Nigeria, the giant of Africa, is home to many successful businessmen and entrepreneurs. Today, these entrepreneurs are celebrated home and abroad for their achievements and exploits in the business sector.
However, some of these people were not born rich, some of them went through hardship before their lives turned around. If you are looking for a guide on Nigeria’s most successful entrepreneurs, look no further because we have already prepared a guide on the top list of entrepreneurs in Nigeria for you.
Top Entrepreneurs In Nigeria
In no particular order, here are the top entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
1. Aliko Dangote
It is no surprise to find Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s name on this list. Being the richest man in Africa, the Kano-state businessman tops the list of the most successful entrepreneurs in Nigeria. Over the last decade, Dangote has dominated the business sector in Nigeria. His company, Dangote Group is Africa’s largest sugar and cement producer which makes it the biggest business conglomerate in West Africa and one of the biggest in the African continent.
Dangote’s uncle gave him a head start in life after giving him a loan of N500,000 to start his business. At this time of writing, Dangote is the richest black man in the world with a net worth of $10.1 billion (Forbes).
2. Mike Adenuga
Next on the list is Chief Michael Ishola Adenuga. Mike Adenuga is one of the successful businessmen in Nigeria. Together with Aliko Dangote, Mike Adenuga has dominated the Nigerian business sector over the last 3 decades.
Mike Adenuga was born on the 29th of April 1953 in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. He has interests in various business sectors including food production, banking, telecommunication, oil & gas and more. He is the owner of Globacom, Conoil and a host of other companies in Nigeria. As at March 2020, he was listed by Forbes as the 2nd richest man in Nigeria and the 3rd richest person in Africa with a staggering net worth of over $7.7 billion.
3. Femi Otedola
Femi Otedola is a Nigerian businessman, philanthropist and entrepreneur. He is also the son of a former Lagos State governor, Michael Otedola.
Femi Otedola is a super entrepreneur in Nigeria as he has investments in finance, petroleum, real estate, consumer goods and more. He is the founder of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited, the chairman of Forte Oil and the owner of numerous businesses across Nigeria.
4. Folorunso Alakija
Arguably the most powerful businesswoman in Nigeria, Folorunsho Alakija is indeed one of the most successful entrepreneurs in Nigeria. The billionaire businesswoman is the vice-chair of Famfa Oil, a Nigerian oil company with a stake in Agbami Oilfield.
She is ranked as the richest woman in Nigeria and the second richest woman in Africa with a net worth of over $1billion.
5. Tony Elumelu
Born on 22nd March 1963, Tony Elemelu is a Nigerian entrepreneur, economist and philanthropist. He is the chairman of Heirs Holdings, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and he also has a stake in MTN. His philanthropic arm, Tony Elumelu Foundation has provided grants and supports to budding and young entrepreneurs in Africa.
6. Jim Ovia
Jim Ovia is a Nigerian businessman, banker and founder of Zenith Bank plc. He started the bank in 1980 and today, Zenith Bank is one of the biggest commercial banks in Nigeria. At a point in time, he has a telecom company, Visafone Communications Ltd which has been acquired by MTN.
Jim Ovia is one of Nigeria’s successful entrepreneurs, he has investments in telecommunication, real estate, finance, banking etc.