For many, the decision to leave home in pursuit of better opportunities is a hopeful one, filled with dreams of prosperity and progress.
Yet for Sodiq Aminu, a Nigerian entrepreneur, migration often feels like a detour away from those very aspirations.
“Those who leave the shores of our country to seek greener pastures abroad end up getting confined to the occupational provisions of the system, which are mostly the kind of jobs we consider menial in our own country,” he says, voicing a sentiment that resonates with many young Nigerians.
Sodiq’s perspective is grounded in a reality many migrants know too well. In a focus group of Nigerian youth reflecting on the diaspora experience, around 70% believed that relocating to Western countries often suppresses entrepreneurial ambitions.
The drive to survive in unfamiliar terrain, they argue, eclipses the will to build businesses.
Indeed, many migrants do gravitate toward sectors like healthcare, construction, and logistics — areas that promise stability but are physically demanding. And while such jobs offer financial rewards, they often come at the cost of entrepreneurial dreams deferred.
Yet, this perspective, though widespread, is not absolute.
Data from the UK government’s annual Small Business Survey reveals that 7–12% of small and medium-sized businesses with employees are led by minority ethnic groups, with Black entrepreneurs forming a significant portion.
Across the Atlantic, the Pew Research Centre reports that Black-owned businesses accounted for about 3% of all U.S. firms in 2022.
These statistics tell an important story: migration doesn’t necessarily kill entrepreneurship; it reshapes it. While the journey may be tougher and the path steeper, Black and by extension, Nigerian entrepreneurs, are building businesses, creating jobs, and contributing billions to the economies of their adopted countries.
In fact, according to a British Business Bank-supported study by Richard Hyde of the Social Market Foundation, ethnic minority businesses, including African-owned ventures, contribute between £25 billion and £74 billion in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy annually.
One powerful example of resilience and determination is Adejoke Bakare, the first Black female chef in the UK to win a Michelin Star.
“You need resilience to start your own business, and you need resilience as a migrant – so being a migrant business owner is especially demanding,” she told Diaspora NG.
“Also, fearlessness – I should have made the leap much earlier than I did!”
This fearless entrepreneurial spirit is echoed by Dami and Ify Odugbemi, former oil and gas professionals who founded Succulento, an award-winning sauce and seasoning brand in Scotland. What started as a response to bland lunchtime meals has evolved into a celebrated culinary enterprise.
Similarly, Mo Adeniyi and Eniola Odejayi, founders of Gidi Grill, saw a gap in Scotland’s food scene and filled it with the bold, vibrant flavours of African-inspired cuisine.
“Once the vision became reality, our business had instant popularity,” they shared in an interview with The Courier.
Dr. Sunday Olorunsheyi, a Canadian-based Nigerian entrepreneur, in offering a perspective on the entrepreneurial journey for Africans in diaspora, said: “First, the greatest obstacle lies within our minds; once we break free from self-imposed limitations, we unlock endless opportunities in the diaspora.
“Second, collaboration remains a challenge, but it’s one that’s gradually being overcome. Many Nigerians in the diaspora are excelling in entrepreneurship, and now it’s time to aim for even greater achievements. This next phase demands collaboration, enabling us to gain traction, access more opportunities, and negotiate better deals collectively.”, he said
Dr Olorunsheyi, while acknowledging the attendant challenges entrepreneurs face away from homeland, also gave some advisories on how to get a foot in the door.
He continued: “I’ll begin by emphasising the importance of gathering information; knowledge is indeed power. Without it, you risk being ill-prepared. Before diving into any business venture, it’s crucial to conduct thorough research. Consider the type of business you intend to start and its relevance to your location.
“In Canada, several sectors such as healthcare, construction, technology, and agriculture offer significant opportunities. Partnering with individuals already operating in your desired field can provide invaluable insights and support your journey.”, Dr Olorunsheyi added.
Away from perspectives and advisories, Dr Olorunsheyi shared his own personal journey, while speaking with Diaspora NG, adding that: “Regarding establishing businesses in Canada, I noticed a significant underrepresentation of Nigerians in governance, politics, and entrepreneurship within the Canadian Nigerian community.
“Understanding the adage that if you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu, I was motivated to change this narrative, driven by a desire to represent beyond mere financial gain. Surprisingly, I discovered that it is easier to start a business in Canada than securing employment, yet many Nigerians were not capitalising on this opportunity.
“Canada offers ample support to business owners, particularly those with a good personal credit score, as it significantly influences business credit and facilitates access to funding and licenses, provided compliance standards are met.”, he added.
For many African entrepreneurs in the diaspora, business is more than commerce — it’s cultural preservation.
Take Omolara Teshola, for example. Through her Luxembourg-based fashion brand MADE Lagos, she blends tradition with modernity, championing Nigerian fabrics like Adire and Aso Oke.
“Our distinctive style at MADE Lagos is a reflection of our commitment to celebrating African craftsmanship and identity while embracing global influences,” she explained during a 2024 interview.
Similarly, Ayomide Babadele, founder of Anthillbyenitan, rekindled her entrepreneurial fire after moving to the UK in 2023. Her dream of taking indigenous Nigerian textiles to the global stage is now a flourishing reality.
“All our fabrics are designed by me and sourced from Lagos,” she told Naijapreneur. “It’s always been a dream to bring the richness of Adire, Aso Oke, and other indigenous textiles to the global market.”
Dubai-based Goodluck Igwe, whose company Goodluck Bespoke produces suits, shirts, trousers, perfumes, socks, and other accessories and supplies globally, emphasized the need for focus and discipline for those who seek to explore entrepreneurship.
“You can do great wherever you are. But if you must japa, make sure you know what you’re going to do. Don’t just travel because others are doing so. Many people, even here in Dubai, have no job and now regret leaving home.
“I knew why I came. I stayed focused on it. That’s why I had options and was able to choose my path. I could have chosen the easy route early on, but I decided not to.”
Narrating his own story of grit, patience, and resilience since arriving in Dubai in 2011, he said: “Goodluck Bespoke is something that’s always been part of me. Dressing well has always been a passion. My father always dressed me well, even when we didn’t have much. He would go the extra mile to make sure I had a shirt, a suit, and a tie.
“I got the inspiration to start Goodluck Bespoke not by my own will but through divine direction. I started in 2022 with just four suits. I displayed only four suits in a small corner space. People would come, and I would talk to them, tell them what I could do. One would say, ‘Let me make one suit,’ another would say, ‘Let me make three suits,’ or, ‘Let me get a shirt.’
“Whatever little profit I made, I put back into the business. This is a passion for me. I didn’t touch the money for personal use. I reinvested immediately. If I sold one suit and made a profit, I used it to buy other items needed.”
“We now have a couple of locations, not just in Dubai. We do suits, shirts, trousers, perfumes, socks, and other accessories. Our production team is structured. To expand beyond Dubai requires certain things, and we are heading there. It’s a slow process. We don’t want to rush it.”
He said doing business in a country like the UAE comes with a lot of opportunities, but people must follow the rules and be patient. “Many people think they’ll arrive and find a money tree. No—you need to go through the hard part. You need to suffer for it. Otherwise, there won’t be any story to tell.”
While entrepreneurship may not be the immediate path for most Nigerian migrants, particularly those focused on survival in high-cost Western cities, the rise of Nigerian-owned businesses across sectors proves that dreams deferred are not dreams denied.
The entrepreneurial journeys of Nigerians in the diaspora offer a powerful counter-narrative to the idea that migration stifles ambition. Instead, they reveal innovation born from necessity, resilience sharpened by challenge, and creativity rooted in culture.
In the face of systemic barriers and unfamiliar landscapes, these entrepreneurs are doing more than surviving. They’re building. They’re redefining what it means to be a migrant. And, in doing so, they are not only contributing to the economies of their host nations but also preserving a vital connection to home, one business at a time.
In another breath, there are those who are thriving and renowned in the diaspora business landscape. Names like Tope Awotona, the founder and CEO of the software company Calendly, ring a bell.
Calendly was founded in 2013 with the vision of simplifying scheduling for everyone without the back-and-forth of emails and has grown to over 10 million monthly users with over $100 million subscribers in 2021.
Kehinde Wiley is also a name that commands attention. Born to a Nigerian father and African-American mother, Wiley’s big break came in 2018 after he painted an oil portrait of the first African-American president of the U.S., Barack Obama.
The picture captured the president sitting while wearing a traditional black suit with a flowery backdrop, signalling Obama’s Hawaii and Chicago lineage.
The portrait was the first representation of an African American and the first painting by an African-American in the presidential portrait collection.
Adebayo Ogunlesi is also a name to remember, as the Nigerian-born successful billionaire businessman who resides in the United States, made headlines with his Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a company that until its recent sale to Blackrock in a $12.5 billion deal, invested worldwide in infrastructure assets in the energy, water, transport and waste industry sectors.
There are also names like Ope Bukola, who left her beautiful career at Google as a Product team lead for Google Classroom in 2019, and co-founded Kibo, an online university providing quality STEM degrees to African students.
Her startup in 2022 got $2 million in funding from Neo who also owns a tech school for children called Code.org.
Toyin Kolawole, who runs a successful food manufacturing business in Illinois, Iya Foods, is also deserving of a mention.
Iya Foods introduces a blend of Africanism into Western delicacies. It focuses on making good food with good ingredients. Its mission is to, in the words of Kolawole, “share love through food.”
Prof. Seun Kolade of Sheffield Business School, in an interview with Diaspora NG, challenged the Nigerian diaspora to leverage its unique position of straddling two markets as a means to foster social innovation.
“It’s crucial to recognize the immense potential of diaspora entrepreneurs in driving both personal success and national development. Diaspora entrepreneurs possess a unique advantage due to their mixed embeddedness—they operate within two significant markets: their home country and their host country. This positioning allows them to create products and services tailored to both markets, leveraging the diverse opportunities available.
“Take, for instance, a media entrepreneur based in the UK with ties to Nigeria. Through mixed embeddedness, they can tap into networks and resources in both countries, expanding their reach and impact. Similarly, diaspora entrepreneurs benefit from access to new markets and opportunities by establishing themselves in their host countries. By embracing this mindset and ambition, they can unlock doors to international success.”
Prof. Kolade, however, noted that Nigerian entrepreneurs must move beyond an enclave mindset, where they primarily engage with familiar communities, and actively seek out diverse networks and opportunities, thereby fostering bridging and linking social capital.
“We must step out of our comfort zones because there are even greater opportunities beyond our immediate circles. Collaborating with individuals from diverse backgrounds, including non-Africans, can significantly expand our horizons.
‘‘Consider this: why confine yourself to interacting only with people of similar backgrounds in a country like the UK, where Black individuals make up less than 10% of the population? It’s convenient but short-sighted. By limiting ourselves in this way, we miss out on a vast array of opportunities.”
Aspiring entrepreneurs, he added, must consciously challenge this mindset. “They are situated amidst vast potential, so why restrict themselves to familiar networks? Instead, they should aim higher and seek out diverse groups and organizations beyond solely Black communities. Building connections and social capital is crucial. It’s not just about bonding with those we already know; it’s about bridging connections with unfamiliar individuals who may eagerly embrace our ideas.
“By fostering these diverse connections, we can collaborate on innovative projects and create products and services not only tailored to African countries but also to non-African markets. This broader perspective opens a world of possibilities beyond our immediate spheres, enriching our entrepreneurial endeavors and impacting communities far and wide.”
‘‘By joining diverse organizations, chambers of commerce, and engaging with a broader range of individuals, diaspora entrepreneurs can build valuable connections and partnerships. These collaborations enable them to create products and services not only for their home countries but also for non-African markets, further expanding their impact and contributing to global innovation.
“I think aspiring entrepreneurs need to embrace the mindset that they are positioned here to do great things,” he concluded.
