The journal of a continent on the rise
Building Africa,
one entrepreneur
at a time.
Diary of an African Entrepreneur is a movement — stories, ideas, and the people building the continent's future. Watch the interviews, read the journal, and join a community that backs its own.
Hosted by Adedeji Adebusoye · Author of Scaling for Success
The mission
“There is a lot of money looking for worthy investments — but too few businesses built to receive it. We're here to change that.”
DOAE exists to rally, equip, and connect African entrepreneurs — so the next generation of businesses is built to last, scale, and matter.
Watch
Interviews with people building Africa
Validate Before You Invest :The Smartest Business Lesson Most Founders Ignore
Every year, thousands of entrepreneurs pour their savings into ideas that customers never wanted in the first place. The problem isn't passion-it is the absence of validation. In Africa, where capital is scarce and mistakes are expensive, building before testing can be the difference between growth and failure. In this episode of Diary of an African Entrepreneur, Deji Adebusoye explores why validation should come before investment and reveals why 42% of startups globally and 54% across Africa fail due to poor market validation. Drawing lessons from businesses like IROKOtv, he explains how successful founders prove demand before committing significant resources. You'll learn the three critical validation questions every entrepreneur must answer before building: 1. Is the problem real? 2. Will customers actually pay? 3. Can you deliver profitably? Whether you're launching a startup, developing a new product, or expanding into a new market, this episode offers a practical roadmap to reduce risk, conserve capital, and build something customers genuinely want. Test before you build. Validate before you invest. #AfricanEntrepreneurship #StartupValidation #BusinessStrategy #Entrepreneurship #ScaleUp #DiaryOfAnAfricanEntrepreneur #LeanStartup
How Clean Water Changed an Entire Community
What happens when a successful corporate executive walks away from a thriving career to solve one of Africa’s most pressing challenges? In this episode of Diary of an African Entrepreneur, I sit down with Osen Iyahen, Founder & CEO of Optimal Greening, to discuss her remarkable journey from leading projects at GE and ExxonMobil to transforming lives through sustainable water, sanitation, and renewable energy initiatives across Nigeria. This conversation explores the intersection of entrepreneurship, leadership, sustainability, and social impact. Osen shares how she built an organization that empowers communities with clean water while creating systems designed for long-term sustainability. She also reflects on the challenges of fundraising, leading mission-driven teams, working with governments and donors, and building solutions that genuinely improve lives. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, business leader, policymaker, nonprofit professional, investor, or someone passionate about Africa’s future, this episode offers practical insights into leading with purpose and creating lasting impact. If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and Share it with someone who believes business can be a force for good. Guest Osen Iyahen Founder & CEO, Optimal Greening Host Deji Adebusoye Author of Scaling for Success: Empowering African SMEs Partner, Sahel Capital Learn more: www.adedejiadebusoye.com Purchase Scaling for Success: Empowering African SMEs: www.adedejiadebusoye.com/book Subscribe for more conversations with Africa’s leading entrepreneurs, innovators, policymakers, and business leaders. #diaryofanafricanentrepreneur #leadership #Entrepreneurship #cleanwater #Sustainability #africanentrepreneur #Innovation #SocialImpact #communitydevelopment #BusinessLeadership #Nigeria #podcast #purposedrivenleadership
The journal
Ideas, lessons, and field notes
I Vibe-Coded My Website in 36 Hours (And I Don't Write Code)
I always thought my website was stuck in the 90s. So I sat down with Claude Code and built a new one myself, no developer, no waiting, in under 36 hours. Here's what that process actually looked like, and what it taught me about coding, thinking, and building things on your own terms.
12 Jul 2026
Should Companies aim for longevity or growth?
Context: It was just an ordinary pastry shop, about the size of a barber’s shop; I do not think there was enough room to sit and eat. This pastry shop has made me reflect and ask tough questions about the longevity of companies in Africa. The pastry shop is in Nottingham, UK, on a busy
8 Sept 2022
Get your business plan out of your head!
As I engage with several entrepreneurs, one of the recurring realisations is that they have grand plans for their companies – but alas, it’s only in their heads! If I get a dollar for each time I have met entrepreneurs with no written business plan, I would be competing with Elon Musk right now. It
28 Jul 2022The showcase
Bold businesses worth knowing
We spotlight independent African businesses — on the site and across our channels.
The book
Scaling for Success
Empowering African SMEs
A practical playbook for building African businesses that scale — why so many stall, and the systems that let the best ones grow.
₦13,000
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A community & courses for African entrepreneurs
Soon you'll be able to join a private community to share ideas, ask questions, get advice, and connect with people, resources, and opportunities — plus live classes and online courses.
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