If you want investors to take you seriously, “good” isn’t enough — you need ready. That means clean numbers, a convincing plan, and a clear path to return. Here’s a practical checklist you can use today to make your business attractive to investors in Nigeria.
1. Clean up your numbers
- Get audited or produce reviewed financial statements for the last 2–3 years.
- Standardise chart of accounts and reconcile bank statements.
- Prepare clear unit economics: gross margin, contribution per product, customer acquisition cost.
2. Build a realistic financial model
- Create a 3–5 year forecast with assumptions you can defend.
- Show best-case, base-case and downside scenarios.
- Include cashflow runways and break-even points — investors care about liquidity.
3. Clarify your value proposition
- One sentence that answers: what do you sell, who buys it, and why you win.
- Back it with evidence: traction numbers, contracts, repeat rates.
4. Proof of market demand
- Sales pipeline, LOIs, recurring revenue, or pilot project results.
- Market size estimate (addressable market) and the share you can capture.
5. Legal & compliance tidy-up
- Business registration, tax clearance, IP ownership, key contracts in order.
- Clean ownership cap table and board/shareholder minutes.
6. Tight governance & controls
- Basic internal controls: segregation of duties, approval limits, and simple reporting cadence.
- Clear role descriptions for founders and key staff.
7. A short, sharp investor pack
- One-page executive summary, 10–12 slide investor deck, 3-year financial model, and a short management CV pack.
8. Know your ask and use of funds
- Be specific: how much, how it will be spent, and what milestones it unlocks.
- Show milestones that materially increase valuation or reduce risk.
