1. Start with live products, not a portfolio deck
Screenshots and mock-ups prove design skill, not delivery. Ask for links to products that are live today and use them: sign up, complete the main task, try it on a mid-range phone on mobile data. A company that has shipped and kept products running has solved the problems your project will meet.
2. Ask who will write the code
The most common complaint about agencies anywhere is being sold by senior people and delivered by juniors. Ask for the names and experience of the people on your project, whether they are shared with other clients, and whether you can speak to them before signing.
3. Check they have built for the Nigerian market
Software for Nigerian customers needs features that international templates leave out:
- Local payments: bank transfer and USSD as well as cards, through established payment providers.
- WhatsApp-first communication: invoices, receipts and booking requests that send as WhatsApp links.
- Nigerian tax rules: 7.5% VAT, TIN and CAC on documents, PAYE and withholding tax under the Nigeria Tax Act 2025.
- Mobile-first, light pages that load on variable connections.
- Data protection in line with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.
4. Understand the pricing model
| Model | How it works | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed price | One price for a written scope; changes are re-quoted | Scope is clear; you want budget certainty |
| Time and materials | Billed by the day or hour | Scope is still forming and you can manage it closely |
| Monthly retainer | A team or hours reserved each month | Ongoing development after launch |
Whichever model you choose, ask for the price in writing with a list of what is excluded. A single number with no exclusions is a guess.
5. Questions to ask before you sign
- “What is the riskiest part of my project?” A good company names something specific.
- “How will I see progress?” Look for working software every week or two, not status reports.
- “What happens if we stop after phase one?” You should keep the code and the repository.
- “Who hosts it, and in whose name?” The answer should be: yours.
6. Contract terms that protect you
- Intellectual property assigned to your company on payment.
- Repository access from the first week.
- Hosting, domains and app store accounts in your company’s name.
- Milestone payments tied to working, demonstrated features.
- A written handover: documentation, credentials and a walkthrough.
Red flags
- No live products you can use yourself.
- A large upfront payment before any working software.
- Reluctance to put the code and hosting in your name.
- A quote with no list of exclusions.
- Agreement with every idea in your brief. Good partners push back on scope.
Local, international, or both?
A purely local team knows the market; an international one may bring wider product experience and different standards of process. A company with a presence in Nigeria and the UK, such as ruxox, can combine both. Whatever you choose, judge them by live products and by the contract they are willing to sign.