Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BlackHouse Media (BHM), Ayeni Adekunle, has urged Nigerian businesses to think beyond the domestic market and build globally competitive companies by investing consistently in their core capabilities, technology and people.
Adekunle made the call during the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce August Breakfast Forum, held at Eko Hotel and Suites in Lagos on August 27, 2026. The session, which commemorated MTN Nigeria’s 25th anniversary, brought together business and corporate leaders to discuss enterprise growth, local capacity and the future of African businesses.
Speaking about his experience building BHM, Adekunle said Nigerian and African companies have the talent and capacity to compete with established multinational businesses if they take advantage of available opportunities and remain committed to long-term growth.
He said his ambition is to see more companies originating from Nigeria become recognised global brands, arguing that African businesses should not remain limited to their home markets.
Adekunle pointed to BHM's own expansion as an example. The company, which started operations in Nigeria, now has a presence in Ghana, Tanzania, Kenya, London and India, with the expansion funded from revenue generated by the business.
According to him, one of the most important lessons he learnt from working with MTN was the importance of reinvesting in the core business.
Rather than immediately diverting business earnings into unrelated assets, he advised companies to strengthen the capabilities that made their businesses competitive in the first place.
For BHM, this has included continuous investment in technology, with the company now working on artificial intelligence applications for global communications companies.
Adekunle also recalled BHM's early efforts to secure major corporate clients, including its initial unsuccessful pitch for MTN. He said the company remained persistent until it eventually secured the opportunity, which he described as a major turning point because working with a recognised multinational helped strengthen the firm's credibility with other potential clients. He further stressed the importance of chambers of commerce and business networks in helping African companies connect, scale and enter international markets.
According to him, the goal should be to create African companies capable of standing alongside major American, European and Asian brands on the global stage.
Adekunle also highlighted the growing importance of the content economy, urging businesses and communications professionals to anticipate technological and market changes rather than simply react to them.
He said the future could look significantly different if Nigerian entrepreneurs continue building and investing in their businesses over the next 10 to 20 years.
The BHM founder's message comes as Nigerian businesses increasingly explore opportunities across Africa and other international markets, with technology providing new pathways for companies to deliver services beyond their traditional geographical boundaries.