Business tycoon Obi Iyiegbu, popularly known as Obi Cubana, has shared his thoughts on why many African entrepreneurs do not achieve long-term success in business. In a viral video, the billionaire explained that the major challenge holding people back is the lack of collaboration and the desire to own everything alone. He said African business owners often prefer to run businesses individually rather than work with partners, unlike Western entrepreneurs who understand the power of teamwork and shared ownership.

According to Cubana, this “I must own it all” mindset makes it hard for African businesses to expand and take on major projects. He noted that many successful foreign companies are owned by multiple people who may not even know each other personally, but they come together to build big, successful ventures. This system, he said, allows them to achieve much more than one person could do alone.

Cubana also pointed out that many African business owners want to name companies after themselves and their children, even when those children may not be interested in the business. This focus on personal ownership, he said, leads to problems when the founder can no longer run the business. Instead of growing into the second or third generation, the business often collapses due to lack of continuity and no strong leadership structure.

He stressed that Africans must embrace partnership, trust, and teamwork if they truly want to compete globally. He emphasized that real business success comes from long-term planning, shared growth, and building structures that survive beyond one person’s lifetime. “If you fall sick or die, the business should not die,” he cautioned.

Cubana encouraged entrepreneurs to think beyond personal pride and learn from global systems where ownership is shared but results are massive. According to him, collaboration—not ego—is the real path to generational wealth and sustainable business growth.