the first time in Africa.

The funding in March has almost come at the back of each other. Flutterwave’s $170 million was announced the same day Havenhill Nigeria Limited said it raised $4.5 million from Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund (NIDF), the first listed infrastructure debt fund in Nigeria and Africa. The funding is for the construction of 22 mini-grids being developed by Havenhill Synergy Limited (Havenhill) under the Nigeria Electrification Project.

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Osibanjo to NIPSS

Osinbajo Highlights Strength of SMEs

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has restated the belief of the federal government in the capacity of small and medium scale enterprises to stimulate economic activities and provide jobs.

He made the remark as the keynote speaker at the 2021 P&G – BoI SME Academy, where the consumer goods company, Procter & Gamble, in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment (FMITI) and the Bank of Industry (BoI) provided access to training for over 700 SMEs during.

SEE ALSO: Enugu SME Center in Partnership with iCreate Africa need ‘Experts’

According to the Vice President, “The federal government believes wholeheartedly that SMEs are the bedrock of the economy and we are constantly aiming to support innovations that can help SMEs grow and in turn groom the economy and provide job opportunities.

“The government has been working diligently and creatively on engaging the most vulnerable businesses especially during this current crisis.”

The plenary session at the academy with the theme: ‘SME Development and Growth as a Precursor to Nation Building,’ brought senior government and private sector leaders to discuss proven strategies that could be leveraged to drive the growth and development of local SMEs as the bedrock of Nigeria’s economic development.

Also, the Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo reiterated the need to create a favorable business environment for SMEs in Nigeria.

He said: “The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment is committed to providing SMEs the required support and trainings needed to consistently project their businesses in an upward trajectory. “We achieve this through information-driven support vital in building a better playing field for commerce in the entire nation. We are grateful to organisations like Procter & Gamble for their continuous efforts towards transforming their communities of operations through proactive projects like the SME Academy.”

In his remarks, the Managing Director, P&G Nigeria, Mr. Adil Farhat highlighted the need to continuously support SMEs in Nigeria, saying they have the potential to out rightly transform the country.

Farhat added that, “in line with the focus of Nigeria’s economic recovery and growth plan to drive industrialisation and economic growth through globally competitive SMEs, P&G in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Trade, industry and investment and the Bank of Industry launched the SME Academy to improve their standard, ensure longevity, and facilitate integration into global value chains.

“For over 27 years in Nigeria, P&G has consistently partnered with the Nigerian government to promote strong investor policies and practices that drive inclusive growth, jobs, and welfare of Nigerian citizens”.

Furthermore, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Bank of Industry, Mr. Olukayode Pitan, in his presentation reiterated the importance of the SME Academy, especially during the challenging economic situation across the globe.

“The maiden edition was held in October 2019. This second edition and first virtual event has been expanded to incorporate structured trainings. This initiative has become particularly important in this era of the covid-19 pandemic and current global economic challenges, which has left many SME businesses struggling to survive now. The Bank of Industry remains committed to transforming Nigeria’s economic sector through funding, strategic partnerships and strengthening of our technology and operations.”

This year’s SME Academy also featured key stakeholders in the industry including Ms. Yewande Sadiku, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission; Mrs. Bola Adesola, the Senior Vice Chairman for Africa at Standard Chartered Bank; Mrs. Tara Fela-Durotoye, the CEO of House of Tara International; and other experts on procurement, investment facilitation, and access to finance.

SOURCE ThisDay

The new frontier of wholesaling

How to Start a Wholesaling Business in 2021

Wholesaling plays a fundamental role in the overall distribution and sales of a particular product. It is also a very competitive market, but you can be successful at wholesaling with the right resources and connections. 

Wholesaling gives you an advantage because unlike the retail business where the money is made one product at a time; the wholesale business allows you to earn more. Since your customers are retailers, they will need to buy your product in volumes to sell to their customers.

You might want to ask yourself; Do you want to stock your products or have them drop-shipped to your customers? What products do you want to sell, and where can you find suppliers?

In this article, we will run through tips on how to start a wholesaling business in 2021. Let’s dive in!

SEE ALSO: MSMEs To Receive Support Through SMEDAN

1. Choose a Market for Your Business

This is the most crucial part of starting a wholesaling business. You will need to decide which industry or market needs your product. You will need to ask yourself. What products should I sell? Who needs my products?

As an SME in Africa, it is important to choose products that are moving in your current economy. You will need to find dealers, store owners, retailers, and customers who need your product.

You would also need to know who your competition is, their prices and what kinds of products they sell. This will help you understand which market to target and what kind of products to sell. There are several profitable wholesaling ideas. You could wholesale in Jewelry, textile, or even organic food. The key here is research.

2. Choose a Location for Your Business

This is the next most important step. If you decide to stock your product, you will need to get a warehouse to run your business.

Choosing a central location for access and easy movement of goods is also something you would need to consider.

How to Start a Wholesaling Business in 2021
Choose a good location for your wholesaling business

Secondly, you will need to hire efficient staff to ensure that your product is not misplaced or damaged. You could opt for a family member you can trust.

3. Choose Your Manufacturers/suppliers

You will need to identify manufacturers who are willing to give you their product to sell. You might want to note that some companies might require you to meet certain sales targets. You can also decide to talk to distributors that can get you a dealership. Wholesaling is about networking and establishing relationships.

4. Establish an Online Presence

In 2021, going online has become an important business strategy. Your wholesaling business is no different. The online space has become saturated with buyers making several buying decisions every day.

Establishing yourself online will help build trust and establish you as an authentic brand. Not only does it build trust, but it also attracts retailers and suppliers. It is a great way to tell prospective clients that you are ready to do business.

5. Get an easy to use inventory software

With the number of goods going in and out of your warehouse, having inventory software will pay a lot and give your business a smoother run. Inventory software helps you keep track of your inventory and determine your business’s demand and supply relation.

6. Check for Return Policies

 When looking for manufacturers/suppliers, it is important to check for their return policies. You would need to check their return policies and how they handle goods being returned to them. If their return policy isn’t clear, it is best to stay clear of those manufacturers. Inventory not sold is a waste of money.

In return, you would need to create friendly return policies that allow retailers to return goods they can’t sell. To create a comprehensive return policy, you should check with your manufacturers and align your return policies accordingly.

We hope that these steps give you a good platform to start your wholesaling business. To grow and establish yourself in the wholesale business, you would need to identify product trends and have a good understanding of your market. Don’t be afraid to take that wild step in starting your wholesaling business. 

Do you have any questions or comments on SMEs in Africa? Kindly drop them in the comment section below!

SOURCE: SME360

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Types of Business plan

. The traditional business plan uses some of the nine sections that make most sense to the business.
They include:
Executive summary
Company description
Market analysis
Organisation and management
Service or product description
Marketing and sales
Funding request
Financial projections
Appendix

2. The lean business plan projects fundamental facts about the company. The most well known is the Business model canvas, developed by Alex Osterwalder. Its features are:
Key partnerships
Key activities
Key resources
Value proposition
Customer relationships
Customer segments
Channels
Cos structure
Revenue streams

Browse about the types of business plans to choose the most suitable for your business.

Note: after conducting your research and you still don’t know how to write your business plan, consult the services of a professional.
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