Today, I am featuring an email interview I recently had with Emmanuel Oluwatosin, co-founder of Nairahost. Nairahost is a web hosting company that offers affordable and reliable hosting solutions and has become one of the leading web hosting providers in Nigeria.

Q: Please tell us about yourself, your background and interests?

Emma: I am a youth from Nigeria. My major drive is to see a shift from meetings and talks to events and actions, ensuring that words give way to action - thereby addressing the need to step up from being end users to innovative minds. I believe that the development of any country starts with Youth empowerment and this explains the reason why I constantly look for opportunities to team up with other youths to provide relevant services.

In 2004, I started Nairahost – www.nairahost.com - with some of my friends. This web hosting company - Nairahost.com - started out of the need to provide affordable and reliable hosting solution has become the leading web hosting provider in Nigeria.

I always take up the responsibility of bringing what the creative world has to offer to the feet of the people through the various solutions I partner people to setup. I have a commitment to giving our world Beauty and Order therefore enabling me to be able to present solutions to everybody’s taste and need.

Q: What is the name of your blog/start-up/company?

Emma: Company’s name is Nairahost – www.nairahost.com – and I maintain a personal blog at www.eolutosin.com

Q: Please tell us about your blog/start-up/company?

Emma: Nairahost is a multi-dimensional media outfit delivering high Impact Solutions in high-end functional Website Development, online portal solution and E-learning development & deployment. We are deeply involved in the Creative Arts and Information Technology disciplines with a focus and drive to utilize these tools by making significant impact that meets up with the demands of our present age.

We are in the business of providing internet solutions. We educate ourselves and all those that we work with while we create an effective and efficient environment for the services and solutions we provide. Nairahost’s clients whether they be small, medium or large in size will have the desire to have us provide them with our services and solutions towards achieving their goals.

My blog – www.eolutosin.com - provides relevant and up-to-date information to everyone interested in starting and managing their businesses or those who want to make the best of their current career and / or job.

Q: What is unique about your blog/startup/company?

Emma: Nairahost provides affordable and reliable web hosting solution. We are the first company to offer hosting solution at ridiculously cheap amount without compromising quality. This has revolutionarized the website hosting market in Nigeria. Nairahost is also a NIRA accredited registrar for all .ng TLDs

My blog – www.eolutosin.com – is the leading online resource centre on business and career management in Nigeria.

Q: How many people are currently using your website services (e.g. feed readers, visitors)?

Emma: Nairahost currently has over 3000 accounts. Eolutosin.com has a daily average hit of 100.

Q: What kind of marketing and/or advertising strategy do you use for your website?

Emma: We use word of mouth. Nairahost’s focus is to ensure that each customer is happy and satisfied with the service. This has not only ensured repeated sales but also generated referrals. We also participate in forums that are related to the services that we render.

This is same approach that I use for my blog – eolutosin.com. I focus on meeting my readers’ need by posting relevant content as frequent as possible.

Q: What are the main web technologies/tools you use to monitor the performance of your website?

Emma: Nairahost uses a web hosting management software. It allows us to automate the ordering process. An order will be processed within minutes if payment is made online using interswitch gateway. I use google analytics, Perfomancing metrics, Wordpress blog stats, feedburner, WassUp plugin and other plugins to monitor my blog performance.

Q: What is the monetizing/revenue model for your website?

Emma: Revenue for Nairahost is from sales. I currently maintain eolutosin.com for fun. So, I am not monetizing it right now. I have looked through some options – google ads, Textlink Ads, affiliates – which I may be implementing soon.

Q: Which websites are the main competitors in your market segment/sector?

Emma: I don’t think Nairahost really has any competition. However, they are other companies who offer webhosting solutions. They have their niche and we have ours.

Q: What challenges do you currently face as a web entrepreneur?

Emma: The major challenge I have is time. I have many projects at hand and it seems time is not enough. I am currently in school studying for my MBA, I update my personal blog – eolutosin.com – as often as I can, I run Nairahost.com with my partners while also working on the launch of other solutions with my partners. So, you see time is my major challenge. Every other challenge can be overcome if you are committed to live your dream.

Q: What do you think of new startups and innovation coming out of Nigeria today?

Emma: Most of the new startups I see around in Nigeria are just photocopies of other solutions. Nigerians don’t want to think again. When someone implements a solution today and it seems to be working, you will many other versions within weeks. This is what happened to the sachet water business. This baffles me a lot and it just shows that many people are only in business to meet their needs – fill their pockets. To make the matter worse, copyright is not even a major issue in Nigeria. So,it just seems everyone has a “license” to copy someone’s solution and brand it as if the idea was his originally. Does it mean there are no more unique solutions that can come out of Nigeria? The answer is NO. The problem is that nobody wants to take any risk. People only want to offer tested solutions. I can only hope this will change as this is one of the reasons why many startups fizzle out in the first year.

Q: What new Nigerian startups, in your opinion, should be watched?

Emma: I have seen the launch of so many Nigerian startups and most of them disappear within one year. But I think investordelight.com and your site – startupsnigeria.com – should pass the test of time if focus is maintained.

Q: Do you have any thoughts on our Universities and their curriculum in terms of promoting and encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation amongst students?

Emma: I had my first real business experience in my second year in the university and I have not looked back since. I feel there is a compulsory course in year one for all students on entrepreneurship. I think Covenant University is doing something in that line already. Other universities should follow the same path.

Q: What do you think the Government (both Federal and State) should do to improve the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria?

Emma: I think the only thing government can do is to create business parks in major cities. This will ensure that young start-ups have access to quality consulting services and office space (fully furnished with relevant equipment and tools) at relatively affordable price. This way the young entrepreneurs can shift focus from surviving to creating solutions that will meet the society’s needs

Q: Do you have any advice for people who want to launch new startups?

Emma: My advice is summarized thus “find a need and fill it but remember that entrepreneurship is not for the faint in heart. It involves commitment to keep working on the dreams even when things seem not to be working.”

Q: Do you have any business advisor/mentor?

Emma: Yes. My most important mentor is Jesus Christ. He has answers to every situation.  I have others most of which we connect via their books and CDs. Others we communicate via emails at the moment.

If you would like an interview with StartupsNigeria, please visit the Interviews page.