Episode Details

The harsh reality is that most Nigerian startups fail before they even launch. While the reasons are varied, there is one particular culprit I see over and over: analysis paralysis. Too many of you are stuck "planning to plan"—spending months worrying about branding, websites, and the back end without ever actually shipping anything. You are dreaming to build, but you are building nothing.

My recommendation has always been clear: focus on building an MVP (Minimum Viable Product). This is the smallest version of your idea that people can actually see and interact with so you can judge if they are willing to pay for it. I looked at global data for deployment times: usually, a simple no-code product takes 2 to 4 weeks, SaaS takes 8 to 12 weeks, and even complex enterprise solutions take 4 to 6 months. But here in Nigeria, I see people taking two to four years just to get started. In that time, market needs change and competition moves in.

Don't be the person who says, "I had that idea before Uber." Having a good idea doesn't pay the bills—execution and shipping do. Before you build, you must go through discovery: talk to 10 or 20 people to figure out their real problems. Use that data to inform your UI/UX and features.

Because I want to help solve this problem, I’m collaborating with Ikenga Software Factory (iksf.ng). Our goal is speed to market. If you can describe your idea in plain English, they can deliver a product in 7 days. 

We are also getting rid of the common headaches—there are no price surprises due to inflation, and there is no locking you in; you paid for the code, it’s yours to keep and migrate whenever you want.

Stop wasting time dreaming. Whether you use Ikenga or not, you need to start building and start shipping. If you want to connect or have questions about your startup journey, reach out to me via text or WhatsApp at 08064662140

Also remember to check out https://iksf.ng/