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Build a Working (or Fully Specified) AI Chatbot for a Nigerian Business

The capstone project for AI Chatbot Building for Small Businesses — a free AI & Emerging Tech course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

One shared link containing: a business description + chosen tool with reasoning; an FAQ knowledge base (8+ Q&A) and a 4+ item priced catalogue; a mapped conversation flow with a clearly specified human-handoff path; a working bot link OR a precise deploy plan; and a short test report with at least 2 improvements.

What to do, step by step

  1. Pick one real or sample Nigerian business to build a chatbot for (for example a Lagos skincare brand, an Aba fashion seller, an Abuja food vendor, a phone-accessories shop, or a small logistics startup). At the top of your submission, write 3–4 sentences describing the business, what it sells, which channel(s) it uses (e.g. WhatsApp + Instagram), and the main customer questions it gets — then state clearly which tool you chose (ManyChat, Chatbase, or Botpress) and why it fits this business.
  2. Create the FAQ and catalogue knowledge base: at least 8 question-and-answer pairs covering the core Nigerian essentials (prices/promos, delivery areas + costs + timelines, payment methods + failed-transfer steps, pay-on-delivery/returns/'is it original', opening hours/location, and how to order or track), PLUS a short product/service catalogue of at least 4 items with names, one-line descriptions, prices in naira, and availability. Keep answers short, warm, and in plain English with light Nigerian flavour.
  3. Map the conversation flow as a clear flowchart or numbered outline: the welcome message with options, the main paths (e.g. See prices, Delivery info, Place an order), the fallback for when the bot doesn't understand, and the human-handoff path. The handoff must specify exactly when the bot escalates (asks for a person, sounds upset, big/negotiated order, two failed attempts), what details it collects first, and the honest message it sends about when a human will reply (including work hours).
  4. Either build the actual bot in your chosen tool and share a working test link/number, OR if you cannot deploy live, write a precise deploy plan: which channel, the exact steps to connect it (e.g. official WhatsApp Business API via a Meta-approved provider, or a website embed snippet, or ManyChat Instagram comment-to-DM), and any costs/verification waits the client should expect.
  5. Write a short test report (5–8 lines): list at least 5 test messages you sent as a customer (including one confusing/Pidgin message and one request for a human), what the bot did, and at least 2 specific improvements you made or would make based on the results.
  6. Put everything into one clean, shareable document or live link (Google Doc, Notion, or the working bot link plus a short doc), set sharing to 'anyone with the link can view', and submit it.

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 7 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
FAQ and catalogue knowledge base is complete, realistic, Nigerian-context (prices in naira, delivery/payment specifics), with 8+ Q&A pairs and a 4+ item priced catalogue30%
Conversation flow is clearly mapped with a warm welcome, sensible paths, and a graceful fallback that never loops 'I didn't understand'20%
Human-handoff path is well-designed: clear escalation triggers, details collected first, and an honest message about when a person replies (with work hours)20%
A working bot link OR a precise, correct deploy plan (right channel, real steps, official WhatsApp API where relevant, noted costs/verification)20%
Test report shows real customer-style testing (including a confusing/Pidgin message and a human request) plus at least 2 concrete improvements, all in one tidy shareable link10%

You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish AI Chatbot Building for Small Businesses before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in AI Chatbot Building for Small Businesses is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 6 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

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Ready to earn this certificate?

AI Chatbot Building for Small Businesses is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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