These 5 Nigerian Billionaires Did Not Go To School, In Fact, No 5 Was Even Rusticated

In Nigeria, Education is considered by many people as a key to success. Some believe one can not be successful without passing through school.

Studies have shown that 75% Nigerian place value on formal education than any other thing. Many Nigerians see education as a passport to better life such that no one except few would want their children to engage in other activities out of western education.

The general assumption is that,  without formal education, one can not be successful or be relevant in society

Faulting this myth are these successful Nigerians who have been able to survive life’s challenges and cross the hurdle of a formal education to become who they are today.

These are some of Nigeria’s most successful individuals who didn’t have formal education or complete schooling experiences.

1. COSMOS MADUKA:

If you are a lover of cars then you are certain to have heard of the name Cosmos Maduka. He is the founder of Coscharis Group, which is the sole distributor of BMW vehicles in West Africa. He dropped out of elementary school and became an apprentice at a tender age of seven. Today he sits atop one of the biggest conglomerates that Nigeria can boast of.

2. FOLORUNSHO ALAKIJA:

Ranked not only as Nigeria’s richest woman, according to Forbes ratings, Mrs. Folorunsho Alakija is Africa’s richest woman. The wealthy billionaire who as at 2012 is estimated to be worth $2.5 billion revealed recently that she never attended a university. She made this revelation at the United Nations International Youth Day held at the University of Lagos.

3. OLOROGUN MICHAEL IBRU:

Michael Ibru is the founder of Ibru Organization which is one of the largest conglomerates in Nigeria and head of one of the richest family in Nigeria. He is a prominent Nigerian businessman who has only a school certificate to his name, he graduated from Igbobi college in 1951.

4. RAZAQ AKANNI OKOYA:

A Nigerian billionaire industrialist, he is the founder of Eleganza Group which has a marketing span across West Africa. The lack of a proper education was not a barrier to Razaq Okoya in his quest for success. He had his only formal education at Ansar-un-deen primary School, Oke popo, Lagos.

5. ORJI UZOR KALU:

He is the billionaire founder of SLOK Holding as well as the founder of Daily Sun and New Telegraph Newspapers. He was rusticated from the university for participating in a students’ protest. The university later reconsidered its decision and he was called back but he rejected the offer and ventured into entrepreneurship instead.