From Kiosk to Multimillion-naira Barbershop

own barbing business in April 2012. While I was working, I joined a contribution group to help me save. My target then was to set-up something that would give me an extra source of income; so I started the contribution with N10,000, and later increased to N20,000, we were about 10 people and every month one person takes the whole of the money contributed.

“So with the little savings I had in addition to the contribution I collected, I set-up a bar at Ajah. I started the bar with about 35 chairs and 7 tables; after about six-seven months, I upgraded the place to over 100 chairs and 25 tables, while I was still working as a barber for someone.

“But when you establish a business and hand it over to someone, it would be mismanaged. I wasn’t getting money from the business. So, I decided to sack the guy to run it myself. At that time I did not have any savings due to the fact that the guy I employed at the bar had run me down.”

Also, that time, Nnah disclosed: “business was not really moving well because of the numerous fights at Ajah then; people were afraid of coming out to drink. After like a month, I was able to raise N200,000 from the home service I rendered outside the bar business, that was in 2012 and also, there was this friend of mine that came from Akwa-Ibom to Lagos for his NYSC, he wanted to go and rent a place to stay but I told him to come and stay with me, he obliged and stayed with me for one year.

“During the period of his stay, I did not bother him financially; so at that time I was able to save up N200,000, I was told that there was an available shop with a rent of N500,000 at Lekki, I went to check the shop and discovered that the owner of the shop was my customer, he told me that he was only interested in business and that he would only give me the shop if I had the money to pay; I appeal to him to give me two weeks to raise the money but he refused.

“After I left the shop, it wasn’t up to 30 minutes he called to tell me not to worry about the shop and that he had seen someone who was ready to pay N550,000, I still tried to beg him and on the long run he told me that he would only listen to me if I can make available N550,000 before 9am the next morning and it was already past 4pm in the evening then.

“On getting home, I told my friend staying with me and he was able to raise some of the money through his friends. While I was still working as a barber, I sponsored my younger brother who studied architecture in school; at that time he had graduated and was doing some little jobs, so I called him and explained the situation of things to him, he said he wasn’t really buoyant but that he will send me the N60,000 he had that was around 5pm, this gave me a total of N460,000.”

While struggling to complete the money, Nnah said: “one of my customers called me to come and cut his hair in his house, this happened to be one of those customers that always advised me, but because of my state of mind I told him I refuse to take his calls. He continued calling and I later went to cut his hair.

“After cutting his hair, I told him the reason I refused to take his calls initially. He gave me a cheque of N50,000, this took the total of the money I had to #510,000 and before 9am the next morning, I was able to transfer N500,000 to my prospective landlord account.

“After I had sent him the money, I called and pleaded with him to give me 1week to pay up the balance. That same morning after I left the bank, one of my clients, who blocked my calls because I was disturbing him for home service called me and I went to see him and after cutting his hair, I told him that I have paid for a shop and he gave me a cheque of N100,000, and immediately I called a furniture guy and others to come and do the basic things and that gradually I was able to make it a standard saloon and today, God has made me. It was divine intervention.”