When people talk about the ability to start a business, they often refer to having a large amount of capital, coming from a rich, powerful and influential family or friends, then having connections with people in power or working with government agencies that can save them from trouble but in reality, these factors are secondary and the business ecosystem have witnessed individuals jump these requirements yet, they were able to make a name for themselves. In this article, we will talk about some Nigerian entrepreneurs who made it against all odds.
In Nigeria, many individuals have proven that to start and scale a business, one only needs to focus on a few factors which are resilience, determination, perseverance, grit, and confidence in their ability. They proved this not through mere words but through their track records, through their results and success stories. In this article, let’s take a look at a few of these individuals;
Vincent Obianodo
Chief Vincent Amaechi Obianodo, the founder of Young Shall Grow Motors in Nigeria, has a truly inspiring rags to riches story. Vincent Obianodo’s journey began as a vulcanizer, fixing tires for customers in Kano. He later moved to managing buses for transport companies before taking the bold step of starting his own transport business in 1972 with just one mini-bus. This marked the birth of Young Shall Grow Motors. His conglomerate, YSG Group which comprises of eight companies and has become a household name in Nigeria.
Samuel Onyishi
Samuel Maduka Onyishi was born in Nsukka, Enugu State. Owing to the loss of his father in his first year in secondary school, an incident that forced him to assume the role of pseudo breadwinner for his family, consisting of his widowed mother and siblings. He contemplated tearing his certificate, since education seemed to mean nothing then given his reality but an encounter with a kinsman a few years later made him change his view about education, he returned to school later in life. It was during his university education that, in 1994, the Founder of Peace Group of companies, started his transportation business with 2 buses which has now grown to about 4,000 buses which we now know today as Peace Mass Transit.
Cosmas Maduka
Cosmas Maduka’s entrepreneurial journey began with determination and hard work. Born into a humble background, he pursued his passion for business, driven by a vision to succeed. He started as a car apprentice, he even slept on shop floors. After working various jobs, Maduka founded Coscharis Group, nurturing it into a thriving enterprise. Through strategic leadership and innovative thinking, Maduka expanded his company’s reach, fostering growth and success.
Linda Ikeji
Linda Ikeji started writing at age 10 and dreamed of becoming a journalist.To support herself through the University of Lagos, where she studied English, Linda took on various side jobs. She worked as a waitress, model, and even tried freelance writing. Despite these efforts, money was still out of reach, she often visited cyber cafés to type and submit job applications or write stories since she couldn’t afford a personal computer or internet access.
In 2006, Linda began blogging as a hobby. She used a free platform and shared stories about Nigerian celebrities, entertainment news, and her personal views. Initially, people criticized her and looked down on blogging as a “gossip business”. She was ridiculed, and many advertisers didn’t take her seriously but Linda persevered. She consistently posted engaging, often controversial, content that gradually attracted a large audience. Her blog soon became one of the most visited websites in Nigeria, drawing millions of daily readers.
Kennedy Okonkwo
Kennedy Okonkwo faced hardships early in life. After the death of his father, he experienced homelessness, even sleeping under bridges in Lagos. Despite these challenges, he pursued education diligently and in 2007, with no initial capital, Kennedy founded Nedcomoaks Limited, a real estate company focused on providing affordable housing solutions in Nigeria. Under his leadership, Nedcomoaks has developed several residential projects, including the Victoria Crest Estates, contributing significantly to addressing Nigeria’s housing deficit.
Adewale Yusuf
He was born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria but faced financial constraints that prevented him from pursuing tertiary education. At the age of 17, with just 1,000 Naira in his pocket, he left home to chase his dreams in tech. To make ends meet, he began repairing phones, which sparked his interest in technology. Instead of using his earnings to fund formal education, he invested in a laptop and taught himself programming and coding.
In 2015, Adewale founded Techpoint Africa, a digital media company dedicated to telling the stories of African startups and innovations. Seeing the need to bridge the talent gap in the tech industry, Adewale co-founded TalentQL in 2020, a platform that focuses on hiring, developing, and managing remote tech talent for global companies. Then in 2021, he launched AltSchool Africa, an edtech platform.
Leo Stan Ekeh
Initially aspiring to own Nigeria’s largest transport company, Leo Stan Ekeh’s ambitions shifted towards technology. His entrepreneurial journey began with the founding of Task Systems Limited in 1987.This wasn’t a smooth journey for him as he had to face business struggles and challenges. In 2001, he established Zinox Technologies Limited, launching Nigeria’s first internationally certified computer brand.Then in 2018, Zinox Group acquired Konga, one of Nigeria’s leading e-commerce platforms, expanding its footprint in the digital economy.
Sijibomi Ogundele
Sijibomi Ogundele is a Nigerian entrepreneur who transformed his life from humble beginnings in Agege, Lagos, to becoming a leading figure in Africa’s luxury real estate sector. From a young age, he was exposed to the challenges of his environment, which fueled his ambition to succeed.
Sijibomi’s entrepreneurial journey began early; at age 8, he started a motorcycle (Okada) business, expanding from one to six motorcycles despite his parents’ initial disapproval. His experiences assisting his mother in Oke Arin market and observing enterprising traders shaped his business acumen.
In 2013, he founded Sujimoto Construction, focusing on luxury real estate development. The company has been responsible for several high-profile projects.Today, Sujimoto Group has expanded its presence beyond Nigeria, with offices in Dubai, Paris, Accra, Madrid, and New York City.
Cletus Ibeto
Ibeto aspired to pursue formal education like his elder brothers. However, at the age of 13, his father decided that he should learn a trade, a common practice among Igbo families till this day. Ibeto immersed himself in the trade, acquiring valuable skills in sourcing, logistics, and customer service. His apprenticeship was interrupted by the Nigerian Civil War, during which he served in the Biafran Army. After the war, he returned to the auto parts business, determined to succeed.
For his first entrepreneurial experience, Ibeto established the Ibeto Brothers Trading Company in 1970, focusing on importing auto spare parts. After noticing the limitations of importation, Ibeto ventured into manufacturing. In 1988, he ceased direct importation of lead acid automotive batteries and plastic motor accessories. For the sake of diversification, Ibeto established Ibeto Petrochemical Industries Ltd. in 1996, focusing on blending oil lubricants and producing various petroleum products. In the early 2000s, he ventured into cement manufacturing, with a cement Terminal located at Port Harcourt but in 2005, the cement operations got suspended by the Federal government.
Innocent Chukwuma
Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma is a prominent entrepreneur and industrialist. He is best known as the founder and CEO of Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM), Nigeria’s first indigenous automobile manufacturing company. Innocent Chukwuma aspired to study engineering at the university. However, he did not meet the required cutoff mark for admission. While awaiting the next opportunity, he assisted his elder brother, Gabriel, in his medicine store. This experience sparked his interest in trading and business.
In 1979, Chukwuma began an apprenticeship under a leading motorcycle parts dealer. By 1980, he established his own business, Gabros International, with financial support from his brother. The company initially focused on trading spare parts and later expanded into importing motorcycles.To reduce costs, Chukwuma started importing disassembled motorcycles, assembling them locally, which made them more affordable for Nigerian consumers.
He recognised the importance of local manufacturing and founded Innoson Nigeria Limited in 1981, specializing in producing motorcycles, tricycles, and spare parts. He later established Innoson Technical & Industrial Company Ltd in Enugu, focusing on manufacturing plastics and other industrial products. In 2007, he launched Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing, aiming to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported vehicles.
Conclusion
From these stories, we can agree that starting a business goes beyond large capital or support from families and individuals. Being a successful business owner is very difficult, especially in a country like Nigeria but with the qualities and values these men and women have displayed, there’s always a possibility for you or anyone as long as you don’t give up in what you believe in.
