How to Start a Phone Accessories Business on Campus in Nigeria

Why phone accessories work well as a campus business

Phones are the single item that almost every Nigerian student owns and depends on daily. Phone screens crack. Chargers break. Earphones stop working. Power banks run out and need replacement. These needs do not follow a schedule — they arise urgently, and when they do, students want a solution immediately and nearby.

A student selling phone accessories on campus is offering genuine convenience. The person who would normally travel twenty minutes off-campus to a phone shop will buy from you at a slight premium for the convenience alone. That is the business.

What to stock and where to source it

The best sourcing locations for phone accessories in Nigeria are the major electronics markets in each region — Alaba International Market in Lagos, Computer Village in Ikeja, Sabon Gari in Kano, and Onitsha Main Market in Anambra. Buying in small bulk (10–20 units of a single item) reduces cost per unit by 30–50% compared to buying one at a time.

• Screen protectors — one of the fastest-moving items; source in bundles of 10–20; sell at 2–3x cost price
• Type-C and Micro-USB cables — high demand; cables break constantly; branded-looking quality cables at mid-range prices sell best
• Earphones — stock in two price tiers: budget (₦800–₦1,500) and mid-range (₦2,000–₦4,000); some students buy repeatedly
• Power banks — higher cost but higher margin; students will spend on a reliable power bank; focus on well-known brands
• Phone cases — slower-moving but higher margin if you stock popular phone models prevalent on your campus; survey which phones are most common before stocking cases

Pricing and what margins to expect

The standard approach is to price at 2–3x your sourcing cost for fast-moving accessories, and 1.5–2x for higher-cost items like power banks where buyers are more price-sensitive. Always know the off-campus retail price for your items — your campus price should be no more than 15–20% above the off-campus price, justified by convenience.

• Screen protector — source for ₦150–₦300; sell for ₦600–₦800; high volume, easy to carry
• USB cable — source for ₦200–₦400; sell for ₦700–₦1,200; consistent demand
• Earphones (budget) — source for ₦400–₦700; sell for ₦1,000–₦1,500
• Power bank (10,000mAh) — source for ₦4,000–₦6,000; sell for ₦7,000–₦9,500

Growing your first customer base

Your first ten customers come from your immediate network. Tell your department group chat you sell phone accessories. List items on CampusPlug so students searching for accessories on your campus find you. Post on your WhatsApp status weekly — a short photo of your current stock with prices.

After twenty customers, word of mouth takes over if your prices are fair and your service is fast. The one thing that kills most student businesses is being hard to reach — respond to enquiries within an hour and deliver the same day whenever possible.