The checklist that actually matters
- Works offline / on-premise. If it dies when NEPA or the network drops, it dies during your busiest hours. It should run on a small computer inside the hotel and sync later.
- Cash and transfer first. Most guests pay cash or bank transfer. The system must track drawers, floats, counts and transfer confirmations, not just card terminals.
- Simple for staff. Big buttons, one job per screen, check-in in under a minute on a cheap phone. Complex software just does not get used.
- Naira pricing. Software billed in dollars is unpredictable and often unaffordable at current exchange rates.
- Stops leakage, not just records it. Most systems only store what staff type. The valuable ones check that against reality: door locks, cameras and stock counts.
Why international systems struggle here
Global hotel software assumes stable power and internet, card-paying guests, and trained front desk teams, and it prices in foreign currency. That is the wrong set of assumptions for most Nigerian hotels, which is why offline-first, cash-first, naira-priced local tools fit better.
Where NaijaStay fits
NaijaStay is built around this exact checklist and adds the piece most software skips: anti-leakage reconciliation. Every room-night, every bar sale and every cash drawer is recorded, and the system flags when the books disagree with the door locks, cameras and stock counts, so ghost rooms, own-drink sales and cash shortfalls surface automatically.