Some of the Nigeria entrepreneurs has brought massive changes to the economy and also helped to enhance the country's development.
Entrepreneurs are seen as the key contributor to innovativeness, product improvement and also a medium for reduction of unemployment.

They are some of the well-known entrepreneurs that have impacted to the society which I know their will still be remembered for being part of the country's economic growth.I wouldn't only share with you their business's success but also pick out some business lessons you should learn from them.
Here is the list of 10 influential entrepreneurs in Nigeria and how they managed to get where they are now today:

1.Dr. Aliko Dangote
This list wouldn't be complete if I don't mention this influential entrepreneur and investor. Dr. Aliko Dangote is known to be an investor and entrepreneur and also the chairman of 'Dangote Groups a company into manufacturing of cement, flour, and sugar.
Dangote is a very prominent business man who had an interest in making money even while in school even though he was from a wealthy family.Aliko Dangote was said to be the great-grandson of Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, setup the richest man as of his time.
Dr. Aliko Dangote once revealed during an interview'when I was in primary school I can remember vividly, I would go and buy cartoons of sweets and I would start selling them just to make money.I was so interested in business even at that time'
He started his business with a business loan he borrowed from one of his relative set up his own business, today 'Dangote Groups' has become a multi-million naira business.
His business operates in some of the African countries like Benin Republic, Ghana, Togo and Nigeria.

2.Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija
Mrs. Alakija is a business person by occupation and also a known philanthropist. She is one the richest African woman in the world and also listed as one of the richest black women in the world unseating Oprah Winfrey in the year 2014.
Mrs. Folorunsho who is a business tycoon involved in the oil, fashion, and printing industries.She started her career in the year 1974 as an executive secretary at Sijuade enterprises located in Lagos, Nigeria.
After some years she moved on to the Former First Bank Of Chicago now lawfully acquired and owned by FCMB(First City Monument Bank)
She worked there for some years before establishing her tailoring company called'Supreme Stitches'.Within few years of launch, it grew to be a prominent and famous business and was named as 'Rose Of Sharon' it later became the household's name.


3.Stella Chinyelu Okoli
Stella Okoli is a pharmacist and entrepreneur it was through her innovation that she changed Nigeria Health sector.She is the current founder and CEO of Emzor Pharmaceutical, a well-known pharmaceutical manufacturing company.
During Stella's career, she has worked for different pharmaceutical firms including London, Boots the chemist and Middle sex hospital.She obtained her M.Sc certificate as a certified Biopharmacist after her graduation from University of London, Chelsea college.
Stella Chinyelu Okoli started her own pharmacy with the initial business name as 'Emzor Chemists Limited'as a small business firm in Somolu an area situated in Lagos State.
Emzor Pharmaceutical later became one of the best pharmaceutical companies in Nigeria after its incorporation in 1984 with over 50 products.

4.Femi Otedola
Femi Otedola is a well-known business Tycoon and also a philanthropist and the founder of
Forte Oil Plc, an importer of petroleum products.
He is the chairman of Zenon Petroleum and Gas Ltd, and he also runs other businesses like real estate and finance.
In the late 1980's he also handled the marketing for his family printing press business before going into oil and real estate business.

5.Tony Elumelu
Tony Onyemachi Elumelu Is an influential Nigeria entrepreneur and philanthropist.He is the founder of The Tony Elumelu Foundation one of the most powerful and influential programs for Africa entrepreneurs luckily 1000 entrepreneurs across 55 countries in Africa to be granted business loans. He was listed as Top 20 most powerful people in Africa in the year 2012 by Forbes magazine.
Tony Elumelu who had two degrees in economics from Nigeria Universities, a bachelor's degree holder from Ambrose Ali University and a master of science degree from the University Of Lagos.
He was once a chairman of United Bank For Africa after his retirement, Tony founded Heirs Holdings which invests mainly in energy, agribusiness, financial services, real estate and hospitality and health sectors.

6.Mike Adenuga
Micheal Adenuga is a famous business person and also the founder of the Globacom one of the second- largest telecom operator in Nigeria, his business also operates in Ghana and the Benin Republic.He is also the chairman of Conoil
During his business career in Telecom industry, he was issued a conditional license.His telecom
company'Globalcom'spread so fast and started challenging the bigger business firm which was MTN Group.
He later launched his telecom services in some of the Africa countries like Cote d'Ivoire(Ivory coast) and Ghana, with more legal business licenses presently being prospected in other West African countries.

7.Orji Uzor Kalu

Orji Uzor Kalu is the 7th Governor of Abia state, he is
also a well-known politician and also the chairman of Daily Sun, Telegraph Newspaper, First International Bank Limited and Slok Holding.
During Orji Uzor Kalu's school time in the University of Maiduguri where he studied political science.
Orji Kalu became a student activist during his time of study, and also participated in the "Ali Must Go"riots against the education minister due to mismanagement and incompetence. Kalu being part of the riot resulted in his suspension, while his fellow students later took the school authorities to court, Orji Uzor Kalu left school to start his own business.
Kalu borrowed $35 business loan from his mother which he later used to start trading palm oil, he started buying palm oil from the eastern part ofNigeria and then making it available for purchase in the Northern regions.He also ventured in the selling of furniture in large scale.

8.Oba Otudeko
Oba Otudeko is a well known Nigerian businessman
and a philanthropist whose domestic and foreign interests cut across different sectors of the
economy, he is the founder/CEO of the Honeywell Group.He is also a chartered accountant by profession.
Sir Oba Otudeko attended business management courses at various prestigious institutions amongst
which are the Harvard Business School, the international institute for management development Lausanne Switzerland, the Arthur D.Little school of management and the London Business school. Oba Otudeko started his career as a banker for 23years before starting his own business.The honey well group majorly deals Real estate and services, Food& Agro allied, Energy and Infrastructure.
Honey well has recorded a lot of success in the area of Food&Agro allied, Benendictenergy and Real estate sectors.



9.Pascal Gabriel Dozie
Pascal Dozie is a well known Nigerian business leader
and investor.He is also the Chairman/C.E.O of Diamond Banks.
Pascal Gabriel Dozie who studied in London school of economics where he graduated with his degree in economics and then went for his masters in Business Administration from City University in London in 1963.
After his education, Pascal Gabriel Dozie took it to himself to set up his own consultancy the African Development consulting group in Lagos, Nigeria.
Pascal Dozie never worked for anyone, he was so fortunate to gather a lot of consultancies from big
companies including Nestle.
The well known Diamond Bank that you see today here in Nigeria is due to the initiative of Pascal Dozie, he was a learned observer, he identified a major problem facing the Igbo business men in the early 80's a simple idea came to him which led him to the road of riches and fame.
Pascal Gabriel Dozie noticed that merchants from the remote villages in the South-East region of
Nigeria, where he was born and brought up, some merchants were facing the problem of carrying business funds when they travel to Lagos for Business, sometimes they are being tracked and robbed of their money on the road.
He came up with a theory to provide pioneer electronic transfer in Nigeria so that business owners
could easily transfer their cash to Lagos without the fear of being robbed

fear of being robbed.
10.Benedict Bruce Murray
Ben Bruce is an entrepreneur, motivational speaker(popularly known for his motivational programs'Common sense').He is the co-founder and chairman of Silver Bird Groups
Bruce was born in Lagos, Nigeria to an Ijaw Parents.Mulligan and Margaret Murray Bruce who both came Akassa, Bayelsa State.
He started his formal education in 'Our Lady Of Apostles'Yaba, Lagos where he completed his primary school education and also further his secondary school education at 'St Gregory College Obalende, Lagos where he obtained the West African School Certificate before he proceeded to the University Of South Carolina located in the United States, where he graduated with a bachelor degree in marketing in 1979.
Benedict Bruce Murray once revealed in an interview that he went into show business by accident, his passion and zeal for show business made him and his Wife establish the now defunct Silverbird Magazine in 1980 with a loan he borrowed from his father, Ben Bruce later went into promoting shows and concerts.
Business lessons you should learn from this listed influential entrepreneurs;
-Never take 'NO' for an answer
-If you see a problem, create a solution
-Start small and dream big, even the bible says'Do not despise these small beginnings'
-Never give up, had it being some of this entrepreneurs had given up earlier they wouldn't have gotten where they are today.

If this article was helpful, please share your thoughts using the comment box!.

Article source:: http://www.gistdeck.com/2017/04/Top-10-influential-Nigeria-entrepreneurs-and-how-they-started.html

Good

Most of these guys are not self-made.
Dozie superintends over the worst branch of MTN globally..... Ripping off Nigerians without mercy.
Not to mention the spurious charges diamond bank lay on accounts with them.... I have no respect for this kind of business model.




Dangote had the Dantata wealth backup.... Then unraveling the "and co" in Dangote and Co group of companies might open your​ eyes plus the diabolical import waivers he keeps getting not to mention the attendant sorrows that accompanies Dangote trucks nationwide...

Murray only blew after the government patronage making him the DG of NTA.. and unfettered access via Stella Obasanjo. The amounts owed AMCON is diabolical.
Uzor is a politically exposed person who​ held his State to ransome assisted by the mother.

Op construct your list carefully... The only business doyen here is probably Oba Otudeko

And you think thy suffered from the scratch?

Motivational speakers will tell you bullshit, but we all know the truth!!

Orji Uzor Kalu is a crook, likewise Dangote and all others on the list. Government helped them and if not, thye won't be on that list!!

Connection is the know [Who do you know?]

OK

Nigeria is a country with vast potential, and its entrepreneurs are leading the way to success. We’ve looked at these top entrepreneurs in Nigeria and what we can learn from them. These business lessons are applicable all over the world, so regardless of where you are located, take heed!

We have also curated a list of 40 top industry leaders that are pro in their business landscapes. No matter what industry you’re in, there is something to be learned from these leaders who have blazed a trail for others to follow.