We're No Longer Experimenting

Happy New Year!

For a long time, building in Nigeria has been treated like an experiment. Try this. Test that. See what works. Move on quickly.

At Made by Nigerians, we've reached a different conclusion.

We're no longer experimenting. We're building: deliberately, carefully, and with long-term intent.

MBN was created around a simple but serious belief: that Nigerian businesses deserve more than applause and visibility. They deserve systems. Education. Capital pathways. Physical infrastructure. And a community that understands what real growth requires.

Over the past year, that belief moved from theory into structure.

In 2025, we focused on laying foundations that will outlast trends:

• MBN Trade Advance was launched to support businesses navigating growth, access, and scale; beyond conversations and into real enablement.
• We introduced the MBN Academy, committing to education as a core driver of business and brand growth.
• Through the MBN Founder's Forum, we are holding space for honest founder-level dialogue, learning, and leadership.
• With MBN AI, we took a clear step toward the future, ensuring Nigerian businesses are not left behind in the global shift toward intelligent tools.
• Our MBN Concept Store at Lennox Mall, Lekki, continued to bring Made-by-Nigerians brands into a curated, commercial retail experience with thousands of satisfied shoppers.
• Started our journey to the MBN Experience Centre at 37 Ribadu Road, Ikoyi, a physical home for conversations, exhibitions, commerce and collaboration.

We also hosted one of our most defining moments yet: The Made by Nigerians Festival.

The festival supported and employed hundreds of SMEs, entrepreneurs, creatives, and individuals, serving as both a commercial platform and a cultural celebration. It brought Nigerian brands directly to the people, created real economic opportunity, and reinforced the power of community-driven growth.

As part of this, we proudly hosted Africa's Fashion Finale in collaboration with Africa Fashion Week Nigeria, positioning the festival as a continental moment for creativity, commerce, and global visibility.

These were not experiments. They were decisions.

Working closely with founders, partners, and builders this year reinforced one thing for me: progress requires patience, discipline, and stubborn belief; especially when the work is hard and unglamorous.

As we move into 2026, our focus is sharp. This will be a year of depth, execution, and scale. We will strengthen what we've built, refine what works, and continue to build alongside the people this platform exists to serve.

To mark the start of the year, I'm sharing two things with this note:

• A free 2026 Accountability Calendar, designed to help you plan intentionally and stay accountable through the year. Please feel free to print and use it. I have printed mine it is hanging on my wall at the moment.
• The very first issue of Making It for 2026, a magazine dedicated to honest stories of building, ambition, and progress within the Nigerian ecosystem.

If you've been part of this journey; as a founder, partner, supporter, or believer; thank you. This work is shaped by you, and it continues because of you.

Here's to a year of focus, clarity, and real building.

Remember, MBN is, and has always been, a partnership-driven journey. If you're interested in collaborating or building impactful ideas with us, we'd love to hear from you. Please email contact@mbn.ng