Mini Importation in Nigeria: What It Is and How to Start Safely

Business Growth
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Mini importation is how many Nigerians perhaps Africans, most especially young people, start businesses by importing with small capital.

But to some, Mini importation is learning how to import from China through their ecommerce platforms like 1688, Pinduoduo, Taobao.

Everyone has their motivation and what it means to them. But I will put it out to you in my own perspectives.

What Is Mini Importation?

Mini importation means:

  • Importing small quantities

  • Usually by air shipping (it was usually air shipping not until now, sea shipping.)

  • Often for online sales

It is common among:

  • Instagram sellers

  • WhatsApp vendors

  • New business owners

How Mini Importation Works

  1. Choose product

  2. Buy from China

  3. Ship small quantity

  4. Sell locally

  5. Reinvest profit

Common Mistakes in Mini Importation

  • Not calculating shipping cost

  • Choosing bulky items

  • Pricing too low

  • Ignoring delivery timeline

Now, let me explain what I have listed above.

In the second quarter of 2017, I tried to import from China. I had studied how the entire process works. The platform for my first purchase was Alibaba.

Sadly, it didn’t work out because someone I sent ₦‎100,000 to help me pay my supplier on Alibaba went with my money.

I tried again in 2018 with about ₦‎‎240,000 as of then and it was a success.

How was I able to sell?

Most people always think that family and friends, admirers, social media followers will buy all their products immediately they start selling.

This statement may not be a fact but as long as you are a middle class or poor, there is no personal influence to compel people to buy from you. Not even your family and friends.

That is why it is easier for an influencer, a celebrity or a rich person to drive huge whenever they launch a product.

Prior to that time, the most channels to make sales was running a sponsored post on blogs - Linda Ikeja blog or NairaLand forum or Facebook/Instagram Ads. Probably Facebook groups.

None of my friends bought instead you hear “Give me one boss”.

I already learned how Facebook and Instagram marketing works through my early interests with CPA on YouTube. I had paid for Facebook ads classes on Facebook as well. I knew how to design a website. I bought a domain and launched my sales page.

There is a difference between a sales page and an online store. I think that is another dimension of frustration for mini-importation enthusiasts.

In those days, I remember people like Patrick Ogidi. I think he happens to be among the first people to identify buying from Alibaba, then AliExpress and 1688. Their ideas were make deep research, bring a product that solves a problem, target audiences and sell to them.

These guys had huge markup on their products. They offered payment on delivery, free shipping to all states. Ads spend wasn’t too inflated as of then.

The Importation Strategy was quite simple

  • Find a hot selling product
  • Find audience using Facebook Audience Insight (Find customers to your product first)
  • Evaluate profits vs loss
  • Create an Ad
  • Connect your website to your Ad Manager
  • Connect to Pixel manager to track customer’s activities on your Ad to your landing page.
  • Test the product even before buying (shipping was much faster then)
  • Scale
  • Make sales
  • Deliver to customers
  • Retarget (This was not as easy as it sounds).

Now, there is a huge difference on how it has revolved presently.

  • Watch what others purport to do online
  • Jump over 1688 or Pinduoduo
  • Fickle what appears cheaper and add to cart
  • Buy as much as you can
  • Sometimes involve other people’s money in the name of preorder
  • Ship them to Nigeria
  • Sometimes abandon the goods at the shipping company over an overwhelmed clearing fee.
  • Unbox online and ask friends and followers to buy
  • Frustrated with no sales
  • Hatred over the system
  • Turn to a WhatsApp status meme enthusiast.

That is basically how the new system works now.

I sold the wristwatches I imported, and I think nothing was left. The sales came from Facebook and Instagram Ads. My targets were only in Abuja because I lived in Abuja as of that time.

Out of the about 240K I used to buy the products, I was in deficit after the sales.

The expenses I only figured out were

  • Products
  • Clearing fee
  • Delivery fee

The expenses I didn’t considered very well were

  • Ads Spend
  • Delivery fee to remote locations like Kubwa, Karu
  • Maraba
  • Kuje
  • Gwagwalada

Here, you need to setup your selling price first before running an ad. Customers are going to see the price together with the free delivery incentive.

The first product I ever sold was NaviForce wristwatch I bought from Alibaba. One of the fantastic wristwatches that time. The quality was great. One of the return customers told me, “One thing I like about you is that your wristwatches are high quality and cheap”.

They barely understood my frustration. I made no gain in that first time business. I felt like there was a hole in my pocket that syphons my revenues.

If you have truly run an ad, a lot of things happen.

  • You may get customers from distant locations. This means that you may outspend your delivery budget. Strange enough, those customers appear to be more serious than those in the city hub spot.

  • You spend more on conversion that fail to convert. Of course, people show off conversions be it Purchase, website clicks or WhatsApp messages. The final result is dependent on whether the customers paid after the product was delivered.

    This is very common. It is speculated for a campaign to be a success if there is a 20% success rate in payment. Our system has it for customers to opt in for payment on delivery. This gives room to abuse of privilege.

    Well, I think there is nothing you can do about it since top tier ecommerce platform like Jumia, Konga, Jiji use the system unless you are an influencer.

    It is either the call doesn’t go through, or the customer travelled or it was a mistake. Small businesses go through a lot. For every journey a customer takes, each action is billed whether they finally paid or not.

How do I Start Mini Importation safely in Nigeria?

I think it is by resolving the common mistakes I already listed earlier.

  • Being clear with what you want
  • Not calculating shipping cost
  • Pricing too low
  • Ignoring delivery timeline

These are the key points to my perspective of running an online business.

  1. Being clear with what you want

    This is where defining mindset comes. You are driven by what you want to achieve rather than what have been promised to you by online coaches.

    There is nothing like mini importation business. I think the concept of this term as mentioned in my first paragraph is how you were able to get things done rather than the conventional business model of importation.**

    What does the conventional business model of importation mean?
    **
    Let’s take for an instance. The wholesalers in Balogun market, Mandilas, Trade fair, Main Market. I am very sure they did not start buying from 1688. If I could be right, they started by traveling to China, Vietnam, Dubai, Italy, whatever country to meet with suppliers and traders.

    They could ship full container or buy in large quantities unlike the way we buy one piece of bag from sellers for almost the same amount.

    You have to be very clear that you are doing a mini importation business. It brings clarity to your next action.

    What other questions to ask oneself?

    1. Is business really for me?
    2. What is my expectation?
    3. What business am I to do now?
    4. How do I raise money?
    5. General store or Niche?
    6. Who do I sell to?
    7. If it doesn’t work out, what next?
    8. Do I need mentors?
    9. Where do I sell?
    10. Pain points or luxury?

    Answering all the questions will bring clarity.

  2. Not Calculating Shipping Cost Properly

    One of the most common mistakes Nigerian importers make is selling before fully understanding shipping cost.

    Many people calculate:

    • Product cost

    • Maybe shipping estimate

    Ignore clearance, delivery, risk

    Then they sell.

    This is not business. It is guessing.

Why Not Calculating Shipping Cost Is Dangerous

Shipping cost is not fixed. It depends on:

  • Weight or volume (KG / CBM)

  • Shipping method (air or sea)

  • Sensitivity of goods

  • Clearance outcome

  • Delivery location if outside of Lagos.

When you don’t calculate shipping properly:

  • You underprice your product

  • Your margin disappears

  • Any small figure becomes a loss

Many Nigerian importers only realize this after goods arrive, when it’s too late.

The Truth Most People Ignore

Shipping is not an “extra cost”.
It is part of product cost.

If you don’t know:

  • Cost per unit landed

  • Worst-case shipping scenario

  • Shipping cost for other goods is not the same for general stores. The fee you charge to import a handbag is totally different when you added an earbud. There becomes a confusion since there’s no homogeneity. More reasons niche product has a linear advantage.

Then you don’t know your business.

  1. Pricing Too Low

Another mistake that quietly kills import businesses is pricing too low.

Many vendors price low because:

  • They want quick sales

  • They fear losing customers

  • Competitors look cheaper

But low price without structure is a trap.

Low pricing attracts price sensitive customers, not loyal ones.

These customers:

  • Compare you with 10 other vendors

  • Switch easily to who sells cheaper

  • Complain more even when not necessary

  • Cancel faster. Certainly “I traveled” customers after placing order because they have seen it somewhere else “better”. I am sure you do the same while shopping on Pinduoduo :rofl:.

The Link Between Pricing and Shipping

If you price too low:

  • You can’t afford air shipping when needed

  • You can’t control customs delays or even customs clearing agent strike.

  • You rush deliveries to avoid complaints

This leads to stress, mistakes, and losses.

What Smart Importers Do Instead

  • Price with landed cost, not product cost. (This is not about preorder)

  • Add additional fee for risk (exchange rate, waybill, etc)

  • Accept fewer but better customers. Everyone cannot be your customer.

  • Build trust, not desperation

A slightly higher price with clear delivery timeline sells better than cheap promises.

  1. Ignoring Delivery Timeline

This is one of fastest ways to lose customers, especially online. It is also another reason why customer lose interest in a product. The money could be used to solve a problem just because you delayed delivery.

Why Delivery Timeline Matters More Than Speed

Customers don’t just want fast delivery.
They want certainty.

A customer who knows:

“My order will arrive in 3–4 weeks”

Is calmer than one who hears:

“It will arrive soon”

Unclear timelines create anxiety.

The Psychology of Online Customers

Once a customer clicks your ad either on Facebook, Instagram, immediately they begin to see hundreds of similar ads. Why? Because these ads share the same interests, behaviour or actions used by the other vendors or advertisers.

The faster a customer is contacted after placing an order, the more expectant and committed they become. A quick call or message sets expectations early.

What you should do differently

  • Calculate landed cost before selling

  • Price with margin and buffer

  • Set delivery expectations early

  • Communicate fast after order

  • Understand customer psychology

This is what separates businesses that survive from those that struggle.

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