Table of Contents
Key Points
- Femi Otedola’s memoir ‘Making It Big’ earns praise from WTO’s Okonjo-Iweala and AfDB’s Adesina for its insights on business and leadership.
- The book, now available for preorder, retails at $27.99 hardcover and $19.99 paperback, with early delivery for August 18 orders.
- Otedola says his goal is to inspire future entrepreneurs by sharing real lessons from decades of business success, failure, and recovery.
Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola’s new book, ‘Making It Big,’ is drawing high praise from across the continent — including from two of Africa’s most influential figures in global finance.
World Trade Organization Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and African Development Bank President Akinwumi Adesina have both spoken about the book, calling it “important” and “a must-read.” When leaders of this stature weigh in so personally, it says something. Their words don’t just endorse the book, they speak to its place in African business literature. For Otedola, this is not just a memoir or a mere book. It’s a chance to pass something on.
From big ideas to boardrooms
Books that chronicle the personal journeys of African business leaders are still too rare. Otedola has taken a different path, choosing to share his rise, his missteps, and the lessons he picked up along the way.
Long before the headlines, he was just a young Nigerian with big ideas. Now, he has put that story in writing, and it’s already striking a chord with readers and leaders alike. Akinwumi Adesina, in his comments on the book, said: “The book is a must-read for all business leaders, policy makers and young people venturing into the world of entrepreneurship and business.”
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala added: “When Femi Otedola, one of Nigeria’s and Africa’s most successful entrepreneurs, decides to capture his experiences in the form of this book, it is important! As the author himself notes, there are very few books by successful African business leaders documenting their journey and sharing lessons learned for posterity, but in particular for a younger generation.”
Making It Big opens for preorder
‘Making It Big’ is now available for pre-order, exclusively at makingitbigbook.com. Blending personal narrative with practical business insights, the memoir revisits Femi Otedola’s early ambitions, the bold risks he took, and the wins and losses that shaped his journey.
The book is priced at $27.99 for hardcover and $19.99 for paperback, with Priority shipping available. Orders placed within 10 days from August 18, 2025, will be delivered early.
Described on the official website as “a book of hope, backed up by solutions,” ‘Making It Big’ goes beyond business advice. It explores the mindset needed to recover from failure, rebuild with purpose, and draw strength from life’s toughest moments.
Otedola inspires future entrepreneurs
Announcing the book in July on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), Otedola wrote: “Over the past decade, doors have opened for entrepreneurs in Nigeria that once seemed firmly shut. I’ve walked this path myself, facing challenges and breakthroughs that shaped not just my career, but how I define success... I hope it inspires the next generation of business leaders.”
