The Nigerian society, thriving in Central Africa, is a diverse group of people with excellent business and cultural footprints. Despite its members speaking about 527 languages in more than 1,150 ethnic dialects, the society harmoniously depicts stable and predictable socio-cultural traits that fit well in Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions. In terms of decision-making, Nigerians have a short-term focus and appreciate plans and activities that yield short-term outcomes. From a business policy viewpoint, Nigerians appreciate plans that yield tangible outcomes in the short-run, which partly explains their industrious nature in small and medium enterprise (SME) businesses (Sand, 2015). Also, the Nigerian society is rooted in a collectivist way of doing things, contrary to the Western individualistic way of conducting personal and business affairs. While this does not entirely exclude individualism is some aspects, Nigerians firmly believe in and propagate a collectivist way of life that is profoundly conspicuous in their business philosophy.
Nigerian’s collectivist and short-term focused cultural aspects matter a lot in business. The short-term aspect should inform investors, particularly foreign ones from the West, to provide short-term deliverables that will help the locals keep up the morale. For example, a ten-year investment project should be integrated with tangible outcomes that should be visible as soon as in the first six months of commencement. That would reaffirm to the local business partners of the project’s viability. The collectivist attitude means that foreign businesses should build trust with the locals and the community for the best outcomes (Sand, 2015). Thus, a project involving building telecom masts in a remote Nigerian village requires occasional interaction with locals to offer them goodies. That signals community, and hence winning their trust.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Because the collective and community aspects spill into business, meeting with Nigerians would involve frequent and casual interruptions by the local partner’s friends and relatives. If one values privacy too much and fails to understand that, they might often walk out in fear of too much openness. Therefore, foreigners ought to practice patience and amicable resolutions of such less acceptable incidences.
References
Sand, D. (2015, February 18). “Nigerian Business Culture and Incentives: An Inside Perspective.” How We Made It in Africa. Retrieved September 22, 2020 from https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/nigerian-business-culture-and-incentives-an-inside-perspective/47005/# .
