Top 10 Questions Clients Ask Before We Build Their Software

For Nigerian businesses, building custom software is not just a technical project but a strategic investment. Whether you’re a startup founder in Lagos, a retail chain operator in Abuja, or an operations manager for a logistics company in Port Harcourt, software decisions directly affect growth, cost-efficiency, and competitiveness.

At eBrand Promotion, we’ve noticed a consistent trend: before we start building, clients ask similar questions. These questions reflect the challenges Nigerian businesses face — unstable internet infrastructure, local customer behavior, regulatory requirements, and the need to integrate with platforms like Paystack, Flutterwave, and Interswitch.

Below are the top 10 questions before custom software projects begin, with insights and practical answers tailored for decision-makers.

1. How Much Will It Cost Us?

Budget clarity is the first question executives raise before committing to custom software. Unlike ready-made products with fixed licenses, custom solutions are built from the ground up, which means costs vary significantly. Nigerian decision-makers want to know not just the headline figure, but also the structure of costs over the project’s lifecycle.

What drives software cost:

• Scope of features: The more complex the functionality, the higher the investment. A simple internal tool will cost less than a multi-user enterprise system with dashboards, analytics, and automation.

• Integration requirements: Linking with Nigerian payment systems, banking APIs, or third-party logistics platforms adds technical depth, which reflects in the budget.

• Security level: Industries such as healthcare and fintech require compliance with NDPR and CBN standards. Building advanced security into the architecture increases development cost but reduces long-term risk.

• Scalability needs: Solutions designed for small pilot groups differ in cost from those engineered for national or multi-country expansion.

Executives should also factor in hidden costs such as staff training, ongoing maintenance, and infrastructure hosting. Transparent costing helps avoid unexpected overruns and ensures alignment between business goals and the technology roadmap.

2. How Long Will Development Take?

Time-to-market is critical in Nigeria’s fast-paced business environment. Decision-makers know that delays can mean losing competitive advantage, missing seasonal opportunities, or frustrating investors.

Average development timelines by project size:

Executives are increasingly interested in agile development, where projects are broken into short sprints. This allows delivery of a minimum viable product (MVP) first, giving stakeholders something tangible to test and improving decision-making before a full-scale rollout. Agile also makes it easier to adjust to evolving market realities or regulatory changes without restarting the project from scratch.

Clear communication about timelines, milestones, and potential delays builds trust between vendor and client, ensuring expectations remain realistic throughout the project.

3. Will It Integrate With Existing Systems?

No Nigerian company wants a new software system that works in isolation. Most already operate ERPs, CRMs, payroll systems, or accounting software, and new solutions must fit seamlessly into this digital ecosystem.

Integration ensures smoother workflows, prevents data duplication, and reduces manual processes that often lead to errors. For leadership teams, the key question is whether the new platform will connect with their existing tools or if it will force employees to juggle multiple systems.

Areas of concern include:

• Data flow: Ensuring customer and financial data moves smoothly across systems.

• Process alignment: Making sure departments — from sales to finance — see the same information in real time.

• Regulatory reporting: Guaranteeing that compliance outputs are consistent across all platforms.

A vendor should map out integration points early, define risks, and offer scalable solutions that reduce operational friction. Choosing wisely at this stage avoids future expenses in rework and staff retraining.

4. How Secure Will the Software Be?

Cybersecurity is no longer an optional feature; it is a strategic requirement. Nigerian businesses face constant threats ranging from phishing and fraud attempts to full-scale data breaches. Executives must be confident that their investment is protected from these risks.

Key concerns include:

• Fraud prevention: Safeguards against unauthorized access and financial manipulation.

• Regulatory compliance: Adherence to NDPR, CBN, and international standards like ISO 27001.

• API security: Ensuring third-party integrations do not create vulnerabilities.

• Data privacy: Protecting sensitive information across customer and operational records.

Beyond technical safeguards, leadership teams often expect a clear security roadmap covering penetration testing, encryption standards, and incident response protocols. A reliable vendor will provide ongoing updates and patches, recognizing that threats evolve as quickly as technology itself.

5. Can the Software Scale as We Grow?

Scalability is one of the top questions before custom software Nigeria projects proceed, because decision-makers understand that business growth is unpredictable. A solution built for today’s traffic and customer base must still perform when the company doubles or triples in size.

Concerns include:

• Feature expansion: The ability to add new modules or functionality without disrupting core operations.

• Traffic surges: Handling spikes during seasonal promotions or rapid user adoption.

• Multi-market expansion: Supporting new currencies, languages, or compliance requirements when moving into other African markets.

The best vendors design with modularity in mind, allowing businesses to expand capabilities as needed rather than rebuild from scratch. CEOs and IT managers see scalability as a safeguard against both operational bottlenecks and unnecessary future spending.

6. What Happens If the Internet Goes Down?

Internet downtime is a practical concern in Nigeria. Even in major cities, outages can halt business operations if software depends entirely on continuous connectivity. Executives want systems that can adapt to this reality.

Practical resilience features include:

• Offline-first design: Allowing staff to continue working offline with data syncing when connectivity is restored.

• Local caching: Storing key records on devices temporarily to avoid disruptions.

• Lightweight builds: Ensuring mobile apps consume minimal data and work efficiently on slower networks.

When downtime is inevitable, the right software architecture ensures operations don’t grind to a halt. This question reflects an understanding that technology must fit into Nigeria’s infrastructure environment, not ignore it.

7. Who Owns the Source Code?

Ownership of intellectual property is a major concern for Nigerian CEOs. Businesses want assurance that the investment they make results in a product they control — not something locked behind a developer’s proprietary rights.

Best practice dictates that once payment obligations are met, the client should retain full ownership of the source code. Vendors may keep rights to generic frameworks or libraries, but the client must control the unique codebase tied to their operations.

This arrangement protects businesses from vendor lock-in, giving them flexibility to switch partners, make independent upgrades, or expand the system without unnecessary constraints. Clear contracts and legal agreements at the start of the project prevent disputes later.

8. How Will You Support Us After Launch?

Post-launch support often defines whether a project is successful in the long term. Nigerian businesses expect more than just handover; they want assurance that the developer will stand by them as their needs evolve.

Typical areas of support include:

• Bug fixes and patches: Quick responses to issues that arise in real-world use.

• Training: Ensuring staff can fully leverage the system without productivity losses.

• Feature updates: Rolling out improvements based on feedback and changing market conditions.

• Emergency assistance: Providing round-the-clock support for mission-critical applications.

This question reflects a broader concern with sustainability. Decision-makers want partnerships, not one-off projects, and they measure vendors by the reliability of their long-term commitment.

9. How Do You Handle Payment and Milestones?

Financial transparency is critical in Nigeria’s business culture, where past experiences with failed projects or unreliable vendors make executives cautious. Clients want to know exactly how payments will be structured and tied to deliverables.

The milestone-based model is the most trusted approach. Breaking payments into stages, from initiation, to design, to testing, to final delivery, ensures accountability on both sides. It aligns incentives, reduces risk, and gives the client more control over the process.

Clear invoicing, documented deliverables, and escrow options further reassure decision-makers that their investment is protected. This builds trust and reduces disputes, allowing both vendor and client to focus on achieving project goals.

10. Can You Show Proof of Past Work?

Nigerian executives demand evidence of capability before signing contracts. Portfolio reviews and case studies allow them to verify that a vendor has successfully delivered similar projects in relevant industries.

Proof of past work reassures decision-makers about:

• Technical expertise: Ability to build the required features.

• Industry knowledge: Familiarity with the specific compliance and operational realities of the sector.

• Reliability: Demonstrated consistency in meeting deadlines and budgets.

This question often determines final selection. Decision-makers want to see a track record that matches their ambitions, rather than vague promises. Vendors who present clear, documented results establish credibility and reduce perceived risk.

Explore our article on 7 Things CEOs Must Know Before Starting a Custom Software Project

Key Takeaways for Nigerian Decision-Makers

Here’s a summary of the top 10 questions before custom software projects:

1. What is the cost?

2. How long will it take?

3. Will it integrate with existing systems?

4. How secure will it be?

5. Can it scale as we grow?

6. What about internet downtime?

7. Who owns the source code?

8. What support do we get post-launch?

9. How do payments work?

10. Can you show past work?

These questions reflect the priorities of Nigerian CEOs, startup founders, and IT leads — from budgets and timelines to reliability and future-proofing.

Why These Questions Matter in Nigeria’s Tech Landscape

Nigeria’s business environment presents unique challenges:

• Unstable infrastructure: Software must adapt to power and internet fluctuations.

• Regulatory frameworks: From NDPR to CBN guidelines, compliance is non-negotiable.

• Rapid growth opportunities: With Africa’s largest youth population and increasing smartphone penetration, scalable digital platforms can dominate markets quickly.

By asking the right questions, Nigerian executives ensure they’re not just building software; they’re building business resilience.

Final Word: Ready to Build with Confidence

Every Nigerian CEO or IT manager should walk into a software development conversation equipped with the right questions. These 10 questions act as a checklist, helping you minimize risks, secure value for money, and prepare for growth.

At eBrand Promotion, we specialize in guiding businesses through this decision-making process — from initial consultation to final execution. Whether you need an MVP for a new startup idea or a large-scale enterprise platform, our team has the expertise, local understanding, and global standards to deliver.

Take the next step today; contact eBrand Promotion to discuss your project and get a tailored solution for your business needs.