NIGERIA'S CYBER CAFE BUSINESS GRADUALLY GOING INTO EXTINCTION

Isn't it interesting how over the years things have changed? Remember the days of NITEL and NIPOST and how popular land-lines was as well as posting letters to friends and loved ones in other parts of the country? How we used to throng cyber cafes to browse the internet? We used to pay like 500 naira for an hour and sometimes we expressed our frustrations to the owner when the internet was unbearably slow. I used to think it was a deliberate attempt to get one to spend longer hours. Now those cyber cafes are a shadow of their former state. The once lucrative business and huge source of income to many business owners has been reduced to an avenue to print documents, scan and make photocopies. With the growth of internet networked phones, handy modems and Wi-Fi access, cyber cafes have obviously lost the battle in a warring environment spurred on by the new mobile generation. Millions of Nigerians own internet enabled mobile phones and network providers are smiling to the bank. For many, their mobile phone is the first thing they see when they wake up and the last thing before going to bed. It is like an extension of our hands. A worthy companion. Nigerian entrepreneurs are waking up to the fact that there's a huge potential for internet business. Just not in the way it used be. We can almost say goodbye to cyber cafes. Nigeria with a population of 170 million is the fastest growing internet and mobile phone market in Africa.Companies like Oxygen Broadband are tapping in; providing Wi-Fi internet services at restaurants, cinemas, outdoor bars and event centres just the way it is in other developed countries. Users pay about 3 dollars for daily unlimited access across any of the hotspots. Oxygen currently has over 27,000 registered users in Nigeria's mega city Lagos. Hopefully these hotspots can spread so anywhere you find yourself, you can have access. The world is constantly evolving, new ideas, innovations....... there's a lot more things yet to be discovered.

PS: Please be careful, Ebola is in town.

Cheers.

Link to video:

Nigeria's Dying Internet Cafes

NIGERIA'S FIRST FEMALE ONLINE SEX STORE

Getting feature stories done in Nigeria comes with its own unique drama and experience; it can even make a story of its own. Almost six months ago, we needed to do a story on Nigeria's first female online sex store. It is being run by a lovely lady but circumstances made it really difficult for us to get the shoot done. First, it was the fact that we missed covering an element for the story and then she had to travel. It was crazy as there was just one issue or the other.​ We finally got her part done. Iheoma Obibi, the creative director, "Intimate Pleasures-Desires of the heart" operates an online sex store in Nigeria's most populous city. This business is one that many dare not venture into because of the fact that our society is too culturally inclined and are not open to such things. Many buy the products but to go into the business of selling them.....hmmmm, that's another story. I also found out that ​many are reserved about the use of sex toys; some cite religious reasons.​ One or two persons who had shops in Lagos had to shut down due to lack of customers. How many people want to be seen walking into a store with the aim of purchasing a sex toy? There are stores that make reasonable profits from the business. With the lack of physical shops that sell sex toys across the country, entrepreneurs are now racing to satisfy an increasing demand from residents in the West African country via online platforms. The online store, 'Intimate Pleasures' has a variety of adult sex toys for those who wish to explore their sexuality. Clients who are too shy to physically purchase sex products from a physical store are able to place​ their orders online without attracting raised eyebrows. As a result of her line of business, Iheoma has received death threats and ​has been​ told she is running the devil's business. Some blogs refused her from advertising on their sites.​This has not deterred her but challenged her to create an environment for discussions on sexual fulfillment. To balance the story, we tried to film a physical shop with no luck. Twitter to the rescue. ​I asked Gidi Traffic for help, God bless him, he retweeted it to his followers. Many thought I was trying to buy one. One follower said I didn't need one as he was available- lol. Others said it was easier to buy online and even provided the web link. One of them sent an address. ​Crew headed to the Ikeja address but was unable to locate the shop. Crew set out again another day after a​ friend at Punch Newspapers was able to give us a better description and on getting there,​ the lady was so adamant about us not filming​, she rudely told us she didn't want to see our cameras in her shop. ​The only good thing I remind myself about in regards to the trip to her shop were the oranges we bought outside the complex. Those were the best oranges I have ever had.​ We did interview Nigerians on their thoughts and some are all for sex toys and many are not. Some feel ladies will get addicted to it. So that begs the question, what are your thoughts on sex toys? Have you ever had one or do you plan on buying one and why? Kindly share your thoughts.

Click on link below to watch the story:

Nigeria Online Sex Shop


Photographs of products being sold by Iheoma. Photos by Angela Ukomadu:
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NIGERIA'S BOOMING COMEDY INDUSTRY

We wake up daily to one news or the other. Usually bad news. A tragic accident somewhere in Ikorodu, Boko Haram bombing a school in the north, girls being raped, people being used for rituals, the list is endless. There just seems to be something going on that causes you to think about life. So it is actually nice when sometimes we can forget about our troubles for a while and just laugh. What is nicer is when people make us laugh and there are people who are naturally gifted at it. Many years back, who would have thought we would have a thriving comedy industry in Nigeria? Many of Nigeria's popular comedians started out earning peanuts for a show and now we have many who have grown so much, comedy has become their only means of income. It is great that this is happening as it provides an avenue for raw talents to find a place that works for them easily. We need these people because they remind us that the world is not such a terrible place full of situations and circumstances that steal our joy. It is also really great that we can sit back and listen to how they struggled and overcame and are where they are now with hopes that they still have much more to achieve. I think it is inspiring hearing stories of how comedians like Basket Mouth started out and his struggles. I had the opportunity to listen to him at a recent youth seminar and it was motivating cos dreams do come true. No matter the situation you finds yourself in today, tomorrow can be different. We did a story recently on comedy in Nigeria. It is not just the movie and music industry that is booming. Add comedy to the list. Thanks to those who had the foresight to pioneer it. Who were bold enough to withstand their parents and say this is what I want to do. Despite the mockery and no one believing in them, they were resilient. We need more people who can stand for what they believe in without wavering as long as it is true, just and in right-standing with God.

Basket Mouth speaking at a Youth Seminar

Basket Mouth - Pic Courtesy Angela Ukomadu/Seun Sanni

Click on link below to watch the video.

Comedy business booms in Nigeria

PINK LIPS - NEW BEAUTY TREND IN NIGERIA

I finally joined pinterest today after several weeks of wondering how many social sites I have to be involved in. I mean why join pinterest when I cannot even understand why there is an "i" missing before the "t" or what the "P" stands for. There is Facebook, Twitter, Google plus, Youtube, and many others. Well, I finally joined the social site and I must say I am finding pinterest quite interesting and wondering why I didn't join sooner. The first article I read is actually something I'm really looking forward to.

Is it not funny how we seem to just want to go with the new trend? Braids is back and suddenly everyone wants to make them forgetting that during the rainy season it is the best hairstyle to carry. A couple of my friends have caught the natural hair bug for various reasons. Some do not even completely understand but just want to go with the flow. Today, it is the Mohawk style (my current hairstyle of a different kind) cos that is what Rihanna is wearing and tomorrow, it is buying the latest land rover. The days of wanting to buy a Nissan Murano or a hummer jeep are gone. I'm not a car freak but would like to know what the latest car model people are looking to acquire is. Trends cut across. Many Nigerians love fashion, and I do say fashion trends..... hmmmm, there's always a new surprise. Many are ready to lighten their skin colour. Cosmetic shops are not complete without the sale of bleaching products. The current trend that is capturing the hearts of many is 'pink lips'. It is not really new but now you can get it done at a cheaper rate and it is not too difficult to spot where you can get it done especially if you use the Ikeja route in Lagos. For many young ladies in Nigeria, they are not scared to take some bold steps for beauty sake. And men as well have taken to this trend. The transition from dark lips to pink or red lips which involves a beautician using a tattoo machine and inserting it into a coloured chemical substance usually takes two hours for the process to be completed. Many say the process is painful. I doubt if it is risk free in terms of the downside.

I particularly like the natural pink lips. Not willing to take that risk and embrace the trend. Are you? We recently did a story on it. Please click on link below to watch the video.
Cheers!

New Beauty Trend Lets Women Alter The Colour Of Their Lips

IS NIGERIA READY FOR COMBO MEALS?

I grew up knowing Mr. Biggs and..... well, just Mr. Biggs. My dad used to take us kids like twice a year. During Christmas and of course Easter celebrations. It was like a silent agreement and a treat that we all looked forward to. Such nice memories. Things have dramatically changed. So many fast food outlets have sprung up and Mr. Biggs has become a shadow of its former self. I guess the competition was too strong. As Nigeria's economy grows, multinational companies are flocking to the country to tap into a sophisticated middle class. With a population of around 170 million people, Nigeria's economic potential has attracted firms like Shoprite who has seven profitable stores. Fast food is not as we know it any more. From just being chicken pie or meat pie, scotch egg and sausage, it has grown to be burger with fries and a drink referred to as a combo meal. Fast food companies that offer such are expanding into Nigeria with many treading cautiously unsure that the country is ready for combo meals. International companies like Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), Johnny Rockets are already here providing combo meals to many. But even with the positive opportunities that exists in our dear country, running such businesses is not without its challenges. Multinationals cite poor infrastructure, corrupt port authorities, supply chain problems and road networks as challenges being experienced. I had my first combo meal few years back. I loved it; it became like a monthly experience but then I thought of how much weight I was adding. Oh, dear! I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me my next line of action. So, are we ready for combo meals? Is it an experience you would love to have daily, weekly, monthly or just during celebrations?

We did a story on it recently. I hope for companies like Johnny Rockets who are looking to expand and open more eateries in Nigeria, that the infrastructure challenges will become a thing of the past in the coming years.

Please click on link below to watch the story:

Nigeria's Fast Food Craze

MAKEUP ENTREPRENEUR - BLAZING A TRAIL

The idea came to me out of the blues. Why don't we do a story on Tara? She's achieved a lot in Nigeria, surviving as a female entrepreneur and recording so many successes. Yeah, let's do this. After the story was approved, we got right to it. It took weeks to get her phone number and few more weeks to fix a date for the shoot. She is such a busy lady. Also a woman who loves her family as the initial date we had picked was close to Valentine's day so we had to look for a more appropriate timing which paid off. Her company, House of Tara International, set up the country's first make up school. She was also inspired to introduce her beauty products in order to build a global beauty company of African origin. Tara has trained so many makeup artists and is currently involved in empowering young ladies in a bid to make them financially independent.One thing that struck a chord about her company was how she deals with customers. I have issues with customer care service in Nigeria as a lot of companies really need to train their staff on how to deal with customers. I can't recount the number of times I had to tell myself I ain't never visiting that store again or telling off someone for not serving our order on time or having to forfeit my balance cos they just didn't have 'change' to give. It was quite a relief that finally, someone gets it, customer service is key. Tara's case was just so different. First time I walked into the reception of her office in Lekki, all the ladies had a smile on their faces and the first thing they said was "Welcome to house of Tara". I was impressed. Just three weeks ago, my atm card got stuck in the machine, no thanks to the epileptic power supply in the country. It was a Saturday and it happened right at the market where I needed to purchase food items. The security man was so rude. I told him; gone are the days where I will have to return the following week to pick up my atm card as he was suggesting I do. I am leaving here with it and that's it. An hour later, I had my card but what a time wasting experience. Anyway, would be nice if other companies and establishments, no matter how small or the kind of business they run, it would be great if they could just try to be nice and polite to their customers or clients.
Kudos to Tara for blazing a trail in entrepreneurship skills with the establishment of her make-up company.
Please, click on link below to watch the video and do have a wonderful week.
Nigerian makeup business mogul blazing a trail in entrepreneurship

I'VE GOT A QUESTION ON MY MIND

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. I woke up with a question on my mind. It has been quite a crazy month. Swamped with delivering stories of the abducted girls and bombings in various parts of the north, hit with news of deaths of dear ones. I would say the world is not getting any better. We are in a crisis period and like Nigerians are popularly known to do, we can only call on God. When it becomes too uncomfortable to handle, where can we run to? Many have eloped for a better life in other developed countries, even sane of mind in African countries. Here, we deal with so many things. We are already providing our own water, security and power. A neighbor of mine has a generator, an inverter and has sworn never to pay NEPA bills again. Now, where does that leave the rest of us who want to do our due diligence and pay monthly for NEPA bills. Or rather PHCN. Oh, I'm sorry, I think there's a newly privatised company. Most of our hospitals cannot even deal with emergency situations. I remember being involved in an accident few years ago and in the state of slipping into unconsciousness as a result of the smoke in the trapped vehicle, I had to jolt myself awake and struggle to escape before the vehicle exploded. 3 people died. Probably cos they did not get out on time. I saw a woman resign herself to fate. That happened on a Saturday and I recall resuming work two days after. Life goes on.... but where do we go from here? Can we pause for a moment and reflect. There is God, there is hope, we keep praying. We try to make sense of it all. My question is this: Where is God when it hurts? Cos obviously and surely, salvation won't come from our leaders. And it might not come from restless youths. No one is willing to lay down their lives for a cause. Many who fought years past have gone unsung.
I fear for our future, for our generation and generations to come. Lives wasted as a result of heartless actions but the world has always been full of desperately wicked people. I do want to know, where God is in the midst of it all cos I do know he is there. He is the only one who can help us make sense of all the nonsense. I read a book some years ago titled "Where Is God When It hurts?" (someone did run away with that book and never returned it). It had no perfect answer to the question but it did have something else. Love. Showing love to those who have asked that question a million times as they cried themselves to sleep at night. Showing love to those who have searched for ways to deal with the emptiness they feel at the loss of a dear one. A son having been told his father had been shot to death by armed robbers. A husband who thought his wife would grow old with him but she dies having complained days before of a headache. A young and hopeful woman looking forward to her marriage unexpectedly dies in her sleep. Parents shocked with the news that their children have been kidnapped. Students looking forward to the future. Dreams cut short, hopes dashed, leaving in its wake deep pain and sorrow it will take years to forget.

Please, let us show them love today. In our words and actions.

Cheers!

Click on links below to watch videos of recent blasts in Jos/Abducted girls

As mothers weep, Nigeria's president pledges to free kidnapped girls

Death toll of Nigeria blasts passes 100

Double blasts in Nigeria kill at least 118

Anxious mother in Nigeria appeals for daughter's return