How to Start an Internet Cafe Business in Nigeria

The demand for internet services is high in Nigeria. With many people working from home and the rise of freelance jobs, starting a cyber cafe business in Nigeria is a profitable venture. People visit cyber cafes for a wide variety of services ranging from opening and accessing emails, to typesetting and printing documents. The high demand for internet services in Nigeria makes the internet cafe a good business to start. In this article, I am going to show you how to start an internet cafe business in Nigeria.

Research the Market

It is good that you first research the market before writing a business plan. Market research will help you understand the market and have a feel of:

Competition in the market
Demand for cyber cafe services
Competitor’s prices
Challenges facing the internet business in Nigeria

Write an Internet Cafe Business Plan

The first thing you need to do before starting an internet cafe business is to write a business plan. A business plan is a road map for your business. It helps you plan your ideas and keep track of your progress. A good business plan should have the following:

Risk analysis
Market analysis
Industry analysis
SWOT and PEST analysis
Operational requirements
Startup costs
Target market
Internet cafe services to offer
Competition in the market

Read more: How to write a business plan.

Identify a Good Business Location

You need to set up your internet cafe business in a strategic location. When starting a cyber cafe, ensure that your business is easily accessible and is situated in a place where passersby can easily locate it. You also need a safe and secure place, to prevent your computers and other equipment from getting stolen. You can erect a signboard and list the services you offer to make it easier for customers to locate your business.

A cyber cafe business is best suited for urban areas where there is high on foot traffic. Set up a cyber cafe in a place where internet services are required like near a college, office, or bank.

Furnish and Brand Your Internet cafe Business

Definitely, to start a profitable internet cafe business, you need to have a well-organized space where customers can visit and feel comfortable. Make sure you have comfortable benches and seats that customers can use when browsing the internet. Also, paint your shop and arrange it well so that it looks neat. Customers feel good visiting the clean and neat shop.

Internet Rafe Requirements in Nigeria

You need to buy the requirements and equipment to start a cyber cafe business in Nigeria. The following are some of the equipment you need:

At least 4 computers
1 server computer
A printer
Scanner
Photocopier
Furniture
Internet cables
Router

Get an Internet Service Provider

The next thing you need to do is to decide the internet service provider that will be providing you with internet connectivity. There are many ISPs in Nigeria and you can choose the most reliable. When choosing an ISP, consider price, reliability and strength of network signal. You don’t want to buy an internet package that is buffering. Some of the best ISPs in Nigeria include Spectranet, Tizeti, Vodacom, IPNX and Cobranet Limited.

Cost of Setting up a Cyber Cafe in Nigeria

The cost of starting an internet cafe business in Nigeria depends on the size of the business and business location. To start a small cyber cafe business in Nigeria, you will need between N400,000 to N700,000. To start a large cyber cafe business, you need over N1,000,000. However, the best way to go about it is to start small and grow your business over time as the number of customers increases.

Internet Cafe Services Offered in Nigeria

Before starting an internet cafe business, you need to decide what services you will be offering depending on your target customers. The following are some of the services you can offer in your internet cafe business in Nigeria:

Scanning
Typesetting
Photocopying
Internet access
Printing services
Online applications
Graphic services

Are Internet cafes Profitable in Nigeria?

Yes. The high demand for internet services has created opportunities for internet cafe businesses in Nigeria. In a busy location, you can make between N4,000 and N6,000 daily. Make sure to set up your business in locations where cyber cafe business services are in high demand. For instance, starting an internet cafe next to a college would you fetch you high profits.

Summary of How to Start Internet Cafe Business in Nigeria

To start an internet care business in Nigeria, you need to research the market, write a business plan, identify a good business location and then furnish your shop. After that, you can launch your internet cafe business. You also need to find a reliable Internet Service Provider. After that, you can start advertising your business. Give your business time to grow and with time, you will be making high profits.