From MBA to building sustainable tourism in Nigeria

When she was young, MBA student and businesswoman Omotowunmi Bello once dreamed of retiring to Monaco – not because she knew much about it, but because it represented extreme wealth.

“Monaco is one of the most expensive places to live in the world – retiring there would mean I’d made it,” she says.

At 29, Omotowunmi realises she probably won’t make one of the Forbes 30 under 30 list as planned, “but I’ve still got my eye on the 50 Over 50 (list).” 

Today her ambitions are focused on transforming tourism in her native Nigeria. As a direct result of her time at Warwick Business School, she has determined to ensure every tour, transport and development she’s involved in will be sustainable. 

“I used to feel frustrated in business because sustainability was just a buzzword,” says Omotowunmi. “But at the international elective to (Nova School of Business & Economics in) Portugal I learned how to put it into words, how to ‘sell’ it as a concept and convince people, and that’s fantastic.” 

She almost took a radically different path. As a student at Ilorin University close to home in west Nigeria, she had set her sights on medical school, inspired by ambitious parents. “It was a typical African household – both my parents had two jobs, education was everything.”  

But a chance opportunity to work in business with her sister prompted a drastic career rethink and she jumped at a job opening in digital marketing. She says: “My sister realised I could buy into a vision, and that was powerful.”

Omotowunmi went on to excel in business operations and marketing and founded a niche consultancy that has since worked with many Nigerian beauty and fashion start-ups.  

Today she keeps a weather eye on her business interests back home, but business school has been intense and “unmissable”. She chose Warwick for its prestige, inspired by a colleague who urged her towards a Full-time MBA. 

“She told me I was smart enough, and I thought if I’m going to do it, I need to do it ‘right’. The MBA gives you bragging rights.”  

To date her experience has been transformative.

“Studying alongside people in design, tech, in all sorts of sectors, you see so many different points of view, you learn to network,” she says.

After nearly a decade in business, Omotowunmi appreciates the insights and wisdom from academic practitioners – a ‘fast track’ to years of experience.

“They’ve been there and made the mistakes so we don’t have to,” she says. “We learn from the best, from their condensed wisdom.” 

As President of the School’s Black in Business Club, she’s spearheading a new mentoring scheme for Undergraduate and Master’s students and has been persuading industry leaders to come on board, with an autumn leadership in diversity summit in the pipeline.

Omotowunmi adds: “If you come from Africa - as most of our members do - it can be hard to break in to industries here. I want to connect people and ensure they have the right advice.” 

Making Nigeria the 'Giant of Africa'

It was back in 2015 when the germ of an idea for promoting tourism in her home region of Kwara State took hold. As a student social secretary, she had been researching day trips and was astonished to discover a host of sites of natural beauty and culture on her doorstep, from waterfalls to artistic heritage - “I mentally filed it all away”.

Now her plan is to build networks in the UK for two or three years.

She adds: “I want to learn the ropes and see how its done, find partners and franchises willing to work with me.”

By 2030 she wants to take concrete proposals to build up tourism back home and exploit an international airport nearby.

“Kenya has done tourism well, and Rwanda is now successful. Now it’s time for us to develop beyond Lagos and Abuja – I want Nigeria to live up to the name of the ‘Giant of Africa’,” says Omotowunmi.

“We need to change our narrative, take our expertise home and benefit from an inflow of international tourism. And we need the businesses there ready to cater for them.” 

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