Entrepreneurs who are builders will thrive in 2026, say experts

Experts are predicting a shift in focus towards tangible achievements and results-driven approaches for entrepreneurs who are builders in 2026.

Across sectors and generations, entrepreneurs continue to start, grow, and sustain businesses in one of the world’s most dynamic markets. What separates those who endure from those who fall away is not circumstance, but focus.

While public conversations often revolve around constraints and uncertainty, builders move with intent. They prioritise strategy, execution, and long-term value creation, proving that progress is driven less by conditions and more by commitment, the experts say.

In September 2025, the London Business School (LBS) alumni community in Nigeria hosted its annual reunion, featuring a session with some of the country’s most experienced builders.

Panellists included Adedotun Sulaiman, chairman of Parthian Partners Limited, Roosevelt Ogbonna, group MD of Access Bank Plc. and Olumide Soyombo, co-founder of Bluechip Technologies and Voltron Capital.

The session also featured Kathleen O’Connor, director of executive education and clinical professor at the London Business School, and Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani as the moderator.

The conversations reinforced a clear message. 2026 will be a year that rewards builders.

In his keynote address, Bolaji Balogun, chief executive officer of Chapel Hill Denham, drew from his 35-year entrepreneurial journey and experience working with founders who built some of Africa’s largest conglomerates.

He noted that founders most likely to succeed are those with a big vision, clarity around the specific problems they are solving, discipline, financial prudence, and depth of experience.

On the subject of growth, he emphasised the importance of hiring and retaining high-quality people.

He added that successful founders must embrace a level of aggression, build structures that promote accountability and transparency, and maintain a consistent commitment to excellence.

During the panel discussion, Roosevelt Ogbonna, group managing director of Access Bank, spoke on what it takes to build regional and continental businesses in Africa.

He urged founders to move beyond the start-up mindset and develop deliberate strategies for scale.

“We are all going to be pathfinders. We are all going to travel down roads nobody has gone through. If you are waiting for a template, you are not going to get one,” he said.

Only those willing to walk lonely paths can truly become pioneers.

Other panellists also shared personal experiences from their respective sectors, reinforcing the realities of building in complex and often unpredictable environments.

In his welcome address, Akintayo Sanwo-Olu, president of the LBS alumni community in Nigeria, spoke to the importance of global thinking grounded in local execution. He noted that learning and values are not confined by geography.

“We are called to think globally while acting locally, to bring the best of international business ideas into our markets, and to export African innovation to the world,” he said.

According to him, Africa is rich with energy, talent, and innovation, but converting potential into progress requires vision, leadership, and deliberate action.

“The qualities that define this community are builders who are not just entrepreneurs and executives. They are nation builders, market shapers, and role models for generations to come,” he said.