When we started building the Metalex App, we knew the why was strong. But the how? That is where reality hit.
First, access to funding.
Everyone loves to talk about “start lean” and “bootstrap,” but let us be honest, tech is not cheap. The right team, proper infrastructure, product development, they all cost money. Without funding, you are often stuck with average tools, stretched-out timelines, or forced to wear 7 different hats as a founder just to move things forward.
There is also the emotional toll. Watching your vision move at half its speed; not because of laziness, but because you just do not have the capital, it is painful. It is one of the biggest hurdles we have had to cross, and still pushing.
Second, government support (or the illusion of it).
You will hear about grants, accelerators, innovation hubs, and startup funds, but when you try to access them? Bureaucracy, bottlenecks, and silence.
Unless you are connected, it is almost like these opportunities do not exist for you. Some of these schemes seem designed for newspaper headlines, not real accessibility. And when you are building a product that serves people, the lack of support from systems meant to empower innovation feels like a slap in the face.
Third and maybe most disheartening is the slow local adoption.
You would build something solid, tested, problem-solving, functional, and the first thing you may hear from some Nigerians is: “Who else is using it?” Or maybe, “Let me wait till someone else tries it first.” Meanwhile, a foreign product can launch with the same features and gain immediate traction. It is sometimes a mindset problem, we sometimes often trust “outsiders” faster than we believe in our own.
But we have to change that narrative. There are brilliant Nigerian founders building real solutions. Fintech is not the only lane. LegalTech, HealthTech, EduTech, we are out here too, solving real problems. We need our people to be more open, more supportive, more curious.
Building in Nigeria is not for the faint-hearted. But we are still here, still building because we believe in what we are doing and in the people we are doing it for.
If you are building too, stay strong. You are not alone.
Let us build better. Let us build smarter. Let us build together.
—
Akpofure Mark
Founder, Metalex App
