Gone are the days when the life of women is spend in the kitchen, they have no voice and they are not expected to contribute anything to the society.
Thanks to today development and the successful women who show other that it is possible to make impact in their life.
They let them know that it is enough keeping their dream for the sake of family goal or progress, who say you can’t develop your family and still have a say in society, build things that will be remember forever.
This article is on the successful female entrepreneur in Nigeria that raise the voice of other women, they take the lead and show us that female can also own and build company, in fact some are ploughing the field of man dominating industry like tech industry and oil and gas industry.
How they do it, what they produce that shoots them to the top, you will see everything clearly in this article.
Successful female entrepreneur in Nigeria
Folorunsho Alakija
The first on our list of the most successful female entrepreneur in Nigeria is Folounsho Alakija a beautiful and endowed lady. Unlike what many thought, Folorunsho did not started form grace to grace in fact she started form grace to grace she started with a secretary job, save money and use the money to invest in tailoring company.
After a while an opportunity open in oil and gas, government pass a bill that allow individual to own and drill oil, been equip with business knowledge Folrunsho Alakija gather capital and started oil business. She meets some people and they form Famfa oil company which she own 60% of the equity.
Folorunsho Alakija is the richest woman in Africa and she has once unseat Oprah Winfrey as the richest in the world in 2014 and she currently worth $1.9 billon
Company: Famfa oil
Hajia Bola Shagaya
Hajia Bola Shagaya worked in audit department of Central Bank of Nigeria for some time before she embraced entrepreneur.
She venture into many business and when the opportunity of oil and gas came knocking she embraced it not letting it go.
Together with some other entrepreneur she form Practoil limited an oil company that deal with importing and distribution oil. 80% of her riches is attributed to oil and gas
Company: Practoil
Dr. Stela Chinyere Okoli
Do you know Emzor Paracetamol I’m sure you have use it at one time or the other? The brain behind it is Dr. Stela, she is a lovey person who took everything she has to pursue her dream of producing effective and affordable drug to the citizen and this she achieved well. She is currently worth $500 million naira.
Company: Emzor Parcetamor
Net worth: $500 million
Ruth Obih
Ruth is a lawyer who ventures into real estate. She tap from her tech background to develop real estate company called 3invest a company that connect investor agent and occupier together, a feat which has been expected for long in real estate industry in Nigeria.
This feat did not go unnoticed she was awarded by national youth economic council as the aspiring business person in 2012
Company: 3Invest
Elizabeth Kperun
Elizabeth kperun is a tech startup founder. She founded Afrotalez to preserve the Nigeria tale and story. She see story telling as way to mold children, a child who listen to good and bad story of folklore tend to live better than those that did not and the evidence could been seen in the lives of more the so called modern children
Her entrepreneur endeavor has been notice many times through the following awards
Entrepreneur of the year 2012 by the future
Outstanding CEO of the year 2013 by Newsdirect
Halt in Africa 2012 this day award
Company: Afrotalez
Bimbo Alase
The next on our list of successful female entrepreneur in Nigeria is Bimbo Alase, unlike other female entrepreneur on our list she did not rise with oil or bank instead she venture into what male do most which is furniture, yes she sell furniture.
In the beginning it was just a small shop, but she proved to be knowledgeable entrepreneur as she pumped back whatever r revenue she made into the business and this make it one of the best furniture company we have in Nigeria.
She registered the business name as Leatherworld furniture and guess what, she worth $400 million.
Company: Leatherworld
Bilikis Adebiyi Abiola
Bilikis is a software engineer and entrepreneur. She founded Wecycler a company that recycle waste into product and not only that, they pay community or individual that supplies the waste, imagine collecting money for waste, Bilikis made it possible and this has put a lot of sum into payroll of the company.
Bilikis idea of Wecycler was born when she was still learning while in MIT during normal class project work
Company: Wecycler
Yasmin Belo Osagie
Yasmin is a cofounder of she lead Africa a social enterprise that help female entrepreneur to set their feet in the entrepreneur environment.
She Lead provides knowledge guidance and fund needed to build a successful business.
At the time of writing his article Yasmin is 26 years old, she studied history and finance in Princeton university
Dr. Ola Orekunrin
Olamide Orekunrin is a doctor as well as a pilot. She received most of her education in England and when she graduated she made a visit to Nigeria but was disappointed to see the health sector in shamble.
She would have love to tackle everything head one but it will be a waste of resources so she chose the emergency health problem, been a trainee pilot and medical doctor she quickly put everything together and proposed a Flying doctor, she and her team will rescue anybody in a place where vehicle cannot reach or in critical health situation.
The idea was a success as many people who are a victim of road accident, pregnant women who need emergency attention was saved. Flying doctor brings her to limelight and glory; she is currently a ted talk fellow.
Company: Flying Doctor
Fifi Ejindu
Fifi Ejindu is an architecture turn businesswoman. She is a strong woman perhaps due to ruggedness of architectural work; I could remember my friend complains every time he got home after their course day.
She build her business around architect and her business model is to use new material to build new building but with traditional style which I call classic style. She has made name for herself as the founder of starcrest Group of companies.
Company: Starcrest Group
Linda Ikeji
If the list is most popular female entrepreneur in Nigeria, Linda Ikeji will probably be in the first or second position.
She is a well-known blogger who amass her wealth through gossip. Linda Ikeji picked up blogging when the name is not even common and this set her as an authority in the Nigeria blogosphere.
She has also made name for herself and her net worth is in millions of dollar.
Company: Linda Ikeji blog
Tara Fela Durotoye
Tara Fela Durotoye is a lawyer and makeup artist but I’m sure she can’t remember when last she practice her profession, her passion for makeup has snatch her from law.
She founded many companies in makeup industry which are house of Tara International, Tara Oreklewa Beauty Range, Inspired perfume, the hip beauty, out of this companies the most common and the one that brought her into lime light is Tara care foundation.
Tara care foundation is a popular make up brand in Nigeria, they charge premium price for their quality make up. In short it has celebrity has customer
Company: Tara care foundation
Uche Eze Pedro
I’m sure you would have heard the name Bella Naija, the founder and CEO of that company is Uche Eze Pedro.
She founded Bella Naija for the purpose of providing news and entertainment to Nigerian and this she is doing well as the site is one of the top 20 most visit website in Nigeria .
Compnay: Bella Naija
Olajumoke Adenowo
Olajumoke is an architect, entrepreneur and as well as speaker. She founded Boutique architect when she was just 26 years old and since then she continue to climb the lather of success as she was recognize as Africa Starchitect by CNN and Guardian as the face of Architect in Nigeria.
Company: Boutique architect
Betty Irabor
Betty Irbaor also started form little beginning she started as freelance writer for Thisday and Vanguard newspaper.
After saving for many years, she moved to launch her dream project which is Genevieve Magazine, a magazine that shows fashion and news.
Before she know it the magazine gain popularity and this brought her to lime light.
Betty is also a caring woman who has been given back to society through her cancer foundation called Genevieve Oinkball.
Company: Genevieve Magazine
Mo Abdu
Mo Abdu started as human resource management, but notice that she want more out of life so she change her career path and moved to TV show, broadcasting, content production and this is where she found fortune and success, currently she is one of the strong hold in Nigeria broadcasting industry.
How these female entrepreneur succeed
Doing business in Nigeria is tough for men not to talk of female who many Nigerian believes should be in the kitchen, but some female did not let that stereotype hamper their entrepreneur journey and this is how they did it.
Consistency
The first attribute/skill to have in business is consistency, it is not that this people did not see problem or at one point or the other they don’t wish to quit, they sure do, but they keep going in face of difficulties.
For instance Dr. Ola Orekurnin when she was building her business got to a stage that she was broke, this is a person that come from well to do background, the startup has drawn every last kobo in her pulse, thanks to investors that save her company.
You will also see problem but once you are consistent you will surely overcome it.
Take the bold step
Unlike you that have successful female entrepreneur in Nigeria to look up to, most of the people listed above did not have that chance, they just launch and daring whatever might come.
You will also get into that situation where you have no one to look up to, you just need to take faith and make that decision.
Love what you do
Entrepreneur is hard; if you don’t still love what you do where do you want to take solace when everything go awry which will surely do.
Don’t engage in a business because you want to make money from it, you will make no money if you do because you won’t have your customer problem at heart.
Chose business that you love to do and that provide solution to people’s problem.
Have a social goal
Combining social goal with your business will give you sense of purpose, sometime when the revenue is not coming as you expect, it is the good will message of people you are helping that will give you courage to proceed.
Understand your business
Most of the female entrepreneurs that were listed above understand their business back to back, they did not jump into it. Whatever industry you will like to enter, start reading material on that industry, to further boost your knowledge work under someone for two to three years.
Work hard
Haa, I don’t need to tell you this but I will, entrepreneur is not a fun place (can be fun sometime) it is where you work and work.
Before you hire staff you will be doing 100% of the work which means less sleep hour. In short be ready to work.
Conclusion
Above is the list of successful female entrepreneur in Nigeria, as you read I will urge you to keep the lesson in your memory, you will surely need it.
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