NYSC Corper on How She Started a Controversial Alcohol Business Up North.

From crying over Zamfara state on her NYSC dashboard to investing over 900k with finesse, Agnes’ story proves that there are opportunities in unexpected places. You just have to look closer.

This is the story of Agnes as told to Fusion. A young NYSC member who was posted to the Northern part of Nigeria from Delta State. With an entrepreneurial mindset, she saw selling alcohol in town as a good business that has favoured her.

Let’s get into it. 

How long have you stayed in the North?

11 months now. Funny enough, I never thought that in this life or the next, I would stay in the Northern part of Nigeria. With everything I’ve seen on the news and online, I never wanted to. But, NYSC had other plans for me. When I saw my posting letter on my dashboard, I literally shouted Nooooo!!!! Like. My mom had to run to my room to check if I was alright, and honestly, I wasn’t.

I was posted to Zamfara State. A state I could only remember reading about in my current affairs textbook. It took a lot of convincing from my Mom before I accepted my fate and bundled myself up to the North. Now guess what? I’ve enjoyed my 11-month stay here. I now know all the Hausa greetings, and I’d love to be fluent in the Hausa language.

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What a plot twist! So far, how has the service year been for you?

Hmm… it’s been an experience! From hating the idea of staying in the North to liking my stay here, hopefully, I’ll love it soon.

The service year has been full of ups and downs, with quite a lot of stress in between. I’m just glad I haven’t been stranded financially due to the business I started here. Aside from my NYSC allowance and 10k salary as a primary school teacher for my PPA (primary place of assignment), my beer business has been bringing me a good amount of money for my upkeep and savings.

Things like accommodation, food, and even making my hair here are cheaper than what it’ll cost me back home in Delta state. These are some of the things that have made me really enjoy my stay here.

The cost of living is affordable here, the people are kind and welcoming as long as you mind your business. That is, no religious discussions that’ll put you in trouble, and for the ladies, do not wear revealing clothes. And for me, I can’t do my beer business in the open.

How did you come up with this business idea?

I started by renting a shop close to where I live to sell provisions on my street. If you trek to the only provision shop we have around where I stay, your legs will beg you for mercy. I saw that as an opportunity and started selling provisions, home-care, and self-care products.

I stay in a Corper’s lodge in town, so the corpers in my lodge celebrate Social Saturdays every weekend. There are hardly any parties in this state, so that was where most of the Corpers living in town usually hang out to chill on weekends, and what’s a party without alcohol or soft drinks?

That was when the idea struck me. I grew up in my parents’ Bar/Restaurant back home in Delta state, and I was already selling soft drinks here. So I thought, why not add alcohol since most of the guys always ask for it on Social Saturdays. 

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That’s smart. How did it work out for you?

It wasn’t easy at first because alcohol is frowned upon in this part of Northern Nigeria, and I’m a lady.. I had to figure out how to get alcohol from Mammy Market, then bring it back to my shop discreetly, sell it discreetly, rinse and repeat. Let’s call Mammy Market the headquarters of alcohol because that’s where the major buying and selling of alcohol is allowed to take place in this part of the state.

I have a nice neighbour/customer who doesn’t charge me much to drive me there and bring me back anytime I want to get drinks. So, that helps. I’m the plug for Social Saturdays and trust me to deliver every weekend. Word soon spread that I sold drinks in town, so more Corpers came even during the week. My neighbour told his friends, and just like that, my customer base grew.

Every weekend, I go to Mammy Market with at least 150k, and before Tuesday, I’ll sell all my drinks out with a gain of over 60k. I had to change my storeroom in my provision store to a mini bar so I can sell discreetly without drawing much attention. A provision store at the front and a bar at the back. With my increasing customers came an increase in my profits and challenges.

Really! What challenges did you face? 

Being a state that frowns at the selling and drinking of alcohol, it was hard for me to sell secretly because some people get drunk and misbehave, some talk too much to their friends whom they shouldn’t tell. I was almost picked up by the Hisbah Police (state religious police) twice, but thank goodness the Corpers in my lodge protected me from them.

Transportation to Mammy Market and back was an issue. I needed to buy more. I soon found a way around that by paying my neighbour for each trip. And If not for my fellow NYSC members, who make up the majority of my customer base, the business model would’ve been a flop.

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So, what are your plans for your business after NYSC?

I’ll soon be rounding up with my service soon, and although I’ve grown to like the place, I won’t be staying back after NYSC. I guess I’ll ask around if anyone is willing to buy the business from me before I leave or shut it down.

I’ve been able to save and invest over 900k from the business so far with Bamboo on Fusion, and my interest in the investment has been growing significantly. After selling off the business, I’m hoping the money will be enough to set up something for myself back home in Delta State, or I’ll just add it to my investments while I job hunt.

From dodging Hisbah police to becoming the plug for Social Saturdays, what started as a tragic NYSC surprise quickly became a plot twist for Agnes. 

She didn’t just survive her NYSC year; he flipped the script, cashed out, and invested with Fusion like a boss.

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