07/09/2025
Think Think and Think on this!!!
We that have business in Nigeria need help.
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This is a story of two entrepreneurs, both of Nigerian origin, but on very different paths. One is in his 40s, the other in his 20s. One returned to Nigeria after international exposure to run a business, while the other built his enterprise in the United States.
Demola took over a company that had lost $1 billion. He went to a U.S. court, declared bankruptcy, and the debt was wiped clean. Within a year, he revitalized Red Lobster, steering it back toward profitability. Today, he graces magazine covers and appears on major U.S. television networks, celebrated as a comeback story.
On the other hand, Sijumotor’s business lost less than $50 million, yet he faces a very different reality. Instead of being supported, he is declared wanted in Nigeria on an anti-corruption case still in court. His name is dragged through headlines, not for revival, but for allegations.
Many mock him for breaking down emotionally, but as my village people say: “It is he that hasn’t seen war that calls himself a man.” Pressure wears differently when it lingers for years. I visited Sijumotor during my recent stay in Nigeria after hearing about his struggles. Though we had never met before, being in the same industry connected us. After listening to his story, I who came to encourage him also left encouraged. We prayed together, believing the worst was behind him.
His challenges are real. A project meant for two years has stretched into five, with costs tripled. Nigeria’s liquidity crisis makes funding impossible—banks favor politicians over entrepreneurs, and interest rates suffocate businesses. To make matters worse, 80% of his materials are imported because he is into luxury business , exposing him to harsher economic shocks. Meanwhile, in Nigeria, influencers with a phone and ring light are celebrated while genuine entrepreneurs are dismissed.
Who did this to us?
You would have seen my face on all law enforcement if I didn’t listen to go and expand to dubai and now US, I left housing development alone and only bought land and move like snail on building houses in Nigeria , with that, we still have our own challenges.
Siju will be fine. Not only will he overcome, but one day he will write his own version of Otedola’s *Making It Big*. Yet, we must reflect: why are industries dying in Nigeria? Why are factories shutting down and being bought by churches? Not all entrepreneurs in Nigeria are thieves—something is fundamentally broken. This is why, in 2016, I began pursuing global expansion. By 2020, I relocated to Dubai, and today I live in the U.S. as our business has grown internationally. I saw this crisis coming, and it will only get worse.
To those mocking Siju, remember: tough times don’t last, but tough people do. I’ve only met him once, but I can tell you business in Nigeria is brutal. No matter what you read, the truth is frightening. I pray for him and believe he will pull through.
Younger entrepreneurs, hear this: you cannot build a great business without challenges. Any military general without scars is fake—the stars of generals are born from scars. You dream of becoming a Dangote or Otedola, yet you don’t want to endure their battles. Expansion comes with storms. I tell those close to me: ignore rumors about me or our business. We run with integrity, but integrity didn’t save Joseph in the Bible from the pit, slavery, or prison. Yet none of these stopped him from reaching the palace. You cannot dream of the palace without the pit—it’s all part of the package.
If Africa’s richest man can be dragged publicly, who won’t be? Focus on your business. In the end, when you celebrate your children’s weddings abroad, critics will still analyze with their phones and ring lights. You cannot be both a player and a spectator. Face your business.
God bless you all.
Dr. Stephen Akintayo
