See 10 Powerful Books written by top Nigerian business owners  

Nigeria, which currently records a GDP growth of less than 5%, has housed some of the most resilient business minds on the African continent.

In spite of a depreciating naira, forex instability, inflationary surges, and the knock-on effects of global economic and political tensions, Nigerian entrepreneurs continue to build, adapt, and scale.

Their stories are not just found in boardrooms or earnings reports they are also documented in the books they write.

This list examines ten books written by Nigerian business owners whose companies have contributed meaningfully to the nation’s multibillion -dollar economy across industries, from fintech and transport to manufacturing, trade, and enterprise development.

These works are not just memoirs or motivational texts; they are grounded playbooks, written amidst economic turbulence and growth spurts, offering deep insight into navigating Nigeria’s business terrain.

In no order of ranking, and with a methodology anchored in business impact and sectoral contribution over the last decade, this selection celebrates books that merge storytelling with strategy.

They serve as blueprints for aspirants and reflections for peers, capturing what it truly means to build and thrive in Nigeria’s volatile, vibrant economy.

Making it Big: Lessons From A Life in Business

• Author: Femi Otedola, Chairman FBNH
• Publication date: August 18, 2025

Femi Otedola is a Nigerian billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist with a career spanning commodity trading, petroleum, power, and finance.

Otedola is known for his bold, strategic plays and has consistently leveraged timing and influence to reshape markets and boardrooms. His forthcoming memoir, “Making It Big”, is expected to chronicle the key decisions, principles, and turning points in his business journey.

He is best known as the founder of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd, which he established in 2003. Zenon quickly rose to prominence as a dominant force in Nigeria’s downstream oil sector, supplying diesel to major manufacturers and large-scale industries nationwide.

Before Zenon, Otedola had already built his wealth through trading and investments, showing early signs of business acumen from childhood running a manicure business under the name FEMCO at just six years old. That entrepreneurial spirit laid the foundation for his later success.

Beyond oil, he expanded into shipping, real estate, and financial services, taking on key leadership roles including as chairman of Forte Oil Plc, which he later restructured and sold. In recent years, he has made high-profile investments in Nigeria’s banking sector, including First Bank Holdings, where he became a significant shareholder.

Entrepreneurship The Slot Way: Succeeding in a Tough Business Environment

• Author: Nnamdi Ezeigbo

• Published: 2020

Nnamdi Ezeigbo is a Nigerian entrepreneur who turned a simple computer repair hustle into SLOT Systems Limited, one of the most successful phone and tech retail chains in the country. From a shared corner in a Lagos bookshop, he built a brand trusted for quality mobile phones, gadgets, and accessories now with over 70 outlets nationwide.

He’s also one of the minds behind Tecno Mobile, a brand that changed the game by making affordable smartphones widely available in Nigeria.

His book, Entrepreneurship the SLOT Way, is filled with real stories and practical lessons. Ezeigbo wrote about the wins, the mistakes, and what it truly takes to grow a business in a tough economy. He draws a clear line between chasing quick money and building something meaningful something that lasts.

Ezeigbo studied engineering at Yaba College of Technology and Lagos State University, and later earned a Master’s degree in Information Technology. He also completed an executive business program at Lagos Business School and trained further at Harvard. Through the Ezeigbo SLOT Foundation, he has helped thousands of young Nigerians gain skills and start careers in tech and business.

Start Small, Scale Big

• Author: Abimbola Balogun, Co-founder So Fresh
• Published: 2023

Abimbola Balogun is a seasoned entrepreneur, HR consultant, and business coach who has made a remarkable impact in Nigeria’s retail and SME ecosystem.

She is the co-founder alongside her husband(Goke Balogun) and Chief People Officer at So Fresh Neighbourhood Market, Nigeria’s pioneer and leading healthy food chain, which has grown from a single outlet in 2010 to over 15 locations nationwide.

In 2023, she authored the book Start Small, Scale Big, a practical business guide tailored for African entrepreneurs. The book draws on her real-life experience growing So Fresh into a multi-million dollar business and offers actionable insights on structuring and scaling sustainable ventures. Within its first 10 days, it sold over 500 copies.

With a workforce of 150+ and over 500 direct and indirect jobs created, Abimbola has played a crucial role in shaping the company’s human capital strategy and brand culture. She is also the Principal Consultant at AB Moore Consulting, where she helps African SMEs build efficient teams and scalable business structures.

A member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Abimbola has trained over 2,000 entrepreneurs and built a community of 25,000+ founders. Her work continues to empower leaders to build visionary, high-performing teams.

Nigeria Corporate Stories: Tales of Nigerian Boardroom Wins and Losses, Vol. 1

• Author: Ugo Obi-Chukwu, Founder Nairametrics

• Published: Dec 5 2024

Ugo Obi-Chukwu is a leading financial analyst, publisher, and the founder of Nairametrics, Nigeria’s most influential finance media platform.

In 2024, Ugo authored Nigeria Corporate Stories: Tales of Nigerian Boardroom Wins and Losses, Vol. 1, a compelling collection of six real-life corporate sagas that reveal the inner workings, rivalries, and turning points behind some of Nigeria’s most iconic companies.

Published under Nairametrics Financial Advocates, the book documents gripping narratives from the rise and fall of HiTV to Dangote’s dramatic exit from his flour business and the high-stakes boardroom battles at UBA, Oando, and EKO Hospital. The book is a landmark contribution to business literature in Nigeria, offering valuable lessons in governance, strategy, and ambition.

A chartered accountant and former corporate finance professional, Ugo has become one of Nigeria’s foremost voices on economic policy, corporate finance, and capital markets. Through Nairametrics, he has championed financial literacy, delivering deep, data-driven insights on personal finance, macroeconomics, and business strategy to a fast-growing audience of professionals, investors, and entrepreneurs.

Ugo continues to shape the national conversation around business and economic development, helping Nigerians understand the forces shaping the markets and decisions that affect everyday life.

How To Sell To Nigerians

• Author: Akinola Alabi, Founder NairaBET

• Published: 2021

Akinola Adekunle Alabi is a Nigerian entrepreneur, lawmaker, and business strategist. He is the founder of NairaBET, Nigeria’s first-ever online sports betting platform, and the owner of Lekki United FC, a football club based in Lagos. In 2019, he transitioned into public service and has since represented Egbeda/Ona Ara Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

Akin Alabi served in the 9th National Assembly and currently holds office in the 10th, where he chairs the House Committee on Works. Known for his legislative activism, he has sponsored and co-sponsored numerous bills and motions aimed at infrastructure development and youth empowerment.

Beyond politics and sports, Akin Alabi is a celebrated author and marketing expert. His bestselling book, How To Sell To Nigerians, offers practical, street-smart advice on consumer behavior and sales psychology tailored to the Nigerian market.

Released in 2021, the book distills years of entrepreneurial experience into actionable strategies from handling demanding customers to crafting compelling sales messages.

Vantage

• Author: Olumide Soyombo

• Published: September 11, 2023

In August, Olumide Soyombo, co-founder of Bluechip Technologies and founder of Voltron Capital, officially unveiled his business memoir titled “Vantage” at a launch event in Lagos. The book, structured in three parts, offers a deep, personal narrative of his early beginnings, entrepreneurial journey, and the hard-earned insights he has gathered as one of the most active investors in Africa’s startup scene.

The core of Vantage lies in this theme: long-term thinking, stewardship, and the patience to build something truly meaningful.

Olumide Soyombo is a Nigerian tech entrepreneur, investor, and venture capitalist best known as the co-founder of Bluechip Technologies, a leading enterprise solutions company he launched in 2008 with Kazeem Tewogbade. The company provides data warehousing and analytics services to major banks, telecoms, and multinationals across Africa and Europe.

In 2014, he ventured into angel investing and has since become one of Nigeria’s most prolific early-stage investors. He has backed over 60 African startups, including Paystack, PiggyVest, Mono, and TeamApt many of which have grown into market leaders.

In 2021, Soyombo co-founded Voltron Capital, a Pan-African venture capital firm focused on early-stage investments. Through Voltron, he supports tech startups across Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, and North Africa, helping them scale with capital and strategic guidance.

Who Says You Can’t?

• Author: Frank Nneji

• Published: October 12, 2020

Frank Nneji is a pioneering Nigerian entrepreneur and transportation mogul, best known as the Founder and CEO of Associated Bus Company (ABC) Transport Plc the first transport company in Nigeria to be listed as a Public Limited Company.

In 2020, he published Who Says You Can’t?: Timeless Lessons and Experiences in Business, a reflective and instructive memoir where he shared pivotal moments and entrepreneurial insights from building one of West Africa’s most recognized transport brands. Through his candid storytelling, Nneji invites aspiring business owners to step out of their comfort zones and defy limitations.

A visionary businessman, Nneji began his entrepreneurial journey in 1983 with the founding of Rapido Ventures, shortly after completing his NYSC. He secured his first major break by supplying whiteboards to FUTO, using the proceeds to fund further ventures. In 1991, with a N1.5 million loan from Diamond Bank, he launched ABC Transport with five leased buses. By 1993, the company was fully established and had revolutionized intercity and West African luxury transport.

Beyond ABC, he chairs multiple companies including Rapido Foods Ltd, Transit Support Services, and Mayfair Suites, making him one of the largest private employers in Imo State and a key player in Nigeria’s tourism and logistics sectors.

Africa Arise and Shine

• Author: Jim Ovia, Founder Zenith Bank

• Published: 2019

Jim Ovia is a pioneering Nigerian banker, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, best known as the founder and chairman of Zenith Bank. Nicknamed the “Godfather of Banking” by Forbes Africa, Ovia is credited with helping redefine the Nigerian banking sector, pushing the boundaries of what African financial institutions could achieve.

In his book, Africa, Rise and Shine, Ovia reflects on the values, decisions, and defining moments that shaped his career. Part memoir, part business guide, the book offers a deeply personal look into his rise and the principles that fueled his journey courage, discipline, innovation, and an unwavering belief in what’s possible on African soil. It serves as both an inspirational read and a practical roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Starting the bank in 1990 with just $4 million in shareholders’ funds, Ovia led it through decades of political upheaval and economic uncertainty, transforming it into a banking powerhouse with over $16 billion in assets and a presence across Nigeria, the UK, China, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and the UAE.

Under his leadership, Zenith Bank became a symbol of corporate excellence, including a $850 million Global Depository Receipt listing on the London Stock Exchange in 2013, and a $500 million Eurobond issued in 2017, which was four times oversubscribed.

Leaving the Tarmac: Buying a Bank in Africa

• Author: Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman Access bank

• Published: 2020

Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede is a renowned Nigerian banker, investor, and philanthropist who played a pivotal role in reshaping Nigeria’s financial landscape. In 2002, he became the Managing Director and CEO of Access Bank, and alongside his longtime partner, now late Herbert Wigwe, transformed it from one of the smallest, crisis-prone banks in the country into one of Nigeria’s top five financial institutions.

His memoir, Leaving the Tarmac: Buying a Bank in Africa, is both a gripping narrative and a practical guide. It recounts, with raw honesty, how he and his team navigated Nigeria’s volatile financial system to build a sustainable, world-class bank. The book serves as a blueprint for building businesses in emerging markets, covering everything from team-building and leadership to risk management and execution in high-stakes environments.

Beyond banking, Aig-Imoukhuede has made lasting contributions to financial reform, sustainability, and governance in Nigeria. He led the introduction of the Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles in 2012 and chaired the Presidential Committee on Fuel Subsidies, helping uncover and prevent billions of dollars in fraudulent subsidy claims.

He also served as the founding chairman of FMDQ Securities Exchange and was elected president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 2013. His influence extends to global health and development he has co-chaired GBCHealth since 2011, co-founded the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria, and helped launch the Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund under Global Citizen Nigeria.

The ‘Girls’ in The BoardRoom

• Author: Ibukun Awosika, Founder, the Chair Centre Group

• Published: June 29, 2021

Ibukun Awosika is a powerful Nigerian entrepreneur, corporate leader, and advocate for social impact. She is the Founder and CEO of The Chair Centre Group, a renowned furniture manufacturing company in Nigeria.

In her book, The ‘Girls’ in The BoardRoom, Awosika celebrates women who have shattered barriers to earn their seats in leadership. She shares their stories of grit, resilience, and determination not just to inspire, but to equip more women with the tools and courage to ascend the career ladder.

The book mirrors her lifelong mission to elevate women in leadership and to change the narrative around gender representation in boardrooms.

bukun broke new ground as the first female Chairperson of First Bank of Nigeria, one of the country’s oldest and largest financial institutions.

Her academic journey began with a degree in Chemistry from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), followed by executive education at Lagos Business School, IESE Business School in Spain, Wharton, and CEIBS.

Beyond the corporate space, Ibukun is deeply committed to nation-building and service. She co-founded and chaired Women in Business, Management and Public Service (WIMBIZ) and also established the Christian Missionary Fund, which supports hundreds of missionaries across Nigeria with medical, educational, and livelihood resources.

Her outstanding contributions have earned her multiple accolades, including being the first Nigerian to receive the International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC) award, nominated by the U.S. Department of State in 2008.