Nigerians recount how some Abuja businessmen ‘rent’ oyibos to pose as their business partner so as to look serious while bidding for a contract

Some Nigerians have taken to social media to recount how some Abuja businessmen ‘rent’ oyibos to pose as their business partners so as to look serious while bidding for a contract.

It all started when a businessman recounted how he almost lost a deal because he didn’t attend the business meeting riding an exotic car. He mentioned that the incident opened his eyes to the fact that some people rent prado jeeps and other exotic cars just so they can look the part while attending a business meeting. 

He wrote;

”Is that how you people do business in Abuja?

My company closed a decent sized deal in Abuja recently and I got the feedback from the “brokers” that I needed to get a big car to attend business meetings.

They said the other parties doubted my capacity to executive it because I was attending meetings with Toyota Camry muscle and Lexus E350.

That the people around (the advisers to) the main decision maker of the other party doubted my ability because of the cars I was riding to negotiation meetings.

That despite the subtle doubts from people around him, the Alhaji (main decision maker) was unswayed, and indeed drawn to me by, as I was told later, my simplicity in appearance and sincerity in communication during the negotiations. That he said he saw a young himself in me.

An eye opener for me. I guess this is why the market for rented Prado is, accoridng to what I heard, thriving in Abuja.

NB: All parties here are private sector”

Responding, some Nigerians then revealed that Abuja businessmen do not only rent cars to create an impression during a business meeting. They disclosed that they also rent white men irrespective of nationality, to pose as their business partners so they can look serious before their prospective client. The mentioned that all the white man has to do at the meeting is just to nod his head when negotiations are ongoing.