From Harare to Lagos: Billionaire Battles in Africa's Biggest Markets

Hello and welcome to the show. Taking today's episode outside of the hospital, the same hospital that I was at yesterday while my family friend, she's doing OK, surgery was well, so she's recovering, I'm OK. So since I'm in the car, Lord, expect to hear some interruptions in the background. Now, the goal of this show is free business education. So if you're looking for that kind of thing, sales, marketing, you know, all sorts of things business related, then you're in the right place.

You can stay here on the podcast. No need to run away. This is not a podcast that is going to tell you about the ailments of people in Nigerian hospitals. Nope, that's not where about. So if by the time we're done with the podcast, you find this thing to be valuable, share it, promote it and talk about it so that your friends and family members in Nigeria and abroad can benefit from the questions that we tackle. They can do that by subscribing Spotify, YouTube, Apple, or any player of your choice.

And if you, dear listener, have any sales and marketing questions, then bring them to me. You can call, you can SMS, you can WhatsApp me on 08064662140. Now today on the show, I have my very first retraction on the podcast. I think that's what it's called anyway, retraction. That's when, you know, you put something out in the press, but then you didn't do your research and you know, maybe you miss Yan and you know, you just pull a retraction to say that.

Look, people, I know I said this on so and so did, but I beg no Vex. I was wrong. So you know, this is the correct information. So that's what I'm going to do on the podcast. Now, for those of you who've been listening for a while, you remember that podcast episode I was talking about some of my guys. I was talking about Chairman Moore, a Sudanese born billionaire, you know, correct big boy who was some of my inspirations, you know, back when I was a youth, you know,

back in the military era into like Obasanjo first time. So back when I was a young youth. Now these are the kind of people that inspired me. Also spoke about Moabudu. That's the, you know, the, the other more the Nigerian media exec and then who else? So I think I made a podcast episode where I spoke about like 3 billionaires and I can't remember the point of the episode, but I do remember that at some point I credited Chairman MO.

That's the Sudanese born billionaire. I credited him with starting a mobile, a mobile telecom company that would eventually become Econet Wireless and you know, all of that. But I made a mistake. I got my things mixed up. So Chairman Moore, yes, did start a a mobile telecom company which would have significant business interest in Nigeria, but it actually was another African billionaire. This guy now is boss, boss Strive.

You know, by the way, when I say boss or chairman, you know, that's not what people call them without just me putting it there. But I'll use their full names. So Strive Massey Wire Massey Yuwa. Sorry, Strive Massey Yuwa. He actually is the one who started a mobile telecom company that would eventually become Equinet Nigeria. And you know, on and on and on and on. Well, of course, it was easy for me to get both of them mixed up because you know, they're both billionaires, they're both not Nigerian.

And then they also, not only did they study something similar in uni, they also ended up starting telecom companies and they both had interest in Nigeria. So in my brain, I just got everything, I just got everything mixed up in the episode. But still, let me just issue my retraction. I decided to go and do research and print everything out. So I want, I want a mission this time. And I'm beginning to think then in the future, if I'm talking about sales and marketing, yes,

I know that anything I say about sales, you know, that one is 100% correct. I don't need to cross check. Yeah. But when I'm going to be talking about factual things, you know, talking about people who existed or what they did, I think I'm I'll go and do some research and print it out now. So, so that will not miss Young either that one with a higher production assistant at some point so that everything on this podcast is going to be correct.

So let me now, for those of you who didn't listen to that episode, let me just give you a summary about the two billionaires, because you know, growing up military era into a Basenjo first time, you know, that period. These were some of the people that were my there's lots of advice to follow them like that like that, because I never, you know, we didn't have social media back then. Internet was not really Internet was not a thing.

It's not even a matter of not really a thing. There was no Internet in Niger basic because Internet was not even until like maybe a bass and like second term, I can't remember. So, but these are the people that used to hear stories about, you know, big boys, you know, doing things and what kind of inspiration for some of us to get into business and do some adventurous stuff. And of course, it is my hope and my prayer.

And when they end up not just like them, but eclipsing what these people have done. So it's my hope and my prayer that some of us on this journey now listening to this podcast right now that this is where we're going to end. So let me get straight into it. So now Bros, Bros Strive, real name Strive Massey Yiwa. Now I heard on the podcast that the reason why his name is Strive, that's STRIVE is because he's Mumsy who was a born again Christian, wanted the boy to strive to greatness, so she named him Strive.

So if that's the case, then those of you Nigerians who are named good luck, you know, promise excellence, what else? Victory. You know all those names, you know, it's my prayer that that name will catch you. So just that Strive strove for greatness is my prayer that if your name is victory, you end up victorious. If your name is good luck, good luck, we'll always follow you. If your name is what again excellence, you shall be excellent all your days.

So he was born on the 29th of January 1961. So my guy is, you know me small like 2 decades. Then he's the founder of an executive chairman for Eucanate Global and then Cassava Technologies. He spent while he was an entrepreneur for about four decades. He started and invested in businesses across Africa, Europe, India, Latin America, Middle East, New Zealand, UK and USA. So you can see that the boy try, hasn't he really try then?

OK. He had one company, Mascom Wireless in Botswana. I think before that he how he started making some major bar was when Zimbabwe got independence and then Robert Mugabe's government was coming in. They were investing a lot in infrastructure, you know, roads, what else? Roads, electricity, what else? Communications infrastructure. So he started a he started doing contracting work basically as a government contractor.

And that's how he made some of his some of his money. But you know, the guy became born again later on. So he tried to do business in a certain way. Let me just put it this way. Apparently my guy strive my see you at refused to drop money as he refused to give bribes and it turns out that that was his undoing in Zimbabwe and also in Nigeria unfortunately. So where was I? So he started doing government contracting work, then Mass com Wireless in Botswana and then Econet Wireless in Zimbabwe.

And that was the company that would eventually invest in bringing GSM infrastructure to Nigeria. Econet wireless now it is called Airtel. So if you have Airtel, then the guy who is responsible for you using your headline is Strive Massey. You are Zimbabwean born, businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and billionaire with a capital B. Although some people say it's a small billionaire. You know, I don't understand people when they say small billionaire, big billionaire.

Like somebody I said all language is a billionaire. The person was like that. What do you mean say is he not a billionaire? They say no, there's not a billionaire, that when we say billionaire, we need billion in dollars, we don't mean billion in naira. I said, so Dangote is only billion in naira. They say yes, no, there's no billion in dollars. And then I heard that is big billionaire and then the small billionaire. So apparently people like Strife Massey was, since his net worth is only about 1.2 billion.

They say it's a small billionaire because there's some people whose net worth is, you know, 20 bill, some people who their own net worth is like 100 bill. So apparently there's big billionaire, the small billionaire. But anyway, yeah, I don't mind. Let me add her that 1.2 beyond class 1st and I'll take it from there. Then I see. What else? OK, so his wife Sitzi. You know, this is the thing I love about Nigerians. As in you go here.

Sorry, not Nigerians. African as in you go here. Names. As in is the correct name. Her name is Sitzi. Hope I'm pronouncing it well. TSITSI, the Co founded Higher Life Foundation and Delta Philanthropies so they were investing in education OK supported the education of over 300,000 African children through scholarships. So this is part of the guys, this part of the guys born again background as As for his mom, she was born again.

Eventually he became born again even now married, born again as well. So yeah, this is some of the good that they chose to do. By the way. So those of you are listening to this podcast now also nice guys finish last or good girls finish last and all that kind of stuff like, oh, I'm born again. I can never succeed in Nigeria. You know, it's it's not a giving, it's not a giving. So from what I heard about strives hustle so far, like it was tough.

Imagine doing business in Zimbabwe. Everywhere you go, people say you should drop envelope. The same must do Ghana must go, you must drop this. You must see somebody. You must appreciate somebody and he refused to appreciate people, but you know, he still made it. And the gist that we used to hear, well that I heard back in the day when I was a youngster was when he tried coming into Nigeria with the whole Econet wireless thing.

That part of the reasons why the whole thing didn't work was he also, you know that you know that his hand is a car gum that he does not drop anything, he won't see anybody, he won't facilitate anything, he won't appreciate anybody. You know, he wants his own is just, you know, let me do my business and go. So anyway, in his business he faced a lot of struggles basically when he was trying to break into this whole Econet wireless thing.

You know, in Zimbabwe, you know how like in Nigeria we had Nitel and Nitel owned the rights to everything. So in the same way Zimbabwe, them, they had their own Nitel or whatever the thing was called and they refused to give the guy a license. He applied in 1993 so that he could establish a mobile telecom company and Zimbabwe them sorry Mugabe them they said no why not give you a license that we hold the license for everything.

You cannot come and do anything in this country. Of course you know strive now incoming vex because he was thinking you guys have the rights to all these things but you're not doing anything with this thing now so just give me license. Let me go ahead and do this mobile company now. So they refused. So the gist was that some people in the government say, you know, if you drop by, if you drop this, if you drop envelope, come and greet me, come and show our appreciation.

Guando Ballet that, you know, sort you out. So he refused. Instead, he went to court and that's where his problems with Mugabe started. Gabby's like, who are you like small boy, you want to come And you know how it is now in this part of the world. The same thing in Nigeria now, you know, when somebody's on top, when somebody is the president, you know, you're a relative, nobody, you know, carry them to court or you, you want to air your grievance.

You know how it can be now like you're a small boy, you won't respect your elders. So anyway, they started looking at Strive and you couldn't as a threat to the government. In fact, some people said at some point Mugabe was claiming that Strive was ACIA operative or be something, something like that. And you know, all these gist that we still hear back in those days. So I just plenty, plenty gist. So let me see. Anyway, so this court thing lasted, was it 5 years?

OK, the court thing lasted five years. Eventually they ended up in Supreme Court or Zimbabwe and let's see how they have. OK, so he won. So he won. And then that's how he got the license. And apparently, you know, Mugabe didn't like that. So that's how two of them now there were no friends at all, at all, at all. So eventually the guys started facing economic sabotage because you know how our people do these things now once they gave him license, they say is it like that other people now showed up.

I started applying for license too. And then lo and behold, the person that won the contract, it turns out the person was now related to Mugabe. Can you imagine license that they didn't want to give my guy in the beginning when he now went to court and then he won, they now carried the license there. You won't be the carried the license they gave somebody else. By the time you look underneath the hood of the company, you see that the person is related to Mugabe.

So he went back to court again to go and fight that thing, which kind of rubbish. So eventually he won the case because Mugabe's Stooges who ran the other company, they did not meet the technical requirements and you know, stuff like that. So that's how he now won and he's was able to get his company going. So he faced some economic sabotage there then let's see what else? OK, then apparently, you know, he wasn't that good at raising funds for some of his ideas.

So, you know, some people say that, you know, he could have been bigger. You know, if he was good at raising funds. Then of course he also didn't help that he wasn't able to get going on time. You know, the 1st court, something was like 5 years. The 2nd court thing. OK, did I write it down? OK, I didn't write it down then let's see what else. And it's all from there now. He starts, he starts moving on to to other countries.

Then eventually he decided to come into Nigeria. But then there was government interference, There was political interference, you know, similar to Zimbabwe. You know the gist. I'm not saying this one like I know for sure for sure. The gist was that one or two governors were telling him, that young man, no problem. You know, you can come here if you drop one or two things. We see one or two people come on the ballet, come and shake hand,

you know, come and show appreciation that, you know, will help you arrange, you know, one or two things. And of course, you refuse to pay bribes again. And this is the point where some of you will say, hey, Africans, why do we do this to our own? And it was a pity. And now we need to understand why a lot of them, a lot of the billionaires eventually cut out because Strive Masiua is no longer in Zimbabwe. He's not currently in the UK.

And the reason why he was in the UK is because some people who came and told him that, look, guy, you know that you are Mugabe one all friends. And and because of, you know, with mobile technology and social media and stuff like that, people are beginning to express dissent over social media and stuff, you know, so some people now begin to say that, look, as far as Mugabe is concerned, it is you guys from entering trouble.

So he decided to be wise, as my father used to say. My father used to tell me, well, not me, one of my cousins. You should tell him that. Look, don't stay. Is it on to the pour hot water on your head that you understand, you know, they don't like you move. So that's what he did and he's out. So that's why I don't understand why a lot of them leave. And I guess that's the reason why some people congratulate Dangote, you know, for saying that, oh, he's still here.

I still still pushing it. So let's see. I have so political interference in Nigeria as well. He refused to pay bribes. They also disputes with members of the board. And then there was also ownership conflicts. He wasn't able to raise the amount of finance that he needed to get the projects going over here. So I think because of that, he only owned 5% of the entity here in Nigeria. That's equivalent Nigeria. Then let's see, let me check my notes.

If I'm interested in all this stuff, you know, go on Google, go on check Wikipedia, you know, whatever I did, it's a really interesting, it's really interesting, really interesting story. Then let's see what else? What else? What else? And eventually they were able to force him out of the country and then there was lots of ownership changes and stuff like that. So that is how the companies you know, started to change name until it ended up as.

So let me give you the correct this this time and I wrote it ahead Airtel Nigeria. So for those of you also excuse me. So for those of you who use Airtel, yeah, that's how your company started. It was strive, mercy, you are, if you want to go and do some research on the fellow Strive, STRIVE. And then Masi Yua MASIYIWA, small billionaire, but I don't mind $1.2 billion. Not bad. All right, So that's how I got them confused because now Chairman MO is also a billionaire.

He's from Sudan and he and strive, they studied something similar in uni and but the company that Chairman MO started was Settle. So Chairman MO MO Ibrahim. Yes, that's his full name. That's for those of you who want to go and check him. So MO Ibrahim, so MO Ibrahim, he started the company Celltel and they ended up becoming one of Africa's leading mobile phone companies. So you can see that they started something similar.

Then let's see what else. OK, so Celltel now, so this is where I now made the mix up in my head. Now Celltel has significant business holdings in Nigeria. That's because they acquired V Mobile. Happy try. OK, I should have written these things out properly in 2000. Oh, sorry. One moment, phone call. Let me see. All right, one moment. I'll pause this recording and I'll be right back. OK, sorry about that. Remember I said that I'm in the car park at the hospital.

So yes, I got a phone call. I thought maybe they needed needed me in the ward. Let's see where was I as I was talking about Chairman Mono MO Ibrahim. So I think they acquired V Mobile in 2006. So they acquired 65% controlling stake in V Mobile and at the time he supposedly dropped one 1 billion. Then let's see what else. OK, Then after they acquired V Mobile, V Mobile was rebranded as Cell Tel Nigeria. Good. So for those of you who Mumsy and Popsy were using cell tell line, this is how it began.

This is how cell to entered Nigeria. Then let's see, OK, they announced plans to invest in Nigerian operations. OK invested another 700 mil dollars. By the way, all this money I'm calling is dollars. If it's not now that they're dropping, then what else? What else? What else? What else anyway? I think maybe not let not talk too much because already done 20 minutes, but that's just the gist. That's just the crux of the gist I wanted to give you guys anyway.

Now basically I gave you guys wrong list. So Chairman MO is responsible for Celltel. That's the company he started Celltel. Celltel would now go and acquire V mobile and then change to Celltel Nigeria. Then it is strive must you are who would start the company, who would start Equinet and eventually come into Econet Nigeria. Then let's see how did how did. OK, Yeah, so the company is still around today. That is more Abraham's company because later on they will now transition to Zain in 2008.

Yes, they will become Zain because their company anyway, let me skip the details, but eventually cell tell would now become Zane then Zane would later on rebrand as I'll be you know what even this research, I didn't even do this research properly. I should have just had a research assistant from the start anyway, but but any issue I've, I've done my retraction. I gave you guys false information the first time around and I wanted to make sure that I came correct this time.

I gave you guys correct information. So these are the people to check out. So the Zimbabwean billionaire and businessman is Strive Masi, Yiwa STRIVEMASIYI, Abby MASIYIWA and then the other person, my guy Sharon MO has MO Ibrahim, the Sudanese born businessman. I think also I think he also lives in the UK now. Well, the reason why these guys caught my, caught my attention back then as a young youth was, you know, what they were doing big things, you know, in the African continent, you know,

times are different now. You know, mobile phones are everywhere, digital tech is everywhere. But back then, you know, growing up, you know, it felt as if Nigel was closed, felt as if Africa was closed. So with these young men, you know, moving things, doing things, setting up these companies, there was a lot of opening up, a lot of expansion that was going on. Then back in the day, you know, while getting access to these technologies, while getting access to information was opening up all kinds of things,

was opening up multiply effects. I mean, by the time I got my first, I think my first line was I think an MTN line. By the time I got my first one in uni, I think I must have been in like year, must have been like year three-year 4. By the time I got my first GSM, it was, was a good I, it was a good I, how would I put it was an eye opener show. Let me just put it that way. Access to the Internet, access to mobile telephony, all these sorts of things.

And that was the time when I was trying to be a music producer back in uni. So, and back in those days, since everybody had a mobile phone, all of us were dropping our phone numbers everywhere, like even P square, P square them. They even used to drop their phone numbers on the back of the CDs. And this guy from Storm Records, Obi Asika, Yeah, his phone number was there. So because there was an artist I was trying to promote at the time, Mickey, Mickey the messenger, a gospel artist.

But we we've lost touch anyway. So when I was trying to be a music producer back in the day, yeah, this is how I got the phone numbers of some of these people, you know, trying to call them, trying to get an artist signed, trying to get a record record deal. It was not successful, by the way. So the artist that I was representing, you know, the thing didn't pop off. But what I'm just trying to say is that right now you guys take it for granted.

But back then it was a safe like overnight. We were learning business at the at the speed of light, you know, so I could be an E fair as I should have been studying, but I was trying to be a music producer, you know, I could be an E fair. And then with my phone, trying to make phone calls, trying to run things in Lagos, trying to arrange meetings in Lagos. OK, I'm supposed to see DJ Jimmy Jack, but I never that meeting was I was, I wasn't able to make that meeting happen by the time we got to Lagos, couldn't pin him down as he was very busy.

So yeah, that's why these guys just caught my attention. So the young men doing big things, the opening of the African continent and the reason why I made the first episode where I spoke about Shyama MO and the reason why I'm making this one now is basically it's just to let you guys know now there's a lot of talk in the entrepreneurial space right now where people are focusing on great, great things, the big things that people are doing in North America and Western Europe.

But just to let you know that we have our own authentic home grown stories of people trying to switch things off, people trying to innovate, that people trying to change the game over here, trying to change the game right now. So we don't always have to look towards Zucks, you know, Zuckerberg and the rest of them. I'm not saying that it's bad and I'm not saying that we shouldn't pay attention to, you know, Apple, Facebook and all of that.

I'm just trying to say that we currently have our own entrepreneurial stories going on at the moment and we have had for quite a while. So pay attention. We have those stories, those stories over here. And I think sometimes these stories self are even more relatable because think about it like Strife. It's not as if Strife was born a big boy. It's not as if he was born into a big family. He was just born in a certain context.

Mumsy and Popsy had certain ideals, you know, they prayed over their child, they did their best and apparently he was a sharp guy and he tried to take advantage of opportunities. So anyway, don't mind me, I'm just me standing. So these are some of my heroes back when I was a young youth. So we also have heroes on the African continent. So let's pay attention. These are all wonderful stories. Such a shame that for Strive in particular that is whole thing about corruption would be something that will continue to dodge him in Zimbabwe and then in Niger.

So for those of us who are going to be in government later on and who are going to be responsible for setting public policy and things like that, I beg, you know, let's shine our eyes, let's not handicap our own and let's stop creating the environment in such a way that anybody who starts anything here, by the time they blossom small, you know, to survive the gas cut out and go someplace else. So be mindful those of you who are going to become governors,

presidents, legislators, you know, whatever, I beg, you know, be mindful because when these people do things and it pops off like Strive and Chairman MO, who are the ones that benefit when Chairman MO comes in here and when Strive came in here and they're building towers, they're expanding the network and, and everything, who are the people that benefit? It is Nigerian engineers that benefit, Nigerian construction people that benefit and what people that benefit Nigerian youth.

People like me back then in uni now feeling like a big boy because I have a mobile phone, feeling as if you know, I cannot run things. These things have a multiplier effect. So please, when we get into office, you know anyway, let me stop preaching. So that's it, that's all today on the show. Thank you very much for your time and attention. If you have any sales and marketing questions, even though I didn't talk about anything sales and marketing related today, please bring it to me.

You can call SMS or WhatsApp on 08064662140. Thank you very much for your time and attention. I'll catch you guys at the next episode and next time I'll try and do my research ahead of time before I hit record so that I don't come and I give you guys wrong info. But rest assured, if it is anything that is related to sales and marketing that I see on this podcast, forget it. That is gospel. If I say it, take it, it is true.

So I'll catch you guys in the next episode.