Entrepreneur and socialite, Obi Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, is calling for a major mindset shift among African business owners, one that values collaboration over absolute control. His remarks, captured in a recent viral clip, have ignited fresh conversations about how African enterprises can scale sustainably in a rapidly globalizing economy.
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Cubana, whose entrepreneurial ventures span hospitality, real estate, and entertainment, drew a sharp contrast between how African founders approach business growth and how Western entrepreneurs achieve scale. He noted that while African business owners often insist on holding 100 percent ownership, their counterparts abroad leverage partnerships, shared equity, and strategic alliances to multiply capacity and execution power.
According to him, the obsession with “owning everything” has become one of the continent’s biggest barriers to building globally competitive brands. “Our obstacle isn’t talent or opportunity, it’s our mindset about ownership,” he said. “People are reluctant to share equity or responsibilities. Meanwhile, across borders, you’ll find coalitions of owners who may never meet each other, yet they deliver on big ambitions through collaboration.”
Cubana’s argument underscores a growing truth within Africa’s private sector, that collective intelligence and partnership-driven models can often outperform single-owner setups, particularly in industries that demand scale, capital, and diverse expertise.
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He also touched on another crucial challenge plaguing African family-owned businesses, succession planning. Using his personal experiences as an example, Cubana cautioned that ventures built solely around a founder’s name or personality risk fading once the originator steps back. He emphasized the importance of grooming the next generation and institutionalizing governance frameworks that ensure continuity beyond one lifetime.
In a continent brimming with innovation and ambition, Cubana’s remarks serve as a wake-up call to rethink business structures and mindsets. His message is simple but profound, Africa’s next phase of business growth depends not just on ambition, but on cooperation.
