The world economy has been conditionally repositioned down south with the outbreak of then Coronavirus (COVID-19). All over the world, business owners are gradually forced to adopt measures to cushion the effect of the change that struck them. There is no business either by size, type, function or strength that is not affected either positively but mostly negatively. The dynamic shift had it's toll more on the small scale business owners.

The Nigerian situation is not an exception. With the much needed effort of the Government to improving local products purchase, maybe now that exports and imports are not in the picture, a rise in locally made products is inevitable. Local products are just at arms length and although not without wide variety of options but at this period are relatively cheaper, nutrition wise, healthy and easily accessible.

The "Support your friend's business" is not a bad idea. I had a horrible experience and even more but I want to explore the one we are familiar with. It's purchase of paper airtime. From time before now, the paper airtime (MTN, Glo, Airtel card) has been the most widely medium of top up for either data or calls. One will wonder why I said before now. Anyways, it is no longer like that as varying mediums over time has been developed. I don't have to spell out those mediums but I am quite sure if you are reading this, you can remember at least five. Yes, five. Five different mediums different from the direct top up from banks.

I prefer purchasing my airtime from my bank. It is easier and faster and no need for the conventional code input and entering about 12 to 15 digit numbers to recharge N100. There is however a downside to this much convenience. The small scale business owners are losing out on this. Airtime sales that have such low profit or return should be a fast selling market. Few people ranging from the aged, mostly adult women and men still purchase the paper airtime. People with little to no computer literacy still purchase the paper print airtime while majority of the populace uses the internet or bank medium. I for one have for months and close to a year not purchased the paper print airtime.

The small scale business owners are losing out this way. How will our business owners benefit from internet purchase? I want to help them as much as I can by patronizing them but I just find myself buying from my bank or third party platforms. So many times this lockdown, I had been stuck to no choice other than the paper print airtime. An airtime worth of N100 goes for N110. The N10 is as negligible as it is not negligible. I don't have issue with the N10 but I do have issue with it. I can afford it but I can't afford the loss that comes with it.

I patronised a local seller and purchased an airtime worth N500 but she gave me N200 in two places with a value worth of N100 making N500 but I paid N530 as N10 value is added on each value. I gave out N550, she couldn't find N20 for me. I left. Fast forward to another day, it was N200 and I handed her N250, I was expecting N40 and I got N20 and was waiting for my N20 I couldn't get it. It happened that way on so many occasions. The last one that pissed me off was my purchase of N500 and I gave her N600, I was expecting N90. I know it could impossible but she didn't try at all. She was literally feeling all entitled to it. She found me N50 only. I was pissed. It's becoming too much but I could only do little.



We need to support our local businesses, but our local businesses need to embrace the business nature. N10 isn't a great deal but it accumulates and becomes frustrating.

Baba your epistle long o