Femi Otedola, the Nigerian billionaire and philanthropist whose business empire spans energy, finance, has become Amazon’s no 1 best-selling author in the Business category.
His memoir, Making It Big: Lessons from a Life in Business, released on August 18, 2025, has climbed to the No. 1 spot in Amazon’s “Starting a Business” category and is among the top titles in the “Business Biographies & Memoirs” list.
Otedola’s book surpasses other titles in the category, such as Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life, Simon Squibb’s What’s Your Dream? and Blake Masters’ Zero to One: Notes on Start Ups, or How to Build the Future.
These books are widely recognized in the entrepreneurship and business development space, highlighting the significance of Otedola’s early success on the platform.
What we know
Amazon’s Best Sellers rankings, updated frequently based on sales, track the most popular products across a range of categories. Otedola’s ascent to the top reflects growing interest in personal business narratives from African entrepreneurs, particularly those offering insights into both local and international markets.
Additional entries in the top ten include Cal Newport’s Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout, Phil Knight’s Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike, and Alex Hormozi’s $100M Offers: How to Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No.
Otedola, whose business ventures span the energy, finance, and investment sectors, joins a growing list of African business figures sharing their personal experiences through published memoirs. His book’s early success signals strong international interest in stories of African entrepreneurship and offers practical insights for aspiring business leaders.
Backstory
About 48 hours after its release, Nairametrics reported that the book had climbed to No. 3 on Amazon’s business memoir rankings, reflecting robust early sales.
The memoir, available in paperback for £14.99 and in digital formats, positions itself competitively alongside other leading titles in the category.
- The early success of Making It Big highlights increasing interest in narratives from African business leaders, offering both personal insights and practical lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs.
- Otedola, whose ventures span energy, finance, and infrastructure, provides readers with a window into his experiences building and managing a diverse business portfolio.
By joining the ranks of international business authors, Otedola demonstrates the global demand for African entrepreneurial stories. His memoir’s performance also signals a potential shift in reader interest toward business narratives that combine personal memoir with practical advice, reinforcing the growing prominence of African voices in the global business literature market.
