At the Intra-African Trade Fair 2025 (IATF2025), entrepreneurs packed into a masterclass led by Dr. Olumide Abimbola Ajayi, Executive Director and CEO of the Africa Leadership Forum, for what many described as a no-nonsense session on building resilient businesses in Africa’s fast-changing markets.
The session moved beyond theory, offering what Ajayi called “battlefield truths” for entrepreneurs trying to grow, compete, and scale. “Business is war. Know your rivals, or they’ll neutralise you,” he said, recounting the story of a challenger soda brand that quietly captured market share by being slightly bigger and more accessible than an established giant. The takeaway: entrepreneurs must study markets with precision, not fall in love with their products.
Ajayi urged businesses to embrace constant adaptation, pointing to a snack maker that survived price shocks by keeping packaging the same but adjusting portion sizes. “You can’t be timeless, but you can keep reinventing,” he told participants, framing reinvention as design, not deception.
On sustainability, Ajayi warned that buyers now demand transparency on sourcing, child labour, waste, and plastics. “The brands that build environmental and social sensitivity into operations will win contracts, not just likes,” he said.
He also pressed entrepreneurs to focus on governance and controls. “Never run on someone else’s integrity,” he advised, stressing that systems, checks, and NDAs matter more than hope in building trust.
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Family businesses, often the backbone of African commerce, came under scrutiny. “Don’t hire people you can’t fire,” Ajayi said, noting that without professional structures, family involvement can undermine performance.
Scaling beyond national markets was another recurring theme. “Your country isn’t your territory. If your product works in three markets, plan for 20. The mindset shift comes first,” Ajayi told the audience.
Perhaps the hardest lesson was financial discipline. “Delay gratification, or growth will outrun you,” he cautioned, urging founders to reinvest in their ventures before upgrading their personal lifestyles.
Ajayi’s message is clear, Africa’s next wave of business growth will belong to those willing to face hard truths and act on them.
