The business relationship between Finland and Nigeria : is culture responsible for the challenges Finnish companies face?

The common challenge when it comes to international business is culture. Therefore, this research investigated if culture is responsible for Finnish companies lack of business interest in Nigeria. Also, some other common factors were investigated. The objective of this study was to: (i) answer the research question of culture’s influence on the business relationship between Finland and Nigeria (ii) analyse the impact of other factors on the business relationship between Finland and Nigeria (iii) recommend ideas that could help bridge the business gap between Finland and Nigeria. A qualitative method was used in this research. There was a total of 9 companies that participated in this research. As a benchmark, there was a plan to interview two well-established Finnish companies that partner with companies in Nigeria. However, only one of these two companies was available for interview. So, this is registered as a limitation to the research. The analysis results indicated that the cultural differences did not significantly affect the business relationship, and was not responsible for the challenges faced by Finnish companies in doing business with Nigerians in Nigeria. However, (1) while culture might not have an impact. (2) trust appeared to be a significant challenge. (3) social media affected the level of trust. (4) participants who visited or lived in Nigeria registered minor trust issues compared to those who had never been to Nigeria. (5) KONE used as a benchmark faced no issues that some other participants or companies faced. (6) only 3 out of the 9 companies have visited or lived in Nigeria. Finally, (7) from the 3 participants that visited Nigeria, only 1 lived and built his business in Nigeria. The following suggestions were made: (1) Finnish companies should build a trustworthy relationship upfront. (2) Familiarise themselves with the local culture well or get a guide before starting a business deal with Nigerians. (3) Collaborate with the Finnish-Nigerian business, Finland-African business forum, Finland Chamber of Commerce, NordicNigeriaConnect (Sustainability). (4) avoid places where there are usually turbulences, such as the northern part of Nigeria. Finally, (5) engage the services of Nigerians who have studied and lived in Finland