Nigerian billionaire Femi Otedola’s memoir, “Making it Big: Lessons from a Life in Business”, on Sunday claimed the number one spot on Amazon’s Best Sellers list in the Starting a Business category, with an impressive five-star average rating from readers.
Earlier, PREMIUM TIMES had reported that the book, which was officially launched on 18 August, had rapidly climbed the charts, reaching 4th place in the Business, Biographies, and Memoirs category just a day after release.
The 286-page memoir chronicles Mr. Otedola’s remarkable journey, from his humble beginnings as a child to achieving billionaire status by the age of 41. As the current chairman of Geregu Power PLC and FirstHoldCo PLC, he uses the book to share insights from his life in business.
On Amazon, Otedola’s work outperformed other globally recognized titles, ranking above Steven Bartlett’s The Diary of a CEO: The 33 Laws of Business and Life (2nd place), Simon Squibb’s What’s Your Dream?: Find Your Passion, Love Your Work and Build a Richer Life (3rd place), and Stephen Covey’s classic, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Endorsements
The book has drawn strong endorsements from renowned global and African leaders. The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, praised Otedola for documenting his experiences, stressing how rare it is for African business leaders to publish such accounts.
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“There are very few books by successful African business leaders documenting their journey and sharing lessons learned for posterity, but especially for the younger generation,” she remarked.
Similarly, the immediate past President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwumi Adesina, hailed the memoir as “a must-read” for anyone passionate about entrepreneurship and leadership, while Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, lauded the book’s relatable tone and practical wisdom. Dangote noted that it provides “useful insights for surmounting business hurdles” and is “highly recommended for anyone aspiring to succeed in a challenging environment.”
Cascade of revelations
Within the pages, Otedola opens up about personal details, including his educational background, revealing that he dropped out and never attended university because his passion consistently pulled him towards business.
He also recounted a striking episode from 2005, when, during a breakfast meeting, then-President Olusegun Obasanjo persuaded him to contribute ₦300 million to complete the construction of the National Ecumenical Centre in Abuja.
