From $100 to $10 million: Henley DBA Paul Orajiaka’s journey

Dr Paul Orajiaka’s journey from a young man with only $100 to the owner of a multimillion-dollar business began with disappointment.

After finishing high school, he travelled to Lagos intending to secure a visa to study in the United States. While his friends’ visas were approved, his application was denied. Rather than returning home defeated, he joined his brother-in-law in Lagos’s bustling trading markets, where he quickly developed an entrepreneurial instinct.

He began selling appliances and power supplies brought in by friends from England, but his breakthrough came when he noticed that Park N Shop, now known as Spar, no longer had a toy supplier. Despite having no experience in the toy industry, he boldly offered to fill the gap. The decision transformed his future.

Park N Shop expanded across Nigeria, and Paul rode the wave. Soon, he was importing from Dubai and supplying retailers nationwide. By the time he was 21, he was already a millionaire. But then he remembered his uncle’s advice: “Any fool can make money. But not every fool can be a quality man. To be a quality man, you need a proper education.”

That quest for quality drove Paul to collect a first degree in Accounting and four Masters degrees and, recently, he completed his DBA at Henley Business School: his greatest and most challenging academic achievement yet. ‘One of those degrees was from Harvard Kennedy School in the US,’ Paul says wryly. ‘So, you know. It took a while. But eventually, I did get my visa.’

Now, he’s ready for his next move: a seat in public office, where he hopes to champion those SMEs that, like him, have the true, resilient Nigerian spirit.

Read his story in his own words below:

I came to Lagos after I finished high school. The whole purpose of my coming here was so that I could go to the US embassy, get my visa, and travel to America to study. I went to the embassy with my friends and we made our applications. They all received their visas. I was the only one who was denied. So what did I do? Well, I went straight down to the local market, where my brother-in-law worked as an importer, and I began working for him.

He exposed me to the trading industry of Lagos. Very quickly I became a trader myself, selling things my friends were bringing back from England: appliances, power supplies. All the while I paid close attention to the Park N Shop, which is known as Spar today, and was the biggest supermarket in Nigeria at the time. An opportunity to work with them would surely help me grow my business, too.

One day, I heard that Park N Shop’s toy supplier was not supplying them toys anymore. I had the instinct of a businessman, and I said to myself, take this chance, expand your scope. I went to the manager and told him I could supply him toys. Look: I had no idea where to get toys. I had no idea about the toy business. But I made it work. And things developed so fast from there.

Remember I said Park N Shop was the biggest supermarket in Nigeria? They were expanding throughout the country rapidly. I was now their toy supplier, and so my footprint was growing with them. Soon I had to start importing toys from Dubai, then I opened my own shop in the local market, then a massive retail store, and then I started selling directly to other supermarkets, too. From there, the business just took a life of its own.

It's interesting to think about it: I started my business, Auldon Toys, with just $100. Now it’s worth $10 million and has a turnover of $2 million a year. It is surely a blessing. But it’s like my uncle told me: “Any fool can make money and be wealthy. But not every fool can lead a quality life.” He said to me: “Paul. You need to choose between being a wealthy man or a quality man.”

For you to have a quality life, you need to be well educated. Motivated by my uncle’s words, I began to study. I was hooked on it: I saw how everything I learned changed and improved the way I did business. I did not one, not two, but four Master’s degrees: one at the University of Lagos, one at Lagos Business School, another in Public Administration at Harvard Kennedy School, and, of course, a Master’s in Business and Management Research at Henley.

Just recently, I received word that my results for my Doctorate in Business Administration at Henley were approved. I am now Dr Paul Orajiaka. It’s quite something. The whole Henley experience, even from the admission, has been fantastic. The attention to detail, the care, that the administrators give you is second to none. If I hadn’t had such a good experience, I would not have put myself up for service to serve the school in Nigeria, gathering Nigerian Henley alumni and bringing us together, as I am doing today.

Sure, there were challenges. My supervisors were tough on me – there was no way to escape their scrutiny. At times I said to them, “Listen, guys. I’m not a professor. I’m not an academic. I’m just a businessman who sells toys.” But they knew that to make a fine steel you need a hot furnace. Oh, they applied pressure. Sometimes, when I read their feedback, tears would come out of my eyes. But I stand by it: they do know best. And that’s what I love – that panache, that desire to be and make the best. That is why I chose Henley to begin with.

What’s next for me? In 2027, I would like to seek political office in the general election. I want to go into parliament, drive policy and change, mobilise the population for economic growth. Right now, in Nigeria, SMEs’ impact on the economy is neglected. There is still so much focus on oil. I know that with everything I’ve learned – from my business ventures to my educational journey – I’ll be able to do my bit and uplift SMEs with the right policies. I’m excited, now, to continue telling the story of the true, resilient, Nigerian spirit.