Long before the recent “Japa” wave — the mass migration of Nigerian professionals seeking better opportunities abroad — a generation of ambitious Nigerians had already made their mark across the globe.
Today, these trailblazers are not only rising through the ranks in top-tier industries but are also reshaping global narratives about Nigeria. From boardrooms in New York to tech labs in California, they are proving that Nigerian talent is not just abundant — it is world-class.
These success stories span finance, technology, entrepreneurship, and global policy — painting a picture of excellence, resilience, and the power of opportunity meeting preparedness.
Tope Awotona – Building a Tech Empire with Calendly
Born in Lagos and raised in the U.S. from 1996, Tope Awotona turned frustration into fortune when he launched Calendly in 2013 — a simple yet powerful scheduling tool now used by over 20 million people across 230 countries.
Before Calendly, Awotona tried and failed with several startups. Undeterred, he self-financed the company for years until a $350 million investment in 2021 valued it at $3 billion. With a net worth of $1.4 billion, he is now one of just two Black tech billionaires in the U.S.
Today, he champions tech inclusivity and entrepreneurship, supporting initiatives like Black Girls Code and My Brother’s Keeper.
Tope Lawani – Powering African Investment
From Ibadan to the Ivy Leagues, Tope Lawani started at MIT and earned both a law degree and MBA from Harvard. After early career roles with Disney and TPG Capital, he co-founded Helios Investment Partners in 2004 to focus exclusively on African investments.
Helios has raised over $3 billion in private equity, investing in transformative businesses across the continent. Recognized multiple times as Africa’s top investment firm, Helios bridges global capital with African opportunity.
Lawani continues to push boundaries from his base in the UK, spearheading private equity growth throughout Africa.
Chinedu Echeruo – Turning Innovation into Impact
Chinedu Echeruo’s name hit headlines when Apple acquired his startup HopStop.com for $1 billion in 2013. Born in Eastern Nigeria and relocated to the U.S. at age 16, Echeruo studied at Syracuse and Harvard before launching several successful startups.
Today, he leads Beloved Ecosystem, a venture designed to incubate AI-driven startups aimed at reshaping economic opportunities in underserved U.S. communities. He also founded the Talented Youth Academy, equipping young people in HUBZones with AI and entrepreneurship skills.
His mission? To create 50 high-impact startups within 10 years, starting in Newark, New Jersey.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala – Shaping Global Trade
Economist, reformer, and trailblazer, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala became the first African and first woman to head the World Trade Organization in 2021 — a historic milestone for the global economy.
A Harvard and MIT graduate, she spent 25 years at the World Bank and served twice as Nigeria’s finance minister, where she led critical debt relief efforts and economic reforms. In 2023, she was reappointed for a second four-year term, set to begin in September 2025.
Her leadership continues to amplify Africa’s voice on global trade and policy platforms.
Adebayo Ogunlesi – Wall Street’s Billion-Dollar Strategist
From Ogun State to the top of Wall Street, Adebayo Ogunlesi has become one of the world’s most powerful dealmakers. After studying at Oxford and Harvard, he built Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), a private equity firm managing over $100 billion in global infrastructure assets.
In 2024, BlackRock acquired GIP for $12.5 billion, appointing Ogunlesi as a senior managing director and board member. Under his leadership, GIP acquired ports at both ends of the Panama Canal in a massive $23 billion deal.
He also serves as lead independent director at Kosmos Energy and continues to drive billion-dollar decisions that shape global infrastructure.
Global Voices, Local Roots
From tech unicorns to policy powerhouses, these Nigerian-born innovators are proving that excellence knows no borders. Their journeys — often marked by grit, innovation, and bold vision — reflect the potential of a new generation of Nigerians redefining success.
What unites them isn’t just where they come from — but how far they’re willing to go.
