Expert Challenges Nigerian Entrepreneurs on Sustainable Development

Stories by Emma Okonji

Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Interswitch, Mitchell Elegbe, has urged Nigerian entrepreneurs to combine ambition with disciplined execution, encouraging them to start with practical solutions to real problems, and build with scale in mind to create sustainable businesses.

Elegbe made the call while delivering a keynote presentation at the 2026 edition of The Platform Nigeria, hosted by The Covenant Nation in Iganmu, Lagos, under the theme: ‘Dream Big. Execute with knowledge’.

The event brought together business leaders, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders to explore practical approaches to building businesses, driving innovation and creating sustainable growth.

Reflecting on what it takes to build and scale businesses in Nigeria, Elegbe encouraged entrepreneurs to focus on identifying opportunities, solving relevant problems and developing the knowledge and capabilities required to build for the long term. He urged them to look beyond the size of an initial idea and concentrate on the execution, learning and capabilities that can create a foundation for sustainable growth.

“Execution is more important than the size of the dream. But once you get it right, it’s called knowledge. It’s called experience. With experience, you can then scale,” Elegbe said. 

He encouraged entrepreneurs to think about scale from the outset, even when starting with a small operation. He noted that considerations around people, partnerships, technology, systems and business architecture could help position businesses to respond effectively as new opportunities emerge.