The harsh realities of returning home to build an enterprise were laid bare this week as an Abuja-based entrepreneur watched his year-old investment reduced to rubble without prior warning.
Operating under the belief that national economic calls for diaspora involvement presented a viable path forward, the investor secured a GBP 75,000 loan abroad to fund the venture. Within a brief span of 15 months, the property was established, growing into a thriving commercial space that directly supported a workforce of 84 individuals and indirectly sustained a wider network of roughly 300 jobs.
That momentum halted abruptly when bulldozers arrived on site without notice. According to the owner, workers were ordered to evacuate immediately before heavy machinery tore through the entire facility. The sudden destruction wiped out the capital investment and abruptly severed the livelihoods of dozens of employees.
”I borrowed money from the UK to come and invest in Nigeria,” the distraught owner recounted. “You people say we should come back from the diaspora to invest. I’ve never done one government contract. I don’t know anybody in government. I came with my money from the UK to invest here.”
The incident has triggered profound disillusionment regarding the ease of doing business and the protection of private investments. Contemplating his next steps, the investor expressed deep regret over returning to the country, noting that the systemic hurdles and lack of institutional safeguards threaten to permanently drive away crucial capital and talent from the diaspora.
”As I’m talking right now, I’m actually thinking of packing my things, tearing my Nigerian passport, and going back,” he stated. “I have friends who have destroyed their passports because of things like this. In this place alone, about 300 people have been rendered jobless. And you people say you’re creating jobs? Is this how you create jobs?”
Do you want to advertise with us?
Do you need publicity for a product, service, or event?
Contact us on WhatsApp +2348033617468, +234 816 612 1513, +234 703 010 7174
or Email: validviewnetwork@gmail.com
CLICK TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP
The demolition underscores lingering concerns among prospective diaspora investors regarding regulatory unpredictability, property rights enforcement, and the vital need for due process in urban development initiatives.