Before you build that app

To give context. This post is intended for the Nigerian tech community or those entering it.

It is December 2019, and here I am thinking about what to build as a pet project, that's not already built. Not like I did not already have ideas. But you know, I wanted something people would use, and could very well go on to be what I then termed "The App".

The App is that one app you build and you build nothing else thereafter. You would go on to build nothing else, because you would need to add feature upon feature to this very same app, since users would keep asking for more.

I wanted something that could disrupt the tech space in Nigeria. An app that could revolutionise the way we do the very simple things we already do. And of course, it had to be profitable.

And since then, I have had friends who would go on to found startups ask me the very same question that I kept asking myself for months.

Is there a benchmark? a standard? some sort of checklist for identifying an app Idea that will at least be viable in Nigeria?

There you have it. I just gave you the single question that in my opinion would keep you from building JAP- Just Another Product.

The App Idea Checklist

1. The market or community for the App must already exist- You really have to be sure about this.
2. The App must solve an everyday problem, requiring daily use
3. Payment must be done on the platform.
4. Must not require logistics. (Back when this was originally penned, logistics was a problem in Nigeria. I haven't researched lately, but it seems to have improved)
5. Must not be under Government Control or Censorship. This is just to ensure your idea sees the light of day. Government Bureaucracy can actually kill your idea, even when you want to solve their problems. What I mean is; don't go planning to build a population census data collection app. Unless you have people to help you get it to the right places.

So let's say your app passes these, you should go on to get feedback from the demographic you already identified as potential community on whether they would actually want to use what you are just about to build.

When I was going to build an app years ago, I created a google survey form and shared it with the demographic. I was surprised to see that the potential users actually wanted something different from what I was originally going to build.

Don't take me too seriously. I pulled this from my notes of 2 years ago and decided to post it, with some slight modifications here and there, though the checklist is same. It might just help somebody.

You can go on to drop your comments. Who knows, I might just update this post, as well as my knowledge.