Startups and the north, a wake up call

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When the founders of Jumia started out more than
four years ago. They could only imagine how the future looked like. Although
they’ve sold the company but the idea they brought into life is now a living
proof that startups can do very well. While a lot of people are familiar with
the word startup, most are still unsure about what it really means. According
the Wikipedia, a startup is an entrepreneurial venture which is typically a
newly emerged fast growing business that aims to meet a marketplace by
developing or offering an innovative product, process or service. Although the
growth of a startup depends on the founders and their model. Many Nigerian
ventures have made giant and commendable strides.

As startups continue to be associated with the Tech
Space (which is more often), this may be true considering that these businesses
are designed to grow quickly by capturing a very large market. Several people
have misconceptions about new businesses being a form of startup, while this
belief remains a fallacy, because small businesses are always built on existing
business models and are meant to target fairly fixed markets. Thus they cannot
be called as such. An overwhelming number of startups have emerged over the
years most of which are concentrated in the south (west) region. The north in
its entity has little to flaunt in this respect.

When Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook was in
the country, his first choice of visit was Lagos (southwest) which is renown
not only in Nigeria to host some of the brains in IT. Shouldn’t the North be
bothered? Why has it always been ignored from the highlights of the Tech industry?
I believe the reason can be traced to the low level of participation by the
northerners. Every day I get carried away and enchanted by one startup or the
other from the south. I have seen startups like Kangpe, ArtNigeria and
Shuttlers represent Nigeria at the international level. Others like Andela, CashEnvoy, Showroom.ng and Hotels.ng are also doing well. I’ve seen several
events and hubs that have immensely developed the startup mentality of many
youths. These are the types of development I want. This is what all region and
political zones should be doing as part of our contribution to increase the
National GDP. As is it clear the former way (Oil) is no longer feasible.

As the entrepreneur and author of zero to one, Peter
Thiel said “technology is miraculous, because it allows you to do more with
less” My advice to the Northern brethren is to look beyond the misfortunes and
lack of opportunities. You must build your dream from scratch and sacrifice for
it, because you have the most important ingredient, technology. You may have
the idea, but one man cannot build a castle. It is imperative that you meet,
gather together to discuss, share, connect, build, develop and grow together.
You can form groups, create hubs or organize events to attract like minds and
investors. This should be a movement and a struggle as it has been an effective
method of making exponential breakthroughs and achievements. The startup idea
is not cumbersome or lumbering. You can adapt the principles of the Lean
Startup which was pioneered by the great entrepreneur Eric Ries. It is never
too late to join the bandwagon of creative and innovative Nigerians.

This article was originally posted on www.thenortherner.com.ng

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Nice article. But we need to understand that the problem of the north is a fundamental problem. Before you run, you must learn to walk.

The north has cut off marks like 6 - 20% as opposed to southern states that have cut off marks of 50 - 66% on common entrance exams, you can’t expect the same level of progress/output when the standard of education is low.

The northern governor’s forum admitted that “poverty in Nigeria wears a northern face”, so you can’t expect them to easily compete with southerners (except they’re children of rich men/politicians and schooled abroad and living in places like Abuja or even Lagos).

I know of one northerner from Sokoto running a thriving startup in Lagos. But that’s it. Every other startup you hear of is virtually split between Igbos, Yorubas and other southerners.

The northerners need to develop the basic infrastructure and human capital that would help them produce business leaders and a thriving middle class. Not just a rich few like Dangote, Rabiu and their political elites.

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What is this “North” you speak of? Ok, that was by the way.

I’d written a long post but it all could be summed by:

The Nigerian south-west (Lagos and neighbours) is the place where problems (most resulting from the lack of good infrastructure) is cheapest to combat.

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There is a correlation between education and knowledge industry. Most tech startups are birthed from university environments. In Nigeria Lagos to me is ground zero in startup cloning not in original innovation. I expect to see greater creativity coming out of UNN\enugu, Unijos and Jos, ABU and Zaria, Futo and Owerri, UI and Ibadan and OAU and Ife when there is that focus.

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This was what i thought when I got admission into Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi.

You see, I was a very good student in a very good school secondary school in Ibadan. So when I got admission to read Chemical Engineering in Bauchi, I was like…

If I was very good in Ibadan, I would definitely easily finish with a First Class in Bauchi.

Boy was I wrong. ATBU Bauchi standard was not anyway low.

Ask anyone that schooled in a nothern university.

I have never stepped out of this country. I have completed some online education but that’s it.

I have a good number of northern friends that haven’t even completed any such online education but boy are they very smart.

I and a lot like myself can easily compete with any southerner any day, any time, and at any place.

To be frank, name another strong business/startup hub aside Lagos and probably abuja? It is PH? Can you confidently say its that much better than say a Kano or Kaduna?

I have been round most of the country. The truth is Lagos and Abuja are where it is mostly happening. Everyone form around the country moves to one of these two place. As regards Startups I mean.

I assume you reside in Lagos, right? How many northerners do you know?

Maybe we are silently building, and when it really matters, you will get to hear about us. :slight_smile:

I agree that the north needs to develop basic infrastructure and human capital but so does every other part of the country. And as regards basic infrastructure, the north indeed has had the futune of some very good governors. Again, I have gone round most of the country.

Just becuase you only know Dangote and Rabiu, doesn’t mean there aren’t countless others aside the political class. And you think there is no “middle class” like in other parts of the country?

My whole point is that you need to learn much more about the north. There is much more to it than your narrative above…

P.S. Yes!! The North does have some major (enormous) challenges.

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@Suleman I totally agree with you. There are good things happening in the north, but we don’t get to hear enough of them.

I was at a conference where a presentation was made about AUN in Yola. I was so impressed on how they have used tech at a grassroot level to prevent Boko Haram recruitment of children and teach children English using tablets. Imagine if a startup can do this at a much larger scale.

The North has huge untapped potential that can’t be harnessed due to several challenges, just like every region in Nigeria. The brains and passion are there, with lots of youths ripe for opportunities. I just hope we don’t turn a blind eye to them.

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@Suleman, i cant say more, there is enough level playing ground for every body, i believe there are a lot of startups being cooked up in the north, maybe there are still cooking, but definitely, when there are ready, we will hear about them.

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That is really sad, you need to look again. There is always someone who is ready to partner or share ideas with you. Don’t just sit and wait, commit yourself.

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Because you promote illiteracy, (more than half the girls in northern states do not attend school or attend school for insufficient time), inequality, destroy everything with the religion of peace, and delight in general backwardness. The more repressive and illogical a law is, the more likely a northern state will pass it. Not to mention the endless banning of everything. Ban, ban, ban.

Why would Mark Zuckerberg (or anybody for that matter) set up a Facebook office in the north so that tomorrow they will bomb his office then claim Facebook was “spreading immorality” (as if that’s an excuse for terrorism).

No sensible person launching a startup about anything besides farming or maybe manufacturing would want to establish it in a northern state. Might as well go and launch your startup in Zimbabwe or Venezuela or Afghanistan.

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You really believe this don’t you? How typical.

Applying your logic, I say…

Why would the same Zuckerberg set up office in the south-south? so that tomorrow they will bomb his office then claim they are fighting for the neglect of their zone by the government and foreign investors that benefit from it. Without first holding their own leaders accountable.

Or…

Why would the same Zuckerberg set up office in the south-east? so that tomorrow they will bungle or kidnap it keys staff and demand for a ridiculous ransom because Facebook is so rich.

Can as well say that of any other region aside the Lagos region. And probably Abuja.

And Lagos and probably Abuja mainly because of the closeness to the “target market” and the relative calmness they enjoy.

The point is there are challenges everywhere. Yes!! different in nature but still significant challenges that must be tackled.

Don’t sit there and think you are far better than others. That sort of thinking doesn’t help anyone.

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if you were really good as you imagined, you will not have applied to any University in the North apart from ABU or Unilorin, Unijos.

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Personally I do not like this ‘north’ and ‘south’ tag we tend to give to everything. Start up is a start up simple! Entrepreneurship is driven by passion and ability to spot opportunities both of which I think the North lacks right now. A better way to help the North now is to leverage on the already established South based start ups to tap into several opportunities in the North and labelling them as outsiders will not help matters.

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@alpontif

You are right. I wasn’t that good.

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You can keep being defensive like everything I said isn’t true. Probably why the north won’t get better because any attempt to point out their flaws is met with defensiveness.

Tomorrow come and open another thread titled why didn’t blah blah invest in a northern state?

The fact that almost all the economic investment is huddled in the south of Nigeria should tell you something is very wrong with northern Nigeria.

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You were being insulting. And not being in anyway helpful.

We are very aware of our issues. Are you of yours?

I didn’t open the thread. I just couldn’t stand you being condescending.

In Lagos you mean?

And again yes!!! We are aware of our issues. Are you of yours?

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Loool, bro it shouldn’t be taken personal there’s no proof or statistics that shows only the less intelligent school or seek admission in the northern universities, I schooled in the north futminna precisely, I can tell u I am, (we) are as good as any student from oau, UI or unilag,you need to change your orientation about the north.
Asides that, I would add that most people/students that might do cool stuff or launch startups solving needs will most likely come back to lagos or Abuja after graduation in search of software and Web development related jobs or join other guys in lagos to start IT businesses, nobody wants to sit in their comfort zone that way their won’t be personal progress and development career wise maybe with time, guys who are into IT might go back to start something that can add value to their states after Learning and getting experience from working with companies and startups in lagos.
No nigerian university dey world rankings sef, in africa sef na manage, the issue of na only dull people or less intelligent dey school for North no suppose dey come up at all, all the schools for nigeria generally what have they taught us sef? If not outdated curriculum and just theoretical approach towards teaching and learning.
Let’s talk on how we can contribute to the Nigerian technology ecosystem and Africa at large from every part of the country, be it south or North

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Bla bla bla blame…trade more blames…more bla bla bla…do nothing.

Welcome to Nigeria.

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You’re wrong bro , ATBU is a typical FG technology university and its standard is at par with its other counterparts - FUTO, FUTA, etal .thing with them up there is the low key life they live , they don’t get to make a noise about successes and achievements so you probably may never hear much about their technological advancements , I happened to have graduated from ATBU as well and this was after a diploma here in the SW. As for the tech space there , I’ll bet they will evolve with time , if they can Shun our nollywood , create their own Kannywood and make it thrive then the tech ecosystem will not poise much challenge in their faces , all they need is create and deliver value for their own people and not clamoring for its exportation to the south as we in the SW hasn’t really bother exporting ours to even neighboring Ghana.

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You said you get carried away or enchanted by one startup or the other from the south…
I think you should be honest with yourself and say Lagos instead of generalising it as South…or can you kindly mention startups from Akure, Bayelsa, Delta and Uyo…for obvious reasons Lagos and Abuja r d hubs in Nigeria…So its not really a Northern thing but a Nigerian stuff…As big and developed Silicon valley is still the bedrock of technology and aving Lagos as that for Nigeria doesnt put us on the wrong part

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Again, ICT is not the only area of business…after all the second richest man in the world is a Fashion Designer…there are man thriving business people in the north that are not into ICT businesses