The early days of starting a business are thrilling. Ideas are fresh, vision is clear, and the energy is unmatched. But in Africa where infrastructure gaps, capital access, and regulatory friction pose real obstacles, those first 90 days can also make or break your long-term survival.
Here’s the truth: succeeding on this continent doesn’t just require a good idea; it demands deliberate execution, street smarts, and the ability to adapt quickly to your local environment.
So how do you make the most of your first three months? Below, we outline the smart, strategic moves every African entrepreneur should prioritize to build a resilient business, backed by hard truths, proven frameworks, and context-specific insight.
1. Validate Your Idea Locally
Don’t assume demand—prove it.
Speak to real people. Street vendors. SME owners. Corporate buyers. Your idea may look brilliant on pitch decks, but it needs local traction to survive. Test your pricing. Measure willingness to pay. Understand cultural nuances. In Lagos, Nairobi, or Accra, customer behavior differs dramatically across income levels and regions.
Pro Tip: Run small tests via WhatsApp groups or market stalls. What people say they want and what they pay for are often different.
2. Register and Structure Your Business Early
Don’t delay compliance.
Register your business with CAC (Nigeria), BRELA (Tanzania), BRS (Kenya) or the appropriate local authority. Choose a structure that reflects your growth goals. Sole proprietorships are fast but limit funding options, while limited liability gives you a better long-term edge.
Also, open a corporate bank account and separate personal from business finance from day one. It’s harder to untangle later.
3. Understand Your Market’s Informal Economy
Africa is not Silicon Valley.
In many cities, the informal sector accounts for over 60% of economic activity. Learn how your business will interact with informal supply chains, transport networks, and local distribution systems.
Success often means integrating with these systems—not disrupting them blindly.
4. Build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Fast
Forget perfection. Focus on feedback.
Your MVP should be the simplest version of your offering that customers can use, buy, or interact with. Whether it’s a WhatsApp ordering system, a sample product batch, or a landing page, get it out.
Speed matters more than polish. Iterate based on customer behavior, not just internal brainstorming.
5. Master Lean Operations
Waste kills startups.
Avoid high overhead. Delay that fancy office. Automate what you can. Leverage freelancers instead of full-time hires. In resource-scarce environments, cash flow is king.
Remember: Many successful African businesses started in homes, kiosks, or small warehouses—don’t let ego sabotage efficiency.
6. Secure Your First Customers
Don’t chase virality. Chase transactions.
Your first 10–50 customers will be your best feedback loop and your earliest brand ambassadors. Focus on solving their pain points better than anyone else. Serve them obsessively.
If you’re in B2B, use warm introductions and show how your service reduces cost or increases efficiency. In B2C, go grassroots, partnerships with local influencers or boots-on-the-ground outreach can go further than Google Ads.
7. Track Every Naira, Cedi, or Shilling
Financial discipline starts now.
Set up simple accounting. Know your unit economics: cost of production, delivery, marketing, and what’s left after. Even if you’re not an accountant, understand how your cash flows weekly.
Use tools like Wave, Zoho Books, or local fintechs that offer affordable accounting solutions.
8. Find the Right Advisors and Mentors
You don’t know what you don’t know.
Seek out people who’ve walked the path. Not just general mentors but those with industry or market-specific experience. In Africa, advice that works in Cape Town may flop in Kinshasa.
Tip: Look for founders 2–3 years ahead of you. They’re more likely to give tactical, recent advice that applies.
9. Start Building Your Brand, Even If It’s Small
Brand equity compounds.
Start with clarity: What do you want to be known for? Trust? Affordability? Innovation? Let that guide your communication even if it’s just your logo, pitch, or Instagram page.
In African markets, reputation is still everything. One happy customer can unlock a whole community.
10. Prepare for Bureaucratic and Infrastructure Hurdles
The road is bumpy. Anticipate it.
Be ready for electricity outages, internet cuts, port delays, inconsistent tax enforcement. It’s not a matter of if, it’s when. What matters is how you adapt.
Build buffers. Have Plan B’s. If your business depends on logistics, for example, map out multiple courier or transport options.
Too many African businesses flame out because they chase fast growth before building a strong foundation. Your first 90 days should be less about chasing headlines and more about building systems, trust, and traction.
Yes, Africa has its challenges but it also offers unmatched upside for those who get it right early.
Start smart. Move fast. And build something that lasts.
