TetMart online marketplace is just the bridge between buyers and sellers across all Nigerian institutions
By Eberechi Obinagwam
Frustrated by the limitations of traditional marketplaces, Obodoma Onyenaucheya Bright, a young entrepreneur, set out to revolutionize the way students buy and sell online. A fresh graduate of Computer Science from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Obodoma’s journey as the founder of Tetmart online marketplace began when he encountered difficulties marketing his perfume business while in school.
As a student, Obodoma faced challenges not only in selling his products but also in buying everyday items. His inspiration was in solving problems people faced, especially his fellow students, in selling their products and buying things. “I was into many side hustles while schooling, like selling products and working as a house agent, but my business was limited. So, I decided to build a website to solve the issue, giving other students doing business a much bigger opportunity to connect and do business”, Obodoma explained.
Today, Obodoma has turned his problem into a solution by creating an e-commerce website that links students on and around campus with others, enabling location-neutral buying and selling for both students and those living off campus. TetMart online marketplace is a community where all students of tertiary education can buy and sell, ranging from accommodation to anything legal.
How it all started
Obodoma’s vision started when he had difficulties trying to market his perfume business and buy things around the campus as a student while in school. The thought of creating a solution to this problem and limitations, gave birth to his business today, TetMart online marketplace on March 3, 2024, after graduating from school.
He said: “It all started when I started school and found it hard to market my perfume business or buy things around campus. As a student, I had trouble finding housing, electronics, furniture, and other necessities, and I was unable to attract customers to buy my perfume because I was not visible in WhatsApp groups and my status was limited, sponsored ads were pricey, and renting a shop was also a challenge. As a result, I made the decision to create an e-commerce website that would link students on and around campus with other campus enabling location-neutral buying and selling for both students and those living off campus.”
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Explaining further, he said: “You know nowadays, people who do business do them at home by posting on their WhatsApp status and groups. But the truth is that they are limited because it’s only people on their WhatsApp status that can see what they are selling and some people go to the extent of posting on Instagram and other social media but it’s expensive and does not give a high rate of return and when you bring it to the student level they have this problem also.”
He continued: “We all that are students do that, post on Whatsapp status, social media, but we still find people finding it difficult on what they want to buy and what they want to sell. And this limitation is the problem of most businesses and I had that problem while I was doing my business. What I decided to do is to create a platform where every student can post whatever they want to sell, like a market online place like Jiji where anybody that want to post anything they want to post can post and anybody can come and buy. My company, TetMart online marketplace is just the bridge between buyers and sellers across all Nigerian institutions,”
Sourcing for Capital
Obodoma said sourcing for capital was difficult. He said he took loans from people, personal funds from a paid job he did, parents and a grant he won from Shun-unemployement.
“Sourcing for capital was very challenging. It was hellish, at that stage. I was taking the biggest risk no one told me about in school. I used my personal savings of N30,000. It was not much so I had to sell my iphone XR then. I sold it for N180,000 which I used in funding the project and I recently took a loan of N200,000 which I am paying. I also got a grant from Shun unemployment as the second position, N300,000 in a pitch competition which I still put back in the business.”
The founder of TetMart online marketplace said so far, it has been a journey that he was never prepared for. “I never knew what I was going into until I started but thank God for persistence and commitment.”
He said from then till now, it has been rough because he has been trying to adjust to what people are asking for and building for customers. “After building it, I have to hire better web developers, marketers. I have a kind of compensation I give them at least for working hard. I have a team of 13. It’s been challenging but persistence and commitment, God, has kept me going,” he said.
Penetrating the market
Obodoma told TheNiche that there is a constant challenge in breaking into the e-commerce market because there is already competition for his target audience. He said, although his strategy is designed to get around these restrictions, but then, new things are difficult to adopt, so he is still working towards it.
“A constant challenge is breaking into the e-commerce market because there is already competition for my target audience. The majority of them are accustomed to buying and selling through WhatsApp groups and status updates, and some may be able to pay for ads on a regular basis, which can be costly or limited. Although my strategy is designed to get around these restrictions, new things are difficult to adopt, so I’m still working towards it.”
He also said that since his idea is still in its infancy, he does not care too much about raising money right now, but to concentrate on developing his product to the point where it will speak for itself. “I tend to build it so that it can start making money so that it can support itself before I start looking for investors because, as you know, they need numbers, not just words.”
Challenge of establishing TetMart
He said getting the idea from concept to reality was a difficult effort because he had no prior expertise or mentor to turn to for advice when he had problems. “Getting the idea from concept to reality was a difficult effort; I had no prior expertise, no mentor to turn to for advice when I had problems, and I was definitely on my own. I’m not a well-known brand or business yet.”
What has kept Obodoma going
Getting a fund of N300,000 from a friend, Dika, he met after pitching his idea to him was a breakthrough that kept Obodoma going in this business and also doubled with a grant he won from Shun-unemployement.
He said: “I met a friend named Dika while I was building and venturing alone. I recall pitching my idea to him, and he was thrilled because he saw it as not just a solution but a huge business, so he decided to fund the project with N300,000. I then went on to assemble a team that shared my enthusiasm for my approach to the problem they were all facing, and they joined me. Finally, the Shun Unemployment Foundation greatly boosted my confidence, which kept me going.”
Challenges faced in business
Obodoma said his challenges are not money but finding a team that would support him without requesting financial assistance and also finding a mentor who would be able to relate to him. “My biggest issues weren’t money; rather, they were finding a team that would support me without requesting financial assistance and finding a mentor who would be able to relate to me. I knew that if I had a team and a solid mentor, I would be able to advance.”
Obodoma’s take on Japa
Obodoma said he has no plans of leaving the country because he wants to use his products to give many Nigerian students a tool to embrace entrepreneurship by starting and growing their businesses from school until they leave.
He said: “I chose to stay because I know that the only way to become wealthy is to solve difficult Nigerian problems that many people can identify with. In fact, I want to use my product to give many Nigerian students a tool to embrace entrepreneurship by starting and growing their businesses from school until they leave. If even 1% of students who leave school are successful using my product, just think of the number of jobs they will create while they are there.”
The man Obodoma
Obodoma Onyenaucheya Bright was born in Aba, Abia state, and was raised by his mother from birth. He is a graduate of Computer Science from the University of Nigeria, UNN Nsukka Campus. He graduated in 2023. Obodoma has a workable team of 13.
From struggling to sell his own products to creating a thriving e-commerce platform, Obodoma Onyenaucheya Bright’s journey is a testament to innovation and determination.
