Book Review: How To Sell To Nigerians by Akin Alabi

 

Akin Alabi, like me, is a Nigerian. So, when a Nigerian writes to inform the general public how to sell to his own people, I wondered what he had to say. I read books naturally. In fact, I was planning to read his first book Small Business Big Money before I settled for this one, which was available at the time. I wasn’t sure I wanted to learn how to sell to Nigerians. Anyway, I convinced myself to flip through the book and eventually buy a copy and learn how to sell to myself.

Akin Alabi is witty. But I shall talk about his style later in this review . How To Write To Nigerians was published in 2021. It’s a book of ten chapters plus an introduction. I’ve read it and have a few thoughts of mine to share here. While reading the book, I believe that I must have made myself comfortable with a ‘pirated’ copy of the book that I bought in Nigeria. Pirated copy? I wonder how anybody was able to print this book and bring it into the market. Surely enough, the book must be the first draft of the real deal as it could still use an editor. Therefore, let me acknowledge this as an informal book review. I don’t know that I can do anything better after all. But I can only assure of my sincerity in writing my judgment of this book. The Introduction is a brief summary of the book that began with a little storytelling. It sets the reader’s mind on the purpose of the book, selling to Nigerians. He lays out initial strategies on how to succeed in a business involving sales. He describes the idiosyncrasy of the Nigerian buyer, a person who buys without giving much thought to logic or rationale.

Are you going to find the book title rather stupid if not condescending of Nigerians? Maybe. Chances are you are already offended by the title. What is different about Nigerians? Why has Mr. Alabi singled them out of the many global buyers out there? You’ll be surprised as you read the book how you eventually agree with the writer that selling to Nigerians is indeed a unique art. The author creates curiosity in the reader to discover page by page the unique qualities of the Nigerian buyer.

In his book, Mr. Akin Alabi teaches the reader How to Make Nigerians Want What You Are Selling. Nigerians love 'awoof' (p. 35). According to him, ‘Nigerians would rather pay more when they feel they are ripping you off than pay less when they feel you are rippling them off (p. 36).’ Coming from a Nigerian, that’s quite epic. Does it mean that Nigerians are swindlers? Well, he stops short of calling us that but his message is clear – you the seller are eager to close a sale. Nothing is done until you have succeeded at your chore, which in this case is finding and selling to a Nigerian buyer. Nigerians love promises. Make them a giant one, ‘promises that look too good to be true.’ You’ll have to read the book to discover more strategies on the unique way to sell to Nigerians.

He discusses approaches to winning new customers and retaining old ones. He talks about the Pareto Principle. He’s ready to take you, the reader, to the next level by discussing techniques unique to the Nigerian. As you read on, you are always caught in action typifying the person he’s describing in his book. I particularly like his familiarity with his environment especially life in Lagos. I bet it this book has ruffled some feathers and rubbed some people off the wrong way. It has exposed the Nigerian to the world. Yet it has exposed the Nigerian to one another. I don’t even think this is about selling goods and services. To me, it extends to reaching to your neighbor when you need to hold a town meeting. The Nigerian is a character who comes from diverse ethnic groups yet, Mr. Akin Alabi appears to have found a mold for most of us. He must be referring to the Lagosian. I could be wrong but it’s not very likely that every Nigerian has been represented in the book.

In chapter 7, Mr. Alabi teaches his reader how to sell with sales letters. He happens to love sales letters and rightly so. According to him, he learnt the art from a mentor who helped him hone the skill to perfection. He talks about the sales letter so much that it must be the formula nobody talks about. The magic word nowadays is storytelling. And Mr. Alabi encourages his reader to tell their buyer a few in order to build trust and close sales deals. He reveals to the reader the kinds of products Nigerians love to buy and shares additional techniques to aid you in your bid to make a living selling to Nigerians.

How To Sell To Nigerians comes from a man who claims to have initiated the sports betting culture and market in Nigeria through the Nairabet.com. He makes allusion to this claim several times in the book. This has the paradoxical effect of repeating and emphasizing his share of the market and a little annoying to my Nigerian mind. How many times does he have to say that? But he must have his reasons. Repetition is an effective tool that aids remembrance. It’s usually succinct in poetry. In his book, Mr. Alabi’s use of personal businesses especially that of Nairabet.com illuminates his work and makes it a personal journey for him. He has mastered the art of selling to Nigerians or getting them to change their minds and buy from him.

The book is written in clear and conversational English language. He uses humour to make his reader relate to his stories, analyses and emphases. Personal experiences shared by the writer have a way of making you walk in his shoes. He writes the informal conversation without making you walk away with no lesson learnt from his stories. I must say again, that an editor mustn’t have proofread the book before it went to print. Perhaps I got the pirated copy as some pages are missing and the pictures found in it are in black and white. It is also possible he used a ghost writer but I have no way to tell. Nigerians have little to do with book editing nowadays and Mr. Alabi mustn’t be an exception. Akin Alabi must be a busy man and has many assistants, one of whom should have been an editor who didn't spot aluminium spelled 'aluminum' thrice on page 191. Apart from minor glitches here and there especially with missing pages and the fact that the stories are anecdotal, I find this book very insightful. I didn’t regret coming back to pick it up from the book stall in order to learn How To Sell To Nigerians.  I shall be looking for another opportunity to read this book especially if I’m able to find the real copy. And there’s the other book too by the author, Small Business Big Money. Who knows what he’s got to say in that one? Meanwhile, I’m not interested in selling to Akin Alabi nor any of his associates.