u/turtlevoice

So I made a post on being a startup founder looking for a diasporan cofounder, and I got a comment from u/Mysterious-Bug-6838. The first thing that came to his thought, was to warn readers to be careful of a fraudster 'masquerading' as a founder. Just like that.

He didn't ask questions on what product we are building, what documentation we had and why I was asking for a diasporan co-founder. He doesn't know who I am, hasn't reviewed my deck or profile.

He just drew the conclusion that it's likely a fraud. For some reasons, most tech funders prefer llc incorporated outside Nigeria and I needed someone who has basic understanding of that to build together.

I looked at his profile and saw he's a tech guy who celebrated German citizenship.

You see the thing about many of us? Once we leave the shores of Nigeria, everyone we left back home are criminals and don't deserve a life. Many of us become content creators to de-market the country on a daily for Facebook monetization, and you forget what that does to potential investors, and the economy of your people back home. Before you condemn the 220 million Nigerians back home, show us your efforts, projects and how a Nigeria defrauded you. Tell us and we will call them out.

Show us the due diligence you did, and the steps you took to protect your investment, and before blaming everything on Government, are there no successful startups in Nigeria? Yes the economy of where you're residing might be better than Nigeria, but doesn't mean you should tag everyone you meet online fraudsters. Today African nations still bear the marks of colonization, does that make all their citizens evil?

And if a deeper thought is given, many in this class of diasporans are the ones who took loans from commercial banks to travel and never repaid, increasingly straining the economy.

Yes Nigeria has its unique challenges, does it mean the citizens do not deserve a life, or fair hearing before being judged and prosecuted? India and Venezuela have more corrupt and bureaucratic systems but attract significant capital higher than us. Israel has its regional instabilities but still attract investors.

Today Indians, Chinese and Lebanese have more investment portfolio than our own diasporans. Many refuse to do their due diligence when sending money to their own family members and when they disappoint then, they claim all Nigerians are fraudsters. It hurts. Why are foreigners profitable in Nigeria more than us?

See-Finish. We have concluded that there is nothing working in Nigeria. That our government is bad and there is hopelessness. Yet the Chinese will see the market gaps and come and put in funds. Stay on site and see that standards are upheld to. Today tiles and most sanitary wares are manufactured in Nigeria because the Chinese believed we have the market.

Dear u/Mysterious-Bug-6838, because you have family and friends that are thieves and fraudsters doesn't mean every Nigerian is. Many of us are in Nigeria, not because we don't have opportunities to leave but we genuinely love this country, have loving familes here and want to build. We take the risk because we want even the Children of the diasporans to have a fatherland they can safely visit.

Do you know that 25 of the top 30 startups in Nigeria are funded from the US and Europe? Are all these fraudsters? Do you know the stress of trying to build and how it hurts to be called a fraudster for no just reason?

I have lived outside Nigeria, represented Nigeria in diplomatic events and currently a public servant. I have cofounded an advocacy organization and I have had the good and the bad experiences, but I made a choice to confront the things I feel I can change, and not some strange fellow trying to make me feel I shouldn't give a shot at what I want. This is r/Nigeria and culturally we have always been a community that supports each other.

People coming to reddit to share thoughts, should be objective and open mindedness.

Outside reports on romance scams, India records significantly more fraud incidents and higher financial losses than Nigeria, yet go to their subs on Tech and see the collaborations between the home grown startups and diasporans.

If we don't bring home the technology we find outside, or support home grown startups to thrive, who will? I wrote the Bill for the establishment of the Robotics and AI policy and institution to the National Assembly through one member because I saw it in another country, and felt the future of jobs in our country could depend on it. The bill has we speak, had pass the second reading.

When you outsource jobs to your cousins and they fail you, say it the way it was. These are genuine concerns that must be addressed, but don't jump on every post to remind us that you're living in a tier one country.

A Nigerian lady in the US outsourced a website job to a Nigerian guy. The work was delivered but certain functionalities and software were missing and to resolve the dispute she reached out that I should help her arrest the guy. Somehow we realized that she had paid the guy $281 for a job she had quoted and received $1500 from her company.

We appreciate the Diasporan community. We appreciate your voices. Remember also there are people back home who are trying to build your homeland, and tagging everyone of us fraudsters hurt.

Post I made 👉 https://www.reddit.com/r/Nigeria/s/CCJntICfd2

Hello Naija,

I'm a non-technical founder trying to build a startup within the EV and renewable energy ecosystem. Assets and financing is from China and aside visiting Beijing last year, there are preliminary positive engagements. We want to also create an AI data sandbox for future r&d programs.

We possibly need a diasporan cofounder who has built a startup, has been funded and have real experiences. Understands llc in Delaware or the UK. Additionally, we're looking to immediately raise $7k in bridge for 5% ownership equity. We have certain guarantees to leverage on.

We can't really talk about fixing Nigeria if we do not build solutions to most of our basic challenges. Almost every startup founder is doing fintech because it's fast money, but there are hug gaps in logistics, agriculture and Medicare.

Interestingly, the Chinese are now offering fundings and joint-venture opportunities, and while countries like Kenya and Tanzania are closing in on what China calls the Small and Beautiful projects, the projects in Nigeria remains mainly for mega projects cos of little bottlenecks small corporations can't scale through.

Beyond the prevailing challenges, Nigeria is still one spot where startups could thrive. It only takes more work than many other countries.

There are a good number of us who want to build workable solutions for Nigerians, and I look forward the era where diasporans will offer send home technologies, innovations and startups, beyond financial remittance.

My DM is open to share thoughts and interests.

Iran is one of the countries I hope to visit, especially for its role in civilization history, and the resiliency of her people in the face of targeted attacks.

How's it like visiting Iran as a black African. Are there black communities or African restaurants?

Will there be any kind of language barrier for an English speaker? What advisable places are there to visit. Thanks in advance for your time 😊