How My Master’s in Europe Helped Me Build My Business in Africa

Business school is not only a way to add an impressive degree to your résumé, elevate your personal brand, and gain the expertise to land a top job at a great company.

If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, studying for a business master’s or MBA can also equip you with the right skills and knowledge to start—or develop—your own business.

This is exactly what two students from Africa did by taking MBA degrees at European business schools. Find out how studying at Imperial College Business School and ESMT Berlin helped Confidence Uwazuruike and Lucy Wanjiku Mutinda build their startups in their home countries in Africa.

Leveraging An ESMT Berlin MBA For Environmental Company In Kenya

Lucy Wanjiku Mutinda studied for a Global Online MBA (GOMBA) at ESMT Berlin, while leading Ecocycle Ltd, the company she founded in 2014. Also its engineering director, her Kenya-based company offers onsite sewage recycling technology for reuse in projects and premises. “This mitigates sewer pollution to the environment and provides an alternative non-potable water supply, thus addressing water scarcity,” she explains.

Lucy (pictured) says that her MBA at ESMT helped boost her ability to run the business by equipping her with the know-how to create a niche and make her business profitable. Since graduating, she says: “A lot of work has gone into reviewing our cost of goods, the business value chain, operations cycle, and adjustments made to augment profitability.”

The skills she gained during the MBA include economics, financial management, communication, and leadership, she says.

“Additionally, as a startup founder, I further learned how to apply effective communication to manage teams. I can also apply the conceptual tools I learned to understand the scale of a problem, scope out its dimensions, and determine how best to tackle it.”

Ecocycle now benefits from a data-driven approach, helping her decision-making to be “approximately right rather than precisely wrong,” she says. “Leveraging data to be somewhat right helps get things moving in the right direction, and there is always room to iterate and get more precise as more data and learnings are acquired.”

As well as the tangible benefits to her startup, Lucy says she also profited from studying alongside “brilliant executives from all over the world.” This was a reciprocal benefit, as the GOMBA classroom was also richer for having her in it.

“You get to authentically share key insights and facts about doing business in Africa or just living in Africa—things that fellow global classmates have never imagined. In the end, the exchange of knowledge means collaborations are possible to develop innovative and sustainable ideas that can be successfully embraced and applied across borders.”

To illustrate this point, Lucy says the alumni network she is now a part of has helped her to identify opportunities to expand the company's offerings.

“Leveraging the reputation of ESMT Berlin and staying in contact with fellow alumni has boosted my individual and the company’s visibility and credibility, especially on digital platforms, as a thought leader in my industry,” she concludes.

Growing Startup In Nigeria Following MBA At Imperial College Business School 

Confidence Uwazuruike from Nigeria graduated from Imperial College Business School’s Full-Time MBA in 2024. Six years earlier, he launched Afritondo, a media and publishing company founded to address the underrepresentation of Black and African writers in the global publishing industry.

“Our aim is to give Black and African creatives the platform they need to showcase their talents and raise their profiles,” says Confidence. The company hosts an annual short story competition and publishes an online subscription-free magazine, as well as anthologies. “There is also mentorship and support for emerging writers and opportunities for students to intern and gain the skills they need for the workforce,” he adds.

Taking time out for an MBA has equipped him to drive his startup forward.

“One of the most important skills I have picked up from this MBA is becoming a more competent leader. The success of a business, especially a startup, mostly comes down to the competence of its leadership team, and I think this is one area that Imperial makes sure you’ve got covered. I am also a more competent communicator and negotiator. When I go into a meeting, I am better equipped to come out with resolutions that make sense for my business, even if it’s not everything I wanted.”

Studying at Imperial’s London campus, he benefited from being located in a diverse city with an international MBA cohort. He says the teaching outlook was also global, enabling him to grow his knowledge and network in ways that support his business.

“I was president of the Black in Business Career Club during my MBA, and in that capacity, I met many people who have turned out to be invaluable to my business.”

“Our classes were a combination of case studies and lectures, which I found really useful,” explains Confidence. “One of the cases we studied was Harambe: Mobilizing Capital in Africa, which was enlightening for me in terms of business models and doing business in Africa.”

Harambe is an ecosystem of 350 young African leaders who have spawned tech-enabled unicorns, raising more than $1 billion from investors.

Meeting Okendo Lewis-Gayle, Harambe’s founder, has sparked ideas for interesting collaborations, says Confidence. He also attended the Black British Entrepreneur Conference, where he connected with industry and thought leaders in the Black business space.

Confidence visited Kenya as part of Imperial College Business School’s Global Experience Week. “This offered me valuable insights into the local business ecosystem and potential market opportunities,” he says. He’s now applying those learnings to Afritondo.

“The MBA has made me a more competent person and a more competent leader. I have more confidence in my ability to lead people and organizations effectively. Whether at Afritondo or in future endeavors, I am confident that I will excel as a leader in my field and engage in impactful initiatives.”

From Africa To Europe For Business School

African students are studying in Europe in greater numbers than ever before. According to research by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), more than four in 10 prospective candidates from Africa aim to apply to business schools in Western Europe. Attracted by affordable tuition fees (compared to the US), high-quality education, and shared language ties, Morocco and Algeria are the two biggest exporters of international students to France, while the number of Nigerian students in the UK has increased by 624% in the last four years.

Europe also has several scholarship schemes to attract African students.

“Studying in Europe contributes to professional growth,” Lucy explains. “You come across mind-blowing ideas and figure out how to leverage and customize them for practical rollout in Africa. Every exposure in Europe generates new thoughts and ideas.”