Our government have failed us in many ways, and one of them is the lack of consumer protection. The Nigerian government has never cared and never will she lift a finger against plagiarism/scam.

When you tell a Nigerian Programer about your idea, he/she will either

1. Abandon ur whole project, modify it and make it his/hers

OR

2. Sell your idea to a big fish

How did I know?

I was talking to a Nigerian Programer sometimes 2016 about how I want to design an app where people can play games like dice, droughts etc and bet.

I realized the guy bailed on me and that was it. Few years after, I realized that particular idea is out already. I was just thanking God that wasn’t my most treasured business idea.

I don't think it's a Nigerian thing. Even Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook was sued for stealing the idea of his clients.

Sorry for your experience. Next time before discussing your ideas make sure you sign a non-disclosure agreement with the programmers so they can't pitch your idea to others as theirs. It's also pertinent to get your ideas patented

BlueBanana:
I don't think it's a Nigerian thing. Even Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook was sued for stealing the idea of his clients.

Sorry for your experience. Next time before discussing your ideas make sure you sign a non-disclosure agreement with the programmers so they can't pitch your idea to others as theirs. It's also pertinent to get your ideas patented

These things don’t hold water in Nigeria...patent lol...non-disclosure really? If you take anyone to court in Nigeria, you’d probably die before a judgment is made...Na so so adjournment....

It’s not worth it

TaminaliaCatapa:


These things don’t hold water in Nigeria...patent lol...non-disclosure really? If you take anyone to court in Nigeria, you’d probably die before a judgment is made...Na so so adjournment....

It’s not worth it

I understand, the legal system in Nigeria is not what's its supposed to be. But NDA's and patents are still the safe option to take. The issue of time also in the developed world. Mark's client Eduardo whom he stole the idea of Facebook form was later settled in 2012 after 9 years.
So get them to sign NDA's and patent your stuff

BlueBanana:

I understand, the legal system in Nigeria is not what's its supposed to be. But NDA's and patents are still the safe option to take. The issue of time also in the developed world. Mark's client Eduardo whom he stole the idea of Facebook form was later settled in 2012 after 9 years.
So get them to sign NDA's and patent your stuff

Eduardo was able to get judgment(4-5% of Facebook now worth $5 billion) because it happened in a sane clime. If Eduardo is a Nigerian, he’ll probably be singing bambiala under the bridge.

So it still boils down to the fact that no sane person will want to bare his/her idea naked around a Nigerian Programer where consumer protection is zero

TaminaliaCatapa:


Eduardo was able to get judgment(4-5% of Facebook now worth $5 billion) because it happened in a sane clime. If Eduardo is a Nigerian, he’ll probably be singing bambiala under the bridge.

So it still boils down to the fact that no sane person will want to bare his/her idea naked around a Nigerian Programer where consumer protection is zero

You are right. We do not have a working legal system here Anyway, you can use Devs from freelance sites in building your MVP, when you get some revenue and traction you can then settle down and look for a good programmer to employ

TaminaliaCatapa:
Our government have failed us in many ways, and one of them is the lack of consumer protection. The Nigerian government has never cared and never will she lift a finger against plagiarism/scam.

When you tell a Nigerian Programer about your idea, he/she will either

1. Abandon ur whole project, modify it and make it his/hers

OR

2. Sell your idea to a big fish

How did I know?

I was talking to a Nigerian Programer sometimes 2016 about how I want to design an app where people can play games like dice, droughts etc and bet.

I realized the guy bailed on me and that was it. Few years after, I realized that particular idea is out already. I was just thanking God that wasn’t my most treasured business idea.

Lol.

The solution been out does not mean it's the developer that developed it or pitched your idea somewhere.

Ideas are universal and lots of people have similar ideas simultaneously, so seeing a solution years after you thought of it does not mean it's from your idea.

If you're to be honest with yourself, I'm quite sure there are features in the one you saw online that are quite different from what you thought of - in fact, the entire app might even be different, but it's only natural to claim you've thought if it before.

Also, if you check the date the first version of the app was "first published", and factor in all necessary variables, I'm convinced the app might have been online or in development even before you spoke with the developer.


But don't worry, I understand most people don't want to admit their own failures, but would rather find someone to blame. In your own case, it's the developer.

TaminaliaCatapa:

So it still boils down to the fact that no sane person will want to bare his/her idea naked around a Nigerian Programer where consumer protection is zero

Lol.

If you're actually serious about anything, 2016 - 2020 is enough time to get another developer or learn programming yourself and get something done.


Can you conveniently boast the reason the first developer bailed wasn't actually money related? How much did he charge you? How much did you offer?

Money is a motivation to most Nigerian developers, myself inclusive. The only reason anyone will bail on a project is if the project does not have the right price, Even if the problem is "problematic", as far as it's the right price, it will be tackled.

No one will just bail on your project without a reason, but you're not telling us that reason.


That said, Having an idea is actually the least of your worries. Getting people to use your solution is where the problem lies.

Even if you don't discuss your idea with anyone, it's only a matter of time before you find a similar solution online, Because like I said earlier, ideas are universal.

God bless you! In most cases, a Nigerian developer will not bail out if you don't pay him what the project is worth.

Someone offered me a contract last year for a Polytechnic Android app. He told me it was a 'demo' and he wanted to see my performance to know if I'm capable before we sign the main contact (worth 6 million), but that he would pay me for the 'demo' first once I complete it.

I accepted because it was a senior developer in my company who was his friend that recommended me to him and he was a big shot judging by appearance and position, and I wanted to make an impression so I could be given the main contract which depended on the demo.

I finished the so-called demo in record time, but He hasn't paid till date. Last two months he called my boss to convince me to go for the presentation of that demo because I refused since I hadn't been paid. But I went cos my boss assured me that the guy would pay after that, and I knew they would need a second presentation for the school to accept the work.

It was at that first presentation that I confirmed my suspicion - that it wasn't a demo after all! It was an ongoing contract with the polytechnic (a huge one - probably worth >= 80 million). It was in it's preliminary stage.

I laughed because he thought he was smart, but he forgot that a demo has expiry date.

Long story short, he knew he couldn't convince me to go for the second presentation, and my boss refused to help him convince me to go for it again due to his unwillingness to keep to his promises.

So he decided to go for the second presentation himself without the software and equipments(which I held on to as security). The polytechnic saw it as a breach and cancelled the contract.

He had already spent 15million to ensure he was awarded the contract but lost everything because of greed.

Now tell me, he didn't get me to sign an NDA, and the idea is a huge one. Secondly, I still haven't been paid for it. What am I supposed to do with the idea?

Check many people who complain about Nigerian devs stealing their ideas or bailing out of project's claims very well. In most cases it's usually because they want to eat their cake and have it.

bad Energy stay far away..

okwydatalabs:
God bless you! In most cases, a Nigerian developer will not bail out if you don't pay him what the project is worth.

Someone offered me a contract last year for a Polytechnic Android app. He told me it was a 'demo' and he wanted to see my performance to know if I'm capable before we sign the main contact (worth 6 million), but that he would pay me for the 'demo' first once I complete it.

I accepted because it was a senior developer in my company who was his friend that recommended me to him and he was a big shot judging by appearance and position, and I wanted to make an impression so I could be given the main contract which depended on the demo.

I finished the so-called demo in record time, but He hasn't paid till date. Last two months he called my boss to convince me to go for the presentation of that demo because I refused since I hadn't been paid. But I went cos my boss assured me that the guy would pay after that, and I knew they would need a second presentation for the school to accept the work.

It was at that first presentation that I confirmed my suspicion - that it wasn't a demo after all! It was an ongoing contract with the polytechnic (a huge one - probably worth >= 80 million). It was in it's preliminary stage.

I laughed because he thought he was smart, but he forgot that a demo has expiry date.

Long story short, he knew he couldn't convince me to go for the second presentation, and my boss refused to help him convince me to go for it again due to his unwillingness to keep to his promises.

So he decided to go for the second presentation himself without the software and equipments(which I held on to as security). The polytechnic saw it as a breach and cancelled the contract.

He had already spent 15million to ensure he was awarded the contract but lost everything because of greed.

Now tell me, he didn't get me to sign an NDA, and the idea is a huge one. Secondly, I still haven't been paid for it. What am I supposed to do with the idea?

Check many people who complain about Nigerian devs stealing their ideas or bailing out of project's claims very well. In most cases it's usually because they want to eat their cake and have it.

Wasted 15m just like that?

Tooh

talk2hb1:
Tooh

Bros, say something.

zealousayo:

Wasted 15m just like that?

That's the result of oversmartness.

My own problem is why Nigerians always want a 50k website. But when they want to buy a shoe or wig, they spend way more.

My lecturer once told us he was going to learn to build a website because someone charged him 60k for it.

Karleb:


Bros, say something.

I want to, but my epistle long.

Karleb:


That's the result of oversmartness.

My own problem is why Nigerians always want a 50k website. But when they want to buy a shoe or wig, they spend way more.

My lecturer once told us he was going to learn to build a website because someone charged him 60k for it.

Nigerian are yet to adopt technology fully, maybe 10years time.
An average Nigerian business man won't buy your software unless it will put money in his pocket before he pays for it, or if the solution is putting is business at competitive disadvantages.

Look into Nigerian Banks and technology, they all rushed into buying foreign solutions to solve our local problem, until when GTBank developed their own bespoke solution and put most of them at disadvantage, GTBank was the first bank to launch ussd 737, they made a lot of money because they caught the attention of youths. Since most of the other banks were running on foreign solution, they had to make a request to their providers to implement that too.
Story story Don on dey long

talk2hb1:
I want to, but my epistle long.

Bros, abeg nack us tori o.

talk2hb1:

Nigerian are yet to adopt technology fully, maybe 10years time.
An average Nigerian business man won't buy your software unless it will put money in his pocket before he pays for it, or if the solution is putting is business at competitive disadvantages.

Look into Nigerian Banks and technology, they all rushed into buying foreign solutions to solve our local problem, until when GTBank developed their own bespoke solution and put most of them at disadvantage, GTBank was the first bank to launch ussd 737, they made a lot of money because they caught the attention of youths. Since most of the other banks were running on foreign solution, they had to make a request to their providers to implement that too.
Story story Don on dey long

Nigeria is nowhere in tech. I was surprised when I got to find out Brazil which many Nigerians in the travel section are referring to as a shithole has had e commerce since 1996. Brazil has at least ten startups reaching unicorn status every year. Fourth after Germany USA and china. Nigeria is still yet to have it's own unicorn and everyone is building the same things because more advanced forms of tech can't work here due to poverty. Enterprise software for where. Software as a service for where. E commerce for people wey never chop food and earn less than hundred dollars a month lol.

tensazangetsu20:

Nigeria is nowhere in tech. I was surprised when I got to find out Brazil which many Nigerians in the travel section are referring to as a shithole has had e commerce since 1996. Brazil has at least ten startups reaching unicorn status every year. Fourth after Germany USA and china. Nigeria is still yet to have it's own unicorn and everyone is building the same things because more advanced forms of tech can't work here due to poverty. Enterprise software for where. Software as a service for where. E commerce for people wey never chop food and earn less than hundred dollars a month lol.

UniCorn, UniMaize ke you see how we were celebrating Paystack when it was bought for 200million, whereas its worth more than that.

Ayemileto:


Lol.

If you're actually serious about anything, 2016 - 2020 is enough time to get another developer or learn programming yourself and get something done.


Can you conveniently boast the reason the first developer bailed wasn't actually money related? How much did he charge you? How much did you offer?

Money is a motivation to most Nigerian developers, myself inclusive. The only reason anyone will bail on a project is if the project does not have the right price, Even if the problem is "problematic", as far as it's the right price, it will be tackled.

No one will just bail on your project without a reason, but you're not telling us that reason.


That said, Having an idea is actually the least of your worries. Getting people to use your solution is where the problem lies.

Even if you don't discuss your idea with anyone, it's only a matter of time before you find a similar solution online, Because like I said earlier, ideas are universal.

That guys probably met a developer claiming to make a web socket server app and a mobile app (native for performance) for less a million, someone also contacted me offering the same idea for basically nothing, saying it will be a partnership thing, I asked him what his role will be in the startup, he said CEO and business developer, I just laughed to my self. If I make the app my self and launched it please am I at fault.

TaminaliaCatapa:
Our government have failed us in many ways, and one of them is the lack of consumer protection. The Nigerian government has never cared and never will she lift a finger against plagiarism/scam.

When you tell a Nigerian Programer about your idea, he/she will either

1. Abandon ur whole project, modify it and make it his/hers

OR

2. Sell your idea to a big fish

How did I know?

I was talking to a Nigerian Programer sometimes 2016 about how I want to design an app where people can play games like dice, droughts etc and bet.

I realized the guy bailed on me and that was it. Few years after, I realized that particular idea is out already. I was just thanking God that wasn’t my most treasured business idea.

So because of that you feel success is far?
Don't be gullible bro.
Try and b smarter next time.
Don't dash out ideas on the streets.
Learn to build your ideas or at most
Sell it off to the highest bidder

Just passing.

Imagination encircles the world. Thoughts flies around like winds. it was highly probable, that so many people had the same thought like yours, and decided to bring it to reality.

Sometimes when you have a "beautiful idea", try to bring it to life really quick and patent it.

As a programmer, you don't have to steal ideas to succeed.
In fact you don't have to create a new framework or tools. What you need is the ability to identify "missing links", & "artistic implementation of existing technology ".
That's it. You are made.