This piece is for those in the diaspora who decide to take the leap: to come home and start something. It is a real challenge. The first honest question to ask yourself is what you actually know about the place you are returning to. The answer is often humbling: much less than you think.
You will have to leave some assumptions at the airport and adapt to new realities, or rather, to old ones you have forgotten. Copying a Western model onto West African daily life rarely works. Many arrive with big projects, get discouraged and leave. Others persist, adapt and succeed. Here is what I learned, first in 2015 and since.
Rule 1: Know the ground before you build
Africa can look like a blank page where anything can be invented. Do not be fooled. Never throw yourself into a project you do not master, however innovative. Spend real time on the ground, ideally several stays of a month or more, compare opinions and study similar projects: what worked, what failed and why.
Rule 2: Think regional, not only national
Do not limit your market to your country of origin. If you are from Benin, as I am, learn the Nigerian and Togolese markets. Do not let language become a wall. In 2026, with regional trade frameworks and better connectivity, a West African strategy is more realistic than ever, though each border still has its own rules.
Rule 3: Write it down
Document your project and set out a roadmap. Discipline starts with yourself, and a written plan is what you will come back to when things get noisy.
Rule 4: Stay in charge
Do not hand your project to a friend or relative and fly back. Nobody shares your motivation. If you must delegate, measure the risk and set up regular, documented follow-up. Remote tools help; they do not replace presence.
Rule 5: Choose partners with care
Projects here can move very fast or very slowly; have a plan B, sometimes a plan C. Above all, choose your partners carefully. Trust does not exclude verification: ask for references and registration documents. Recommendations matter, because people are accountable to whoever introduced them. A registered provider is usually easier to hold to account than the cheapest informal option.
Rule 6: Put a frame around everything
Budget, spending plan, objectives, schedule, working conditions. Agree on fees and terms before work starts, put it in writing and keep a trace of every payment. Be collaborative, but firm. Good habits set on day one save months later.
Rule 7: Add a margin to every deadline
Unexpected things will slow you down. A buffer of at least a week per milestone protects your calm and your credibility.
Rule 8: Recognise good work
When the team delivers, show it. A shared meal or a simple gesture of thanks goes a long way. Working differently here also means working with more warmth.
Rule 9: Practise humility
You are above no one. Humility is essential. People may see things differently from you, and they can teach you a great deal. Give everyone the respect they deserve and be patient.
Rule 10: Never give up
Failures will happen. When they do, ask what did not work, own your part, correct it and try again.
So, what are you waiting for?
