Starting a Computer Business Center in Nigeria - Learn How to



In the Nigerian context, a business center is any shop where you can carry out your official secretarial works. True, some people have invested in this business with a level of failure, most investors have recorded remarkable success doing business center business. The room for  investing in this business is not saturated. With a few thousands, you can start counting hundreds of thousands in a matter of few weeks. If you are interested in making money, please read along.

Get a Space Near Office Complex

The space does not have to be a shop. A small iron container of 8 X 8 feet size will be okay. It is important that you situate this shop near one of these places: A school environment, any public office such as local government, banks, electricity company, etc. This will guarantee a lot of turnover for you. Do not bother yourself with whether people are already doing the same business in the area, you will definitely make your money as long as it is a place in the city.



The furniture you need include two tables, two chairs and a couple of stools. A ceiling fan or any other one fan suffice. You will also need to.

Buy Your main Equipment

One of the main equipment you need is a Photocopier. Although there are those willing to sell you fairly used machine claiming it will serve the same purpose as that of a new one, it is strongly advised you buy a new one. This will not just last longer, it will save you the stress of having to call in a technician each time the machine breaks down. Take it from me, fairly used photocopy machine can be stressful.

The new one will also make the photocopied works come out sharp and fast. To your advantage, there is also manufacturer guarantee on the new machine. As a neophyte, you really do not want to bother yourself fixing an old machine. It is economical to buy a new one.

You will also need to get A4 paper. This can either be bought as a rim or as a carton of five rims. Depending on your purse, either of the choices is okay. 

You need to get staplers and pins too. There is giant paper stapler and also regular sized stapling machine too. It is advisable that you get both as you will be having customers doing high and low volumes of work. 
The other consumables you will need are spiral binding materials. These days, you do not need to use spiral binding machine depending on the volume of work you want to bind at once. 

Non Photocopying Materials

Your business center is incomplete if you do not own a computer system. So start with one system at first. It is advisable that you get a laptop computer instead of a desktop computer. If your purse does not permit that however, you can go for a desktop computer. 

The advantage that a laptop has over a desktop is that it saves you more power. This is a good deal considering that power supply is erratic in Nigeria. The battery of your laptop can serve you for few hours that you would have spent consuming fuel if you had chosen a desktop. The amount you will be spending on the laptop does not need to weigh you down.

You will also need to get an internet modem for customer who will want to print out from their inbox. Be aware though that you are not an Internet cafe. The essence of the internet connection is so that those who want to download or upload documents can do so conveniently without going to the internet cafe. 

Instant Passport Sized Photo

The need for instant photographs for official and other purposes cannot be overemphasized. Everyday, thousands of images are snapped at various business centers across the nation. The popular digital photo printer you need to get started is Hiti. As you will note in the budget section, it is not too expensive for you not to include it in your business center investment. In addition, you also need to get a digital camera with 8 pixel and above.

Get Shop Attendants

Because you have to attend to a lot of customers with different mission who come in simultaneously, it is impossible for you to do the business without hiring an assistant. Whether you are employing a male or a female, your assistant must have a knowledge of computer operations. It is not difficult to come across such one. 
With time, you may need to get two attendants as your business grows. Ensure you monitor them closely as they tend to be dishonest with sales record.

Business Potential

As long as human race exists, there will always be need for transacting business at the various business centers available. While it is true that many people now have computers in their homes and offices that do some of these works for them, they often find themselves running to these business centers when they run out of inks, toners, or even papers. 

Sometimes, they find it difficult to replace these things because they did not use the ones consumed for commercial purpose. Even if they have these materials, they still run to the business centers when they have to print in bulk. What is more, they cannot go about town with their photocopying machines and papers and staplers. When they have emergencies on the road, they will surely need you to do their business for them.
The edge you have over private owners is that you are always there. Come rain or shine, power supply or not, paper or not. That is your main business. 

Profit Prospect

While compiling this article, i did a survey by asking business center owners around Ikeja, Lagos State questions. On the average, they make N6,000 daily. I wondered if that is the truth. But few minutes spent in their shops reveal that may make much more on a daily basis. An individual can walk in and make photocopies worth N2,000 at once. And there will be several others making such in a day. 

A page of typed work ranges between N100 and N200 you can do two pages for some, you can also do 200 or more for 20 others in a day if it is a final year project. 
Even if you do not make up to N6,000 in a day, and you make half of it as a beginner, you will grow to the point of making much more than that in a matter of few months.

Budget

New Photocopying Machine -N60,000
New Laptop Computer -N80,000
Spiral Binding Machine -N10,000
Laminating Machine -N12,000
Staplers/Paper Cuter -N5,000
Modem and subscription -N5,000
Paper and other consumables (spiral binding materials, laminating films, photo papers) N10,000
Hiti Photo Printer -N40,000
Gasoline Generator -N50,000
Furniture N20,000

Total N292,000

It is a wise Investment

I have decided not to add the cost of renting shop because the price varies from one place to the other. Even if you arrive at N400,000 after adding that, it is still a wise investment. Remember you can conveniently make N6,000 in a day just typing and photocopying if you are situated in a busy area. This means that you can get back the total capital you have invested in less than 3 months. If you go for a bank loan, you will conveniently pay back in six months while you attend to other basic needs in your life. 
Wishing you all the best as you consider investing in business center. 
If this article has benefited you in any way, please do not hesitate to drop your comments below.

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