Why Nigerian startups must build revenue engines before chasing scale

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Across Nigeria’s startup ecosystem, hundreds of early-stage founders are building promising products. Yet many still wrestle with a fundamental question: how do we turn this into revenue—and sustain it? This unclear pathway to sustainable growth is one of the main reasons why less than half of African startups survive beyond their first few years (Techpoint Africa, 2023).

Last week in Lagos, B4B Partners gathered 16 founders and revenue drivers for the second cohort of Revenue Xcelerator, a five-day intensive designed to help startups master the fundamentals of revenue generation before chasing scale or capital.

Over five days (September 22–26, 2025), participants worked through the five moving parts of the revenue engine:

• Product – designing for problem-solution fit and product-market fit
• Marketing – building systems, funnels, and community-led growth
• Sales – playbooks for repeatable processes and sales enablement
• Customer Success – retention and revenue expansion
• Revenue Operations & Leadership – systems and culture for sustainable growth

Facilitators like  Arinze Okonkwo, Bukayo Ewuoso, Damilola Teidi-Ayoola, Osa Awani, Nkem Nweke, Chinedu Ossai, Ogo Onwuzurike, Emmanuel Opara, Hannatu Adegboyega, Tayo Sowole, Cynthia E.Chisom, Ayoni Jimoh, and Chizoba Anyasie, helped translate these themes into practical, founder-ready strategies.

Why This Matters

The past three years have been sobering for Africa’s tech ecosystem. Startup funding has dropped by more than 50% since 2022 (TechCrunch, 2024). But while capital is drying up, the need for resilient businesses has only grown.

“We see this as more than a training,” said Napa Onwusah, convener of Revenue Xcelerator and Managing Director of B4B Partners. “It’s a step towards building an ecosystem where startups succeed because their business models are strong, not just because they raised capital. Revenue is the truest form of validation. It proves your product solves a problem, your customers are willing to pay, and your systems can sustain growth.”

Instead of abstract theory, participants immersed themselves in sessions on funnels that actually convert, sales processes that close, customer support that retains, and leadership systems that make the entire engine run efficiently. This focus on revenue-first growth is what differentiates the program.

Beyond the Training

For every company that raises international venture funding, dozens struggle silently with product-market fit, shaky pipelines, or unclear go-to-market strategies. The consequences are visible: stalled growth, founder burnout, and premature shutdowns.

Through Revenue Xcelerator, B4B Partners is equipping founders to build durable systems rather than rely on short-lived capital. Following the training week, participants enter a three-week implementation and coaching sprint.

The program also partners with organizations like MTN Nigeria, Engage.so, Cloudplexo, Paystack, PressOne Africa, and Zoho for Startups, offering resources and networks founders can leverage long after the cohort ends. Participants will also have the chance to book one-on-one sessions with facilitators to troubleshoot bottlenecks specific to their businesses.

“Many founders overestimate what fundraising can solve and underestimate what strong revenue foundations can unlock,” said Stacy Ketiku, Head of Programs at B4B Partners. “Our goal with Revenue Xcelerator is to give them clarity and the systems to build predictable revenue, not just hustle for short-term wins. That’s what investors, partners, and talents ultimately respect.”

As B4B Partners scales this work, one thing is becoming clear: the future of Africa’s startup economy will not be defined by how much capital is raised, but by how much revenue is earned and sustained.

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