30 ChatGPT Prompts for Nigerian Small Businesses (Copy and Paste)
Most people use ChatGPT like Google: they type a short question and get a generic answer. The difference between a useless answer and a brilliant one is almost always the prompt.
Below are 30 prompts I have written specifically for Nigerian small businesses. Copy them, replace the parts in [square brackets] with your own details, and paste them into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. They work in all three.
Get better results every time: give context (who you are, who your customers are, where you are), say exactly what format you want, and ask for changes. “Make it shorter”, “Make it sound warmer”, “Write it in simple English” or “Add a bit of pidgin” are all valid follow-ups.
Marketing and social media
- “I run [business type] in [city], selling to [describe customers]. Create a 30-day Instagram content calendar with one post idea per day, mixing tips, product showcases, customer stories and promotions. Present it as a table.”
- “Write 10 Instagram captions for [product]. Customers are [describe]. Keep each under 60 words, include a clear call to action to order on WhatsApp, and suggest 5 relevant hashtags for each.”
- “Rewrite this product description so it sounds exciting and trustworthy to Nigerian buyers, focusing on benefits, not just features: [paste description].”
- “Give me 15 ideas for short videos (under 30 seconds) I can film on my phone to promote [business]. I don’t want to dance. Focus on behind-the-scenes, tips and customer results.”
- “Write a festive promotion message for [Christmas / Sallah / Easter / Black Friday] for [business]. Offer: [describe offer]. Deadline: [date]. Make it warm, not pushy.”
- “Suggest 10 names for a new [product/service] aimed at [audience] in Nigeria. They should be short, easy to pronounce and available as a .com.ng domain if possible.”
WhatsApp sales
- “Write a WhatsApp broadcast message announcing [new stock / new service]. Keep it under 80 words, friendly, with one clear call to action.”
- “A customer asked for the price of [item] 3 days ago and didn’t reply after I sent it. Write a polite, non-desperate follow-up message.”
- “A customer says my price of ₦[amount] for [item] is too expensive. Write 3 different responses that explain the value without insulting them or immediately giving a discount.”
- “Write 10 WhatsApp quick replies for my [business] covering price enquiries, delivery areas, payment details, order confirmation and thank-you messages.”
- “Create a WhatsApp status plan for one week to promote [product], with a mix of product photos, testimonials, questions and offers. Tell me what to post each day.”
- “Turn this customer’s voice-note summary into a clear order confirmation message listing items, quantities, total, delivery address and delivery date: [paste details].”
Customer service
- “A customer is angry because their delivery was 2 days late. Write an apology that takes responsibility, explains briefly, and offers [solution]. Keep it human, not robotic.”
- “Write a clear, fair return and refund policy for my [business] in simple English. Our rules are: [list your rules].”
- “Create a list of the 20 questions customers most likely ask a [business type] in Nigeria, with short, friendly answers I can edit.”
- “Write a polite message asking a happy customer to leave a Google review for my business, with a link placeholder.”
- “A customer is asking for a discount I can’t give. Write a friendly message that says no but keeps them happy, perhaps with a small alternative like free delivery on their next order.”
Admin and operations
- “Create a simple Google Sheets structure to track my orders, including columns for date, customer name, phone, items, amount, payment status and delivery status. Explain how to use it.”
- “Write a job advert for a [role] at my small business in [city]. Responsibilities: [list]. Salary range: ₦[range]. Make it attractive but honest.”
- “Create a simple daily opening and closing checklist for my [shop/salon/restaurant] staff.”
- “Draft a professional email to a supplier asking for better payment terms because [reason]. Be respectful and firm.”
- “Summarise the key points and action items from these meeting notes in bullet points: [paste notes].”
Money and pricing
- “Help me calculate the right selling price for [product]. My costs are: materials ₦[x], packaging ₦[x], delivery ₦[x], my time [hours]. I want a [x]% profit margin. Show your working.”
- “Create a simple monthly budget template for a small business with income, fixed costs, variable costs and savings, and explain each part.”
- “I want to create 3 packages (basic, standard, premium) for my [service]. Suggest what goes in each and how to price them so most people choose the middle one.”
- “Write a polite but firm reminder to a client who owes me ₦[amount] for [work], now [x] days overdue.”
Growth and strategy
- “Act as a business consultant. My business is [describe]. My biggest challenge is [challenge]. Ask me 5 questions to understand the problem, then suggest 3 practical solutions I can start this month with little money.”
- “Analyse these 3 competitors [names/descriptions]. What are they doing well, what are they missing, and how can I position my business differently?”
- “Give me 10 low-cost ways to get more customers for [business] in [city] without paying for ads.”
- “Write a short, confident ‘About Us’ section for my website that tells our story: [describe how you started, what you believe, who you serve].”
A few important cautions
- Always check facts and figures. AI can confidently state wrong information, especially about laws, taxes and prices.
- Edit before you publish. Customers can tell when a caption was pasted straight from AI. Add your voice.
- Protect customer data. Avoid pasting customers’ full personal details into public AI tools.
Take it further
Once you are comfortable with prompts, the next step is putting AI to work automatically, for example with an AI chatbot that answers customers for you. Read how to build a WhatsApp AI chatbot for your business. And if you want to use these skills to earn, see my guide on how to make money with AI in Nigeria.
Looking for more tools? Here are the best free AI tools for African entrepreneurs.
Frequently asked questions
Do these prompts work with free ChatGPT?
Yes. All 30 prompts work on the free versions of ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini.
Why are my ChatGPT answers so generic?
Usually because the prompt lacks context. Tell the AI who you are, who your customers are, where you are based and exactly what format you want.
Can ChatGPT write in pidgin or Nigerian English?
Yes. Ask it to “write in Nigerian Pidgin” or “use simple Nigerian English”, then edit the result so it sounds natural to your audience.
