She Left her 6-Figure Job in the UK to Build Her Own Firm in Nigeria
People thought she was crazy for leaving a six-figure career in the UK to come back to Nigeria and build her own investment firm.
Today, she is the Founder and Managing Partner of Aruwa Capital Management, an entrepreneur, CEO, mother, investor, and women’s empowerment advocate.
Her name is Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes.
And the more I studied her journey, the more fascinated I became.
Adesuwa is my colleague; she studied Economics at the University of Bristol.
She has spent 15 years in investment banking; she worked for Lehman Brothers, J.P. Morgan, and Syntaxis Capital Africa.
But in 2019, at just 29, she made a decision that many people probably thought was crazy.
She left the comfort of a six-figure salary and launched Aruwa Capital Management with her savings.
And that’s where the real story begins.
Building an investment firm sounds glamorous when you see the result.
But Adesuwa has spoken about spending eight years fundraising before successfully closing a fund.
There were years of trying.
Years of rejection.
Years of doors being slammed.
Eventually, Aruwa’s first fund closed at $20 million.
Today, Aruwa Capital manages approximately $80 million across two funds and typically invests between $1 million and $3 million in businesses.
There is a quote on Adesuwa’s website that perfectly captures this journey:
“A river cuts through rock, not because of its power, but because of its persistence.”
That quote resonates with me.
After studying Adesuwa’s journey, two things fascinated me even more.
1. She’s faith-driven.
2. The way she structured Aruwa Capital.
Let me explain.
1. SHE IS A FAITH-DRIVEN ENTREPRENEUR
Adesuwa has openly spoken about the role of her Christian faith in building Aruwa.
Before establishing the firm, she said she fasted and prayed because she wanted to be certain that she was being led by God.
Her approach to wealth is also deeply connected to Godly stewardship.
That means her investment decisions aren’t only about:
“Will this make money?”
There is another question:
“Does this honour God?”
That perspective is powerful.
She describes her calling as creating wealth and legacy in a way that honours God, gives Him glory, and contributes to His Kingdom.
2. SHE DIDN'T BUILD ANOTHER GENERIC INVESTMENT FIRM
This is probably the part of her story that fascinated me the most.
Adesuwa didn’t simply say:
“I want to start a private equity firm.”
She created a specific investment thesis.
Aruwa focuses on businesses that are:
• Female-founded and Female-led
Why?
Because Adesuwa identified a massive opportunity in the female economy.
She has pointed to research showing the enormous scale of female entrepreneurship in Africa and the financing gap facing women-led businesses.
She said in an interview with the Touch the Sky podcast that female-founded startups generate 2.5 times more revenue than male-founded startups.
So instead of seeing the gender gap only as a problem…
she saw an investment opportunity.
She wanted Aruwa Capital to become a beacon of hope for women entrepreneurs
But there is another layer.
Aruwa invests in essential sectors including:
Healthcare.
Financial services.
Technology.
Consumer goods.
Agriculture and agri-processing.
Renewable energy.
One example that caught my attention was its investment in solar-powered refrigeration.
The idea is simple but powerful:
Provide solar-powered refrigerators to women in rural communities so they can preserve products such as fish and meat instead of losing them to spoilage.
That is not just an investment.
It is capital being used to solve a real problem in someone’s daily life. She has empowered over 3000 market women with this process.
Another example is investment in B2B commerce, helping female retailers order wholesale goods through digital platforms, have products delivered to their businesses and, in some cases, access credit. Currently, this investment is servicing 120,000 female retailers across 6 states in Nigeria.
Aruwa is a great concept; they don’t just ask, “What business can make money?”
They also ask:
“What problem does this business solve, and how many people can it impact?”
And that is a completely different way of looking at investment.
Studying Adesuwa’s journey reminded me of two things.
First: spirituality can be a powerful source of direction and conviction.
There may not be scientific proof that prayer or faith guarantees business success.
Adesuwa clearly believes her journey with Aruwa was not achieved by human effort alone.
Second: BRANDING IS MORE THAN A LOGO.
Aruwa Capital didn’t just enter the investment industry and try to look like everybody else.
It built a distinct identity around a clear thesis that makes a business memorable.
I think there is a lesson here for every entrepreneur:
Don’t just build a business. Build a business with a clear reason for existing.
Because sometimes, your greatest competitive advantage isn’t what you sell.
It is the unique way you choose to solve a problem.
About the Aurthor
Thanks for reading. My name is Izuchukwu Iyoke, founder of Skyroc Digital. Over the years, we have helped businesses outsmart their competitors and build loyal clients through Website Creation, Business Branding, and AI Video Editing. Beyond Business Development, I help smart people preserve and multiply wealth through Real Estate.
