Interested in a tech startup investment in Nigeria?

An investment secret in the technology industry in Nigeria as shared by Gbolade Emmanuel is to embark and look into anything Iyin (E) is doing.

(Watch the video below about Talent City)

Aside from investment, for candidates looking to secure a job, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji aka E,

co-founder of Future Africa believes it is important to have passion and a mission in the position that you're applying for.

Someone who uses his or her judgement to take a look at a problem and makes an attempt to solve it.

According to him, an individual with passion can get a job done extremely well.

In a Zoom Meeting hosted by Nigerian-American Multicultural Council (NAMC) on the 2nd of April 2022, he talked about how soft skills are critical to employers.

Although not all encompassing, he listed key senior executive positions such as engineering managers, operations managers, legal managers as positions a lot of tech companies in Nigeria are looking to fill. Administrative skills are also in high demand according to Gbolade Emmanuel, CEO of Termii INC.

If you're looking for tech start-up investments, below are links shared to help guide you.

https://www.rallycapventures.com/

https://future.africa/collective

https://aidi.africa/

https://www.ycombinator.com/

https://www.termii.com/

https://www.talentcity.ng/

You may reach Iyin directly at e@future.africa and Gbolade at gbolademmanuel@termii.com or gbolademmanuel@aidi.africa

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Fri Feb 25th 2022.   New York Consulate Townhall Meeting

Location: virtual (Zoom)

Consulate officials in attendance:

Consul General of Nigeria in New York, USA. Ambassador Peter Lot Egopija 

Foreign Service Officer, Hon. Okechukwu Iroamachi

Moderator of the meeting: Community leader, Francis James

Summary of the meeting questions and answers: 

> The consulate doesn't offer expedited passport service. You have to make plans ahead to renew or obtain a new passport.

> Based on the current technology system being used and Nigeria's policy, you have to appear for biometrics capturing each time you process your passport.

> Long wait at the embassy is recognized, along with other issues experienced by applicants. More enrollment machines could help to reduce the wait time.

> If you missed an appointment, go back online to reschedule it or change date if necessary.

> If you don't want to renew your passport, you may use emergency travel certificate as a one way entry into Nigeria.

> The Consulate currently has a backlog and doesn't have a date for an exercise/intervention in a state. It will be posted on their website when they have a date and location. You may attend an exercise/intervention in any state that it is occurring.

> It is costly to open several consulate office in different states in the US. The ones available are deemed sufficient. San Francisco will be getting one soon.

> Lost passport

A police report is required to issue another one.

The police will not issue a report without a confirmation letter from the Consulate office. Request for the letter from the Consulate office website and present it to the police upon receipt.

> Change of name 

This is processed at the central server in Abuja, Nigeria. Initiate the change of name process in the US. Have someone in Nigeria make the payment and mail the US Consulate office a copy.

It costs N33,000 to change it.

> Avoid fingerprints issues by washing your hands or cleaning them with rubbing alcohol before your biometrics.

> It is highly recommended that you purchase your own prepaid return envelope with tracking # and enough postage on it for the content otherwise your package will not arrive and it also may get lost.

> You'll need your National Identity Number (NIN) to get a 10 years passport. It is currently not available in the US. Will soon be once the equipment is brought in and certified.

Outside of Nigeria, London is currently the only city able to issue a 10 years passport.

You can find a list of NIN processing locations in the US here -> https://iq-online.net/book-USA/

> Expired Nigerian passport?

One can only travel with an airline flying directly to Nigeria (Delta or United Airline) or call the airline to ask if they're accepting expired Nigerian passport.
Return to the US with a valid American passport.
Do not travel to Nigeria with an expired passport if you're a greencard holder. 

> Plan ahead! Don't wait until the last minute to start processing your new/expired passport.

If you have a Nigerian passport, it expires 6 mos before the expiration date. To avoid processing delays, you have to begin your passport renewal 6 months before it expires.

It takes approximately 3 months to get an appointment. 

8 - 12 weeks to process biometrics.

> You may apply for visa on arrival on the Consulate website. It's designed for business owners, but tourists can use it as well. It has to be used within 14days.

> If you're outside of Nigeria and need a certificate from NDLEA, the Consulate office cannot provide it. 

Send a copy of your passport and have someone in Nigeria assist with obtaining it.

> According to the US Embassy in Nigeria, stop using outside entities to get a visa appointment date in Nigeria. You'll be charged unnecessary high fee by the agents and issues may arise. Apply and get a date through the US embassy website.

> Sadly, the embassies in the US are not operating as 1 entity. They operate and provide services in different manners. You'll have to organize through community organizations to make requests to the consulate responsible for your state for the quality of service that you want.

According to the officials, it is best to send an email to the Nigeria consulate office. They don't have the manpower/technology to receive all the calls coming in.

New York Consulate info
Website: www.nigeriahouse.com
Email: cgnny@nigeriahous