In a Flash:
1. Huge Cost Advantage -
Minimum wage is $3.00 per hour in Nigeria; compared to $7.50 in the US, that is
150% less wages on average.
2. Native English Speakers – Nigerians are native English speakers. Finding
qualified and talented English writers in Nigeria will not be a problem.
3. High Literacy Rate –
Nigeria has the highest literacy rate in Africa; there are more universities
and tertiary institutions in Nigeria than in the rest of West Africa combined.
4. One of the Best Internet Infrastructures in Africa – 3G/HSDPA broadband modems and laptops are very common
in Nigeria. Internet access is fast and there are many providers. This makes
working remotely with Nigerians very feasible and stress-free.
5. Hardworking and Open People – Nigerians are hardworking and open people, and can
easily adapt to your culture and working principles.
6. Largest Population in Africa – Nigeria has the largest population in Africa with over
160 million people.
7. Relatively New Market for Outsourcing – Outsourcing is relatively new in Nigeria, and it will
be easier for your business to take off here than say in India or Brazil.
Read on to learn more about
outsourcing to Nigeria, and why it could be an option for your business:
Overview of Outsourcing to Nigeria
Outsourcing is based on the
idea that you can save tremendously by ‘exporting’ certain core services like
copywriting, web design and development, graphic design and customer service to
lesser-developed countries that provide large economic advantage due to
significant differences in economies of scale.
What this basically means is
that you can get a person with the same qualifications and experience in
Nigeria to do the job of a similarly trained and experienced person in the US
or UK for less than 30% of the cost, for example.
Challenges of Outsourcing to Nigeria
While there are significant
economic and financial gains to be realized from outsourcing to Nigeria,
challenges however remain, including: (1) Trust (2) Security (3) Language
differences (4) Cultural differences (5) Time difference (6) Infrastructure
Trust is a major issue
because since you will typically be working remotely with people you’ve never
seen, you will have to trust them to be who they say they are and to deliver
what is expected of them when it is expected. I started as an outsourced worker
for Lionbridge (Mass., USA based company) and then went on to work for a
NY-based firm for 3 years. Through my hard work and dedication, I was able to
gain their trust and our working relationship continues to this day.
Security can be another
major issue because often you are working with sensitive client materials and
information. This is resolved by employing people who have experience working
with firms abroad. You can also send a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). I am
based in Nigeria, but have over 6 years’ experience working with US-based
firms.
Language differences also
constitute a barrier where the official language is not English. Nigeria’s
official language is English, and it is the language of instruction at all
levels of education. English is spoken widely across all social and economic
segments of the population.
Cultural differences can be
discounted for Nigeria because of the relatively fast rate of modernization in
the country and the openness of the people to new things.
Time difference between
Nigeria and the US is 5 hours (average). A professional is always able to plan
ahead and sync their activities with their US or Europe-based clients.
Putting It All Together
The greatest challenge in
outsourcing can be putting together a reliable infrastructure for coordinating
workflow and meeting with outsourced staff. Thanks to modern technology, this
is very easily solved with the Google Apps platform.
Instead of resorting to
costly custom project management software, the inexpensive Google Apps platform
has all the tools needed to successfully deploy an outsourcing network – email,
calendar, Google Talk (for meetings), Google Drive (for document hosting and
collaboration) and more.
About MDS –
MDS is a Lagos, Nigeria – based firm specializing in the delivery of outsourced
and tailored Copywriting services across all content streams including web
content, press releases, articles, sales copywriting, and so on. Learn more
about our copywriting services by visiting http://www.montydimkpa.com/Copywriting
MDS was founded by Monty
Dimkpa, a seasoned Copywriter who has worked with US-based firms as an
independent contractor for over 6 years. MDS brings experience, creativity,
talent and dedication to every writing job we do for our US or Europe-based
clients. Read more about our advantage here http://www.montydimkpa.com/Our+Advantage
If you are considering
outsourcing your copywriting and content needs to Nigeria, MDS will be a great
choice for you. Get in touch with us – interact and let us know how we can help
you. Discuss the benefits of employing our services through the following
channels:
Contact Form:
Drop us a note using the contact form on our website: http://www.montydimkpa.com/contact+us, use the opportunity to read more about what we can
offer you.
Skype: Add
MDS Customer Support on Skype: MDS_Customer_Support,
for live, face-to-face conversation about what MDS can offer your business.
Prefer to speak by
telephone? Then ring us on +234 703 087
0839.
We look forward to hearing
from you. Best wishes for your business.
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