We spotlight 5 entrepreneurs constructing companies in West Africa throughout sectors starting from retail and footwear manufacturing to health.
1. Ghana: From aspect hustle to 16 shops – a retail entrepreneur’s story
In 2012, Charles Antwi-Boahen was scraping by as a commission-only salesman at an air-conditioning firm in Accra, typically struggling to cowl his personal transport prices. Noticing that prospects saved asking for cut up air conditioners – a product his employer didn’t promote – he lower a referral cope with native equipment distributor Electroland. That aspect hustle turned Kab-Fam, an electronics and residential equipment retailer that at this time operates 16 shops throughout Ghana. Learn the total story >>
2. The story of a Made-in-Nigeria footwear firm
Yinka Atunde based Nigerian footwear producer Yikodeen in 2016, after travelling to Italy and China to be taught the craft of shoemaking. Yikodeen started by making style footwear however has since carved out a distinct segment in industrial security boots and footwear for the safety companies. Learn the total story >>
3. The person behind Nigeria’s reply to the UFC – meet ‘Dana Black’
Maxwell Kalu is the founding father of African Warriors Preventing Championship (AWFC), a enterprise he pitches as “Africa’s UFC” – however rooted in one thing uniquely Nigerian. AWFC organises and promotes Dambe, a centuries-old boxing type from northern Nigeria. Kalu needs to show the standard sport into a worldwide enterprise. Learn the total story >>
4. Exporting cashew nuts from West Africa to Europe: CEO shares her story
Salma Seetaroo is the CEO and co-founder of Cashew Coast, a cashew nut processor and exporter primarily based in Côte d’Ivoire. She spoke to How we made it in Africa about how she constructed the enterprise, together with the worldwide developments and alternatives driving demand for the profitable nut. Learn the total story >>
5. Nigeria: Businessman seizes alternative in health trade
When Foluso Ogunwale launched iFitness in Nigeria in 2015, banks and different financiers had been sceptical, doubting the market was large enough to assist the enterprise. He pushed previous that scepticism and the financing challenges to construct iFitness into a sequence of gyms throughout Nigeria, filling a niche for inexpensive, conveniently positioned health centres. Learn the total story >>
Our new ebook, How we made it in Africa II: Actual tales of entrepreneurs turning alternative into revenue, is obtainable right here. The ebook was lately shortlisted for the Enterprise Council for Africa (BCA) African Enterprise Ebook of the 12 months Awards 2026.
