Hi Everyone, a little about my background - Bsc. int'l relations from OAU, MSc. supply chain mgmt from UMD-College park, i currently work for Deloitte Consulting in US as a strategy & operations consultant and i'm 25yrs old turning 26 in september. Although i was born in the US but i grew up in Nigeria and everything i know and come to love happens to be in Nigeria so it's only natural that i move back anytime soon. Having said all that, i'm beginning to have a certain desire for a top mba program and i just feel that might be helpful when moving to Nigeria, i would have to rely on loans though and i'm a bit skeptical come post-mba the loans might make it very hard to move back to Nigeria. in terms of the mba, other options i'm considering is also part-time from NYU's stern school of business or just forget the mba in its entirety. I also can't move back till i turn 30 cos i don't have a NYSC certificate and i intend to get an exemption letter.

Considering my background do you guys think its worth it going for an mba or my background and experience would be good to get me a decent management role possibly with a FMCG in Nigeria. I'm driven and my goal is to be a COO some day but i also don't want my entrepreneurial goals to fall by the wayside due to a hefty debt. I'm really confused now and would appreciate any advice, opinion or critic..Thanks in advance guys

Given you are an S&O consultant, why not get Deloitte to pay for your MBA. You come back as an SC work your 2 year commitment to manager and that way you can relocate to Nigeria at a higher level and with the MBA.

If for whatever reason you will not be getting Deloitte to pay, I'm not really sure how the MBA market is in Nigeria especially regarding pay hence it may make sense to pay off the loan in the states before moving over. This of course depends on how much you are offered in Nigeria. Hopefully those with more insight into this can chip in.

ttmacoy:
Given you are an S&O consultant, why not get Deloitte to pay for your MBA. You come back as an SC work your 2 year commitment to manager and that way you can relocate to Nigeria at a higher level and with the MBA.

If for whatever reason you will not be getting Deloitte to pay, I'm not really sure how the MBA market is in Nigeria especially regarding pay hence it may make sense to pay off the loan in the states before moving over. This of course depends on how much you are offered in Nigeria. Hopefully those with more insight into this can chip in.

@ttmacoy

Thanks for the feedback, considering I already have a master's degree I wouldn't be eligible to apply for the MBA being paid by Deloitte, the closest thing I could get is $10k every year for 3yrs max while working full time which would be applied to a part time program, then when i'm done I would have to work for 2yrs, in total that would be 5yrs from the start of the part time program, not a good Idea I think.

With the MBA I know what i'm getting here but in Nigeria i'm totally clueless and that'd be a poor business decision if I can't quantify it before going back. Another option I was considering might be delaying it and hopefully in my mid 30's go get an EMBA and just maybe then I could get an employer in Nigeria pay for that, again I don't even know if companies in Nigeria do that. Thanks for the advice though, much appreciated and any other opinion would be appreciated as well.

I get you now. You are right the $10k option wouldn't work given your plan to relocate to Nigeria. trying to service debt in $$$ from Nigeria is very risky especially with the way the Naira has depreciated.

I have been away from the Nigerian work scene for a few years now, but I think your experience to date should be the key to getting a job in Nigeria rather than an MBA (I may be wrong though).

Whilst I have seen a Nigerian who is on the EMBA program at Chicago Booth, I don't think it's a popular route with Nigeria employers unless very good multinationals and you would probably need to et to high levels within the company.

What I would suggest is try to get a job in Nigeria and if successful move and settle there. You also have the MBA route as back up should things in Nigeria not go as planned, that will ease your entry back into the US.

Btw I am a Deloitte Consultant as well but in London moving to Chicago in a few months - plan is to get a part time MBA from Booth while continuing with S&O for a few more years.

shoggs:


@ttmacoy

Thanks for the feedback, considering I already have a master's degree I wouldn't be eligible to apply for the MBA being paid by Deloitte, the closest thing I could get is $10k every year for 3yrs max while working full time which would be applied to a part time program, then when i'm done I would have to work for 2yrs, in total that would be 5yrs from the start of the part time program, not a good Idea I think.

With the MBA I know what i'm getting here but in Nigeria i'm totally clueless and that'd be a poor business decision if I can't quantify it before going back. Another option I was considering might be delaying it and hopefully in my mid 30's go get an EMBA and just maybe then I could get an employer in Nigeria pay for that, again I don't even know if companies in Nigeria do that. Thanks for the advice though, much appreciated and any other opinion would be appreciated as well.

ttmacoy:
I get you now. You are right the $10k option wouldn't work given your plan to relocate to Nigeria. trying to service debt in $$$ from Nigeria is very risky especially with the way the Naira has depreciated.

I have been away from the Nigerian work scene for a few years now, but I think your experience to date should be the key to getting a job in Nigeria rather than an MBA (I may be wrong though).

Whilst I have seen a Nigerian who is on the EMBA program at Chicago Booth, I don't think it's a popular route with Nigeria employers unless very good multinationals and you would probably need to et to high levels within the company.

What I would suggest is try to get a job in Nigeria and if successful move and settle there. You also have the MBA route as back up should things in Nigeria not go as planned, that will ease your entry back into the US.

Btw I am a Deloitte Consultant as well but in London moving to Chicago in a few months - plan is to get a part time MBA from Booth while continuing with S&O for a few more years.

Send me a PM lets connect offline.

Well said, and that's an awesome plan.. if I was working in Chicago i'd go to Booth part-time for sure, the closest to me is NYU Stern which is like 4hrs from DC. Anyways I sent you the PM so we can talk better.

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