I relocated to the U.S. to start my career again after a short stint transitioning into a full-time entrepreneur, and the experience has been a lifetime experience. It was a fast-tripartite transition from a senior associate at PwC Nigeria to CEO and co-founder at Transtura to an experienced associate at PwC New York, all in one year.

We launched Transtura with a deep conviction that it was what my co-founders and I wanted. We saw a huge gap in the informal transportation value chain in Lagos State, and just like every entrepreneur, we wanted to do something about it. That is our configuration as entrepreneurs; we actively seek opportunities to solve problems.

We began to notice that the product would fail a few months after we launched, but luckily, we didn’t test the deepness of the water with both legs. The challenges were beyond what we could have foreseen. I did a SWOT analysis to identify weaknesses and threats before we launched, but I underestimated the severity of the threats in my analysis.

The challenges were enormous and unsurmountable, from NURTW to LASTMA, the Taskforce, and the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation. It was like everyone wanted us to fail for a reason best known to them. We suddenly realized that the NURTW is more powerful than we thought. Their unholy romance with the Lagos Government makes them believe they can get away with anything.

At a point, over 20% of our daily revenue was going to the NURTW, and we still couldn’t operate without unnecessary interruption. There were days our buses were impounded for hours with passengers inside, and we had to make huge payments before the buses were released. Not to mention the number of times our drivers were assaulted and our buses vandalized by faceless members of the union. The police couldn’t do anything after we made several reports on the incidents.

Nigerian leaders need to understand that Nigeria cannot become a prosperous country by making it impossible for young people who want to contribute to succeed. Those who told us we would fail were right, but I am happy we tried to succeed.

This post is not about giving excuses for a failed product but to encourage young people and entrepreneurs like myself who have failed to understand that there is nothing wrong in failing, especially if you fail forward.

After the not-too-good experience, I dusted my resume and started applying for roles in the Big 4 in the U.S. and I was fortunate to get an offer from PwC New York. The ability to get up from failure is the most defining attribute of every successful person.

As you start the new year, my encouragement to you is not to be afraid to start again. I challenge you to put those failures behind you and use them as a launchpad for your success. I dare you to dream again, and don’t allow your failures to be the reason you will never succeed.

ednut1:
When i saw he started a company on LinkedIn and got funding i was happy for him. Was in Nigeria late 2022 expected to see his buses at Oniru/VI axis but didn’t see any. I was wondering wetin dey sup. Moral of the story- any business Nigerian government or politicians have vested Interest in avoid it.

johnog4sure:
I respect you, more wins

ednut1:
When i saw he started a company on LinkedIn and got funding i was happy for him. Was in Nigeria late 2022 expected to see his buses at Oniru/VI axis but didn’t see any. I was wondering wetin dey sup. Moral of the story- any business Nigerian government or politicians have vested Interest in avoid it.

franchasofficia:
Chinedu abi Tunde, you no go kill somebody one day

Ireportlive:




The ability to get up from failure is the most defining attribute of every successful person.


A qoute from my favorite book

Outwitting the devil



To better explain NURTW model of revenue collection for LGA and LASG and why Government deliberately employed agberos


1: When Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR took over office as Lagos State Governor in 1999, his first major challenge was insecurity, hoodlums, pickpocket, youthful unemployment


2: Tinubu needed a way to get millions of idle youth engaged in a way that skilled and unskilled, educated and uneducated youth would have something doing

id4sho:
Mc oloumo gangs

Pojomojo:
Uber beat them to it. Maybe he didn't use technology properly.

id4sho:

Branded cars na wahala

jesmond3945:
tunde point of correction.

jesmond3945:
tunde point of correction.