Are you an entrepreneur, thinking of starting a business in Nigeria and you are thinking about the town or city, in which to kick-start your venture?
One of the key things to note, as an entrepreneur, before starting your business, is the environment. You just need to get it right here, as this will ensure the survivor of the business.
Some environment are just not ready, to receive some kind of services and even, though, there may be little signs that, the environment “may” be ready, do not be tempted to dive into it.
Take your time. Do more research and feasibility study, before diving into it.
Here are the 5 best Cities in Nigeria for start-ups and Entrepreneurs:
Lagos (Lagos State)
Lagos is the most populous city in Nigeria, with the population growth that is currently exceeding, at least, 17 million residents.
The city is referred to, as a “mega-city” and the center of excellence, grossing $33,679 in Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
It is the eighth fastest growing city in Africa and the business hub of the nation.
Lagos is one of the best States in Nigeria, to settle down, as an entrepreneur and if the goods and services you offer can scale in the State, it can scale in any part of the world, although, you will encounter issues, in terms of logistics and living costs.
The city will offer you all the tools you need, to survive, as an entrepreneur.
Read up economic opportunities and challenges in Lagos state here.
Abuja (FCT)
Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria is, strategically, located in the heart and center of the country.
The city replaced Lagos, as the Federal Capital, in 1991, as Lagos was beginning to get over-populated.
The city is defined by Aso Rock, a 400-meter, (1,300 ft), monolith, left by water erosion.
Abuja is known for being one of the few purpose-built capital cities in Africa, as well as, being one of the wealthiest.
The city offers entrepreneurs a playground that, is vast and not too overpopulated, like Lagos, to stretch out their wings.
It also offers an avenue to connect to, with top policy makers, in the country and investors.
Abuja is opening up and vast opportunities for entrepreneurs abound. This is the best time for entrepreneurs to start venturing into the city.
Abuja is not a cheap city, as the cost of living there is very high, but in terms of logistics, Abuja has a very good road network. The centre of unity offers its uniqueness as one of the best cities in Nigeria for start-ups.
Ibadan (Oyo State)
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State, Nigeria. Apart from Lagos and Kano, Ibadan is the third most populous city in Nigeria, with a population of over 3 million.
It is also the country’s largest city, by geographical area.
Ibadan is an important commercial center and you can, virtually, find a market center in every part of the city.
The largest daily market stretches from the railway station in the west to the center of the city and is Ibadan’s commercial core.
Ibadan offers entrepreneurs, a very fertile ground and market, to grow their products and services.
The city boasts of some awesome incubation hubs like Wennovation Hub, LPI Innovation Hub, Ecco HUB, etc., that will help entrepreneurs grow and develop their solutions, perfectly.
The cost of living in Ibadan, is very much okay and it has some good road networks.
Kano (Kano State)
Kano is the commercial nerve center of Northern Nigeria and also the second-largest city in Nigeria.
The city remains one of the biggest and populous States in the Northern part of Nigeria and it is home, to some top business ventures in Nigeria.
Basically, all the banks in Nigeria have a strong presence in Kano and also large organizations and multinationals, also, have branches in Kano State.
The city is an awesome ground for entrepreneurs, to make their mark. The market is vast and accommodating.
The cost of living is very affordable and the people are very friendly and are ready, to accept new innovations.
Port Harcourt (Rivers State)
The city is a major industrial center, as it houses some of the biggest and largest film outfits, in the country.
It is the chief oil-refining city in Nigeria and has two main oil refineries, located at Eleme.
Port Harcourt is one of the richest cities in Nigeria, based on the fact that, Rivers State is one of the wealthiest States, in terms of monthly allocation from the national treasury, based on oil revenues shared among the States in Nigeria.
The city of Port Harcourt is truly a beauty to behold although, entrepreneurs will find it a bit difficult to maintain the cost of living, which is very high, but it is still a city that will help build and sharpen up an entrepreneur.
Do you think there are other best cities in Nigeria for start-ups and entrepreneurs, let us know in the comment section below.
Featured Image: jumia.travel
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