25+ Lucrative Telecom Business Ideas To Start in Nigeria or Africa

Starting a telecommunication business in Nigeria, Africa and many places around the world, while capital intensive, does not always require substantial capital. It is one of the most lucrative businesses everywhere in the world. At a global worth of $2.5 trillion in 2020, the industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 6.2% by the end of 2025. The best part is that Africa has had one of the most significant growth rates within the past four years.

Today, Africa ranks as the 5th region with the highest and fastest-growing market for telecom products. This is due in part to the increasing adoption of digital opportunities in the region and the fast-growing need for communication across distances.

If you’re an entrepreneur or investor looking to delve into the telecom industry, you don’t have to break the bank to start a telecom business. If you’re looking for telecom business opportunities to start, here are 25+ mostly small-scale telecommunication business ideas to start in Nigeria, Africa and many places around the world.

1). Smartphone Retail Business:

Smartphones drive the telecommunication industry. Even better, the market for smartphones is fast on the rise, given the continuous demand for devices with advanced features, making starting the sales of smartphones a great opportunity to take advantage of in Nigeria, Africa and many places around the world.

2). Recharge Card Printing Business:

Paper recharge cards are on the decline because of the growing adoption of mobile banking platforms like USSD and banking apps. However, this doesn’t take away the fact that the larger population of Africans at the grassroots level still prefer the paper recharge card system because it is more reliable, stress-free, and can easily be bought with change if they don’t have any money in their bank accounts.

With little capital, you can register with service providers and get a license to print paper cards and subsequently distribute to local card sellers across cities, towns and villages in the country.

3). Network Service Business:

At the moment, there are very few telecommunication giants in Nigeria. Although the market is largely dominated by these telecom companies, there is still enough room for further competition. With the right investment, marketing, and management personnel in place, you can establish a successful network service company in Nigeria or any other part of Africa.

4). Bulk SMS Business:

Bulk SMS is used by brands, organizations, or businesses to pass messages to a large group of people through the text messaging system. Most businesses use bulk SMS to communicate new products, discounts or offers to existing customers and entice potential ones to convert. They could also be used to simply pass messages to the members of a group.

Bulk SMS is a core part of businesses and is very effective because it reduces the stress of sending the message to the recipients one after the other. More so, using the text messaging platform makes sure that receivers get the messages wherever they are in Nigeria, Africa and many places around the world.

Starting a bulk messaging service business requires less effort since there is an existing market for it. All you need to do is create a clientele for yourself.

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5). Cyber Café Business:

The cyber café business is one of the oldest telecom business ideas that have been in existence. While it requires some capital, it is best to establish this business in a town or close to a student community.

After getting a suitable business location, invest in the required basic devices such as computers, internet and stable power supply.

6). Data Retailing Business:

Data bundles fuel everyday communication, information dissemination and almost every other form of business transactions. And this makes it a highly essential commodity that almost everyone with access to cyberspace cannot do without.

Retailing data is one of the most lucrative telecom business ideas in Nigeria, yet it requires little startup effort. You don’t need a physical site to start a data retail business. Once you can establish an excellent online presence, you can reach every random internet user and build a strong clientele.

7). Call Center Business:

In most towns and villages in Nigeria and Africa at large, people need to use public phone booths or call centres because they either do not have phones of their own or cannot afford airtime.

This is a low-cost business that anyone with little startup capital can start. All you need is a good location. mobile phones and airtime for calls.

8). Telecom Blogging:

Blogging is a great way to make money from the telecom industry with little capital. Telecom blogging involves starting a blog and creating relevant and interesting topics around the industry.

The success of this business rests largely on your consistency in producing captivating posts and getting increasing views. You could also invest in ads to increase awareness and drive traffic to your blog.

9). Telecom Vlogging:

Vlogging is a visual and more comprehensive form of blogging. Most internet users prefer video content because they are much easier to consume and, therefore, could be a more effective way to make money from the telecom industry without being actively involved.

10). Network Equipment Installation and Repair Business:

Large telecom companies require the services of experts to install and repair network equipment to ensure efficient service delivery across the country. Although this is a technical business that requires special training, any interested entrepreneur can employ the services of trained personnel and start a business in this field of practice in Nigeria, Africa and many places around the world.

11). Smartphone Repair Business:

The smartphone repair business is one of the thriving small-scale telecom business ideas in Nigeria, Africa and many places around the world that generates a lot of revenue for technicians and engineers across the continent. To start this business, you need to acquire the right skills or employ the services of trained technicians, then setup your repair shop in a very busy technology centre in the country.

The phone repair service never runs out of demand because of the billions of mobile phones worldwide and the need for people to keep them working.

12). IT Shop:

An IT shop is different from a phone repair booth even though both could be interwoven. Whereas phone repair services strictly involve repairs and servicing duties, the IT business involves simple operations like installing mobile applications, downloading music, games, and much more for phone users.

IT shops are common on the streets of Nigeria and other parts of Africa and the business is easy to operate because it doesn’t require specialised skills. A fair knowledge of how to use a computer will go a long way.

13). SIM Card Retail and Registration Business:

In most parts of Africa, major telcos use independent third-party outlets to sell their SIM cards. This creates a business opportunity for entrepreneurs with limited capital. Such small businesses are not agents to the telecommunication giants but businesses that run independently.

The best part about opening a SIM card retail and registration outlet is that it requires little capital. Although the business endures competition, it has a steady market as most national policies in Nigeria, Africa and many places around the world now mandate all SIM users to properly register their SIM cards.

14). SMS Marketing Business:

SMS marketing is a broad method of non-traditional marketing conducted through text messaging. It involves sending offers, opportunities, discounts, and so on to potential customers to get them to patronize the services or products of the company.

As an SMS marketing company, you will help businesses attract the right clientele to their business.

15). E-waste Recycling Business:

Collecting and recycling waste materials from phones and other telecommunication equipment could be a highly lucrative business idea in Nigeria, Africa and many places around the world. Such materials are high-value resources in the recycling industry and could be turned into cash.

16). Internet Marketing Business:

Internet marketing is a broad form of marketing loosely associated with the telecom industry. Internet marketing is made possible because of digital intercommunication. It capitalizes on directing ads towards potential leads based on their location and web queries, among other factors to get them to convert.

17). Phone Accessories Retail Business:

If you’re short of capital and can’t start a phone retail business, you could focus on selling phone accessories, including headphones, batteries, phone covers, screen guards, mobile phone casing, and more.

19). Network Masts Installation Services:

Installing network masts is a technical service that requires specialization. It is not a contract awarded to individual technicians but mostly to reputable companies. Most network operators have their in-house team of experts who install and maintain the masts while some contract them to installation companies.

Investors or individuals with sufficient training and capital can start a mast installation company and get contracts from telecom businesses.

20). Affiliate Marketing Business:

To start an affiliate marketing business, you don’t necessarily need any capital. All you need is to join an existing platform of affiliate marketers or directly contact businesses and sell their products for them through referral links.

In essence, succeeding as an affiliate marketer only requires you to own or manage a platform where you can convince web users to purchase certain products or services and get commissions for every lead that converts.

21). Recharge Card Retail and Distribution Business:

Although most businesses that print recharge cards distribute by themselves, they require the help of small retailers to sell in bits to end-users. This is where the role of recharge card retailers come in. Succeeding in this business does not require extensive strategies. All you need is a good location and a small stall. Most retailers use temporary stalls such as umbrellas, a table and chairs.

22). Phone Distribution Business:

Distributing mobile phones and phone accessories is an essential link in the phone marketing business. Plus, because phones are essential commodities in our everyday activities, they are always in high demand.

Depending on your capital level, you can focus on local distribution between importers and local retail shops or expand your shores beyond the country and import the phones directly from manufacturers or foreign distributors.

23). Virtual Call Center Business:

The virtual call centre business is one telecom business you can start with little capital. It involves rendering customer care services on behalf of companies.

You can work with companies from any part of the country without necessarily being at their offices. All you have to do is, take complaints from customers, provide support where necessary and forward such complaints to the necessary quarters for proper attention.

24). Customer Care Reps Business:

The customer care representative business is the physical counterpart of the virtual call centre business. Individuals in this line of business are often core members of the company and their services include providing help to customers who call in.

You can provide a customer care contract service for organisations and provide workers that would cover the role for the duration of the contract.

25). Telecom Consultation Services:

Another inexpensive telecom business idea in the telecommunication industry is to render consultation services. Telecom companies, operators as well as small businesses often require the help of professionals and experienced veterans in the industry for quality advice and guidance before making vital business decisions. If this is, you, starting a telecom consultation business might just be a step in the right direction.

To Sum It Up

Contrary to the state of the industry in Africa about two decades ago, the telecom sector has grown massively with a lot of opportunities in the space. This is because more people now require telecom services than before. Plus, telecom services are no more an exclusive right of the wealthy but services required by everyone in society. If you’re looking for telecom business opportunities to start, these 25 mostly small-scale telecommunication business ideas to start in Nigeria, Africa and many places around the world is a great place to start

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What are your thoughts on these 25+ lucrative telecom business ideas you can start in Nigeria, Africa and many places around the world? Let me know by leaving a comment below.