AI Strategist Urges Foreign Businesses to Build Trust Before Entering Nigerian Market

Corporate AI trainer and business strategist Mira Wörgötter has urged international companies seeking to expand into Nigeria to prioritise understanding local realities and building trust rather than focusing solely on minimising investment risks.

In a commentary on Africa’s business environment, Wörgötter observed that many conversations with foreign founders and business leaders interested in Nigeria often begin with questions about reducing market-entry risks instead of understanding the needs and expectations of local consumers.

According to her, Nigeria remains one of the world’s fastest-growing markets, driven by a vibrant entrepreneurial culture and a highly ambitious population. However, she argued that success in the country requires more than replicating business models that have worked elsewhere.

“People message me all the time about entering the African market. Nigeria is one of the world’s fastest-growing markets, and the level of ambition here is incredible,” she said.

She noted that some foreign investors misinterpret aspects of everyday life in Nigeria, such as widespread generator use and Lagos traffic congestion, as signs of market failure rather than evidence of resilience and adaptation.

Wörgötter explained that these assumptions have, in some cases, discouraged companies from pursuing expansion into the Nigerian market.

“The more time I spend in Nigeria, the more I realise that success here isn’t about importing what already worked somewhere else,” she said.

Instead, she encouraged businesses to study why local systems and consumer behaviours have evolved the way they have and to develop products and services that fit those realities.

According to her, companies seeking long-term success in emerging markets should focus on earning the trust of customers by designing solutions that address local challenges rather than attempting to replace existing systems with models developed for different environments.

She concluded by challenging international founders and product developers to consider whether they are designing solutions around the needs of local users or their own assumptions.

Her remarks reflect a growing consensus among market analysts that localisation, cultural understanding, and customer trust are essential ingredients for sustainable business success in Nigeria and other emerging African markets.