The journal
Articles
Ideas, lessons, and field notes on building and scaling businesses in Africa.
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 2022
Growth Is a Mindset – Plus a Dose of Action!
Most entrepreneurs usually have a reason for being. Whether conceived or imposed upon them, there is always a motive for existing. Some entrepreneurs lost their jobs and needed a means of income. Some left their jobs to satisfy the entrepreneurial FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). Some are born entreprene
19 Jul 2022
Entrepreneurs, Stay with Your Businesses!
In 2014, my wife and I walked into a popular restaurant on Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria, and it was buzzing with activities. The servers moved briskly across the tables, collecting orders, noting them on small notepads, and routing the orders to the kitchen—no sophisticated technologies. The re
14 Jul 2022
A Tale of Two Hotels: How Not To Engage Your Customers
I travelled to Kano city, a major commercial city in northern Nigeria. I have consistently visited Kano since 2008 when I worked with Procter & Gamble. My most frequent visits to Kano, however, are in my current role. I represented my firm on the board of a company that our fund invested in. Before
3 Jul 2022
Japanese “Shinises”: The Art of Staying in Business
In the age where company longevity has reduced dramatically, it is no surprise that the world celebrates the few companies that have managed to transcend a few generations. Statistics are not in favour of such extended life. A study by McKinsey shows that the average lifespan of companies listed on
3 Jul 2022
Why Every Entrepreneur Must Get To Cash, And Fast!
The path of entrepreneurs is fraught with several dangers from which many would ultimately navigate well and recover. However, there are a few roadblocks that are difficult, but not impossible, to recover from. And one of them is running out of cash! The cardinal rule of business is NEVER RUN OUT OF
23 Jun 2022
Corporate Governance: The difference between good and great businesses!
If there is one subject that should be drummed into the head and heart of every entrepreneur, especially in this part of the world, it is corporate governance. It easily differentiates between good and great companies. Corporate governance is the only reason some businesses have survived the test of
21 Aug 2017
Dysfunction in the Agriculture value chain: a call to expertise!
If you have invested time or money in Agriculture in Nigeria, here is a story that will resonate with your experience. “Adamu (not real name) is a vegetable farmer in northern Nigeria. He grows onions, tomatoes, ball pepper and occasionally chili pepper. Recently, he decided to raise his game and in
13 Aug 2017
No rush – agbusiness investment should be with caution!
For a long time to come, oil will remain the major source of revenue for Nigeria and that is not going to change anytime soon. However, given several recent events, broadening our revenue base beyond oil will help protect the economy against further radical currency devaluation, and prolonged recess
4 Jul 2017
Technology meets Agriculture: Digital revolution in the industry
Anyone who knows me well will not doubt my passion for technology. When you think technology in the context of agriculture, several people will readily think of the farm machinery, irrigation equipment and probably even inputs such as improved seeds, fertilizers, chemical protection, etc. However, I
20 Apr 2016
The LAKAJI Corridor – the future of Nigerian Agriculture?
If you are familiar with the Brazilian Agricultural terrain, then the Cerrado will not be strange to you. This is an area covering over 2,000,000 square km, which is about 23% of the country. The cerrado has a rich diversity, estimated at 160,000 species of fungi, plants and animals. According to th
20 Apr 2016
Rethinking donations to Agriculture in Africa
If one starts reeling out the statistics of how important it is for Africa to start thinking of ways to feed its population, we would be completely absorbed by the exercise. Yet, one cannot but ask the question if we are really ready for this great task. The population of Nigeria, ever growing, is e
20 Apr 2016
AgInvestment Guide #1 – Breaking some myths about agricultural investments (Part 1)
I thought it would be ideal to start the series by first dispelling some myths about investing in the agriculture space. I expect that if you are reading this, you are interested in investing some of your hard earned income or time into agriculture. If you are financially savvy, you would also want
2 Apr 2015