The biggest challenge facing Nigeria and West Africa today is poverty. And while we often look to government or foreign aid for solutions, the key to destroying poverty lies in building large, sustainable businesses. If you truly care about ending poverty in Nigeria, and across West Africa, you must commit to building big businesses that create jobs, improve productivity, and raise the standard of living. By doing so, you position yourself as a solution to one of the most pressing problems of our generation. Business-minded Christians must embrace this mission as part of their calling to watch over their world.
Supporting this view is a revealing analysis from Acha Leke and his coauthors in “Africa’s Business Revolution: How to Succeed in the World’s Next Big Growth Market”. The book highlights how Africa, excluding South Africa, has fewer large companies than expected when compared to other emerging markets. This matters because large firms, like the baobab trees that sustain communities, drive economic growth, create ecosystems of smaller businesses, and improve wages, innovation, and technology. Yet, Africa’s big companies are smaller than those in Brazil, India, and other peers, showing there is room for growth and opportunity to change this narrative.
As a disciple of our Lord Jesus, with a burden for your society, you must realize that God has empowered you to solve the problems around you. Building large businesses isn’t just about personal success; it is about creating environments where people can thrive, economies can grow, and poverty can be eradicated. The responsibility to grow these business “baobabs” is critical to the future of our continent. This is the major assignment you have to commit to. When we set our eyes on this mission, we align with God’s purpose for our generation, becoming instruments of transformation in our world.
