Copyright © 2022

PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT VOL 1

All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-978-8554-34-9

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the
King James Version of the Bible.

Published by
Abundant Life House
P. O. Box 1838, Osogbo, Nigeria.
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www.solaareogunministries.org
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www.lifeoasisinternationalchurch.org
Email: [email protected]
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Printed in Nigeria.
 Contents

Prophetic Words For Businesses 5

21 Confessions For Wealth And Business Enlargement 7

10 Forces That Generate Kingdom Wealth 19

The Holy Spirit, The Highest Form Of Wealth On Earth

Today And Your Financial Advantage 31

Simple Steps For Effective Brand Building 39

10 Emerging And Evergreen Businesses In Nigeria 47

Understanding The Basics Of Digital Marketing 71

Dealing With Challenges And Obstacles In Business 85

Dealing With Competitors In Business 91

 PROPHETIC WORDS FOR
BUSINESSES

1. A million–fold race

2. Grace for governance

3. ‘Oju Ona’. (meaning eyes to see the business side of

your life, fashion, decoration, and wealth creation
opportunities that others don’t see)

4. 40% shares of the profit of the earth

5. What we have does not finish until another one comes

6. Take your shares in the profit of the earth: salary, fees,

profit, royalty, commissions etc. (Eccl 5:9)

7. Power to see opportunities, personalities and provisions

of God
6 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

8. New ways! I am anointed for new ways.

9. My year of profiting by: Divine counsel, leading,

guidance, teaching, revelation, explanation, instruction,
and clarification (Isa. 48:16–19)

10. Divine magnification of human efforts

11. The Lord says multiples! Multiple jobs, businesses, funds,

materials, open doors, entries, visas, companies, graces,
anointings, powerful relationships, higher posts and
positions

12. Unusual Business!

21 CONFESSIONS FOR WEALTH
AND BUSINESS ENLARGEMENT

By REV OYENIKE AREOGUN

1. 2 Corinthians 8:9

9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus

Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your
sakes he became poor, that ye through his
poverty might be rich.

The death of Jesus and the life of Jesus is my foundation for

wealth.

Jesus became poor that I might be made rich; by the poverty of

Jesus, I am made rich

I abound in wealth; whatever I lay my hands upon will prosper.

8 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

I increase, enlarge and move from coast to coast filling the face
of the earth with fruits.

That is my foundation.

2. 1 Timothy 6:17

17 Charge them that are rich in this world,

that they be not high–minded, nor trust in
uncertain riches, but in the living God, who
giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

I am rich in God’s kingdom.

The wealth that God gives me is superior to the wealth of the

rich in the World

I put my trust in the living God; I have all things the father has
given me richly to enjoy.

I operate in abundance, increase, and enlargement.

3. Proverbs 10:22

22 The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich,

and he addeth no sorrow with it.

The blessing of the Lord is upon me. It swallows every curse,

problem, and negative ancestral flow.
 21 CONFESSIONS FOR WEALTH AND BUSINESS ENLARGEMENT 9

I am blessed of the Lord and I am made rich.

I shut out every operation of the devil from my life.

The wealth of God in my life adds no sorrow.

I take authority over every sorrow that the devil adds to people’s
wealth and I declare, “No sorrow to my wealth!”

4. Ephesians 1:3

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord

Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all
spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Father, I thank you because you have blessed me with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places.

All spiritual blessings that give birth to physical blessings are

resting in my life.

I have the ways, means and wisdom of God to convert spiritual

blessings to physical blessings.

5. Psalm 112:3

3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and

his righteousness endureth for ever.

Wealth, riches, and abundance are in my house.

10 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

Every good thing of life is in my house.

Everything that God does for me endures forever.

I have an enduring wealth and blessing in my life.

My things enlarge and increase. They will not go down, fade

away or reduce.

6. Proverbs 13:22

22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his

children’s children: and the wealth of the sinner
is laid up for the just.

I am a good man because I have been made righteous.

I have more than enough.

I have an abundance of inheritance for my children and my

children’s children.

The wealth of sinners is laid up for me; I take it up in the East,

West, North and South.

I take it by wisdom and grace.

My eyes are open to see them; I see them and take them

I have strength and wisdom. I have the means to take it.

 21 CONFESSIONS FOR WEALTH AND BUSINESS ENLARGEMENT 11

7. Zechariah 14:14

14 And Judah also shall fight at Jerusalem;

and the wealth of all the heathen round about
shall be gathered together, gold, and silver, and
apparel, in great abundance.

Father, I receive the wealth of all the heathen all around. They
are flowing into my life, family, and everything that I do.

I receive all the silver and gold that the devil has taken away
from my hand and my ancestors in great abundance.

The Lord teaches my hand to war and my fingers to battle.

I know what to do to take what is my own from the enemy.

Everything that the enemy has stolen from my lineage that I

am supposed to have is backdated and restored. This is my day
of restoration.

8. Deuteronomy 8:18

18 But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God:

for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth,
that he may establish his covenant which he
sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.

Father, I thank you because you have given me the power to

get wealth
12 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

I have education power, wisdom power, understanding power,

association power, relationship power, open door power, and
every connection power to get wealth

I have ways and means. I have earnings and my head is lifted

above my fellows. I have a terrific increase. Terrible things that
I look not for, higher and greater things

What is Wealth?

W – Ways and means

E – Earnings

A – Abundance and plenty

L – Lifting(s) (my head is lifted above my fellows)

T – Terrific increase (Terrible things that I look not for)

H – Higher and higher (better, stronger, and mightier things)

9. 2 Chronicles 1:12

12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto

thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth,
and honour, such as none of the kings have
had that have been before thee, neither shall
there any after thee have the like.
 21 CONFESSIONS FOR WEALTH AND BUSINESS ENLARGEMENT 13

The Lord gives me rare riches, wealth and honour that no one has
had in my lineage. I have it and I step into it with the wisdom
of the ancient of days.

10. Ecclesiastes 5:19

19 Every man also to whom God hath given

riches and wealth, and hath given him power
to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to
rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.

God has given me gifts and I receive them in the name of Jesus.

I have riches, wealth, and power to eat of it .

I have the power to eat and rejoice in my labour.

I will not build and another inhabit.

I will long enjoy the work of my hands.

11. Genesis 13:2

2 And Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver,

and in gold.

I am the seed of Abraham.

I am rich in cattle, gold, and silver.

14 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

Every gold of wealth in my day, I am rich in it by the working

of the power of God in the name of Jesus.

12. Genesis 24:35

35 And the Lord hath blessed my master

greatly; and he is become great: and he hath
given him flocks, and herds, and silver, and
gold, and menservants, and maidservants,
and camels, and asses.

I am the seed of Abraham in Christ Jesus.

Abraham was great; I am great.

I become great and my business becomes great. I may be small

today but I am becoming great

(Mention the name of your company/business).

I am becoming great because the Lord has blessed me greatly.

13. Deuteronomy 8:13

13 And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply,

and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and
all that thou hast is multiplied;
 21 CONFESSIONS FOR WEALTH AND BUSINESS ENLARGEMENT 15

I enter into my timing of multiplication.

All that I have and all that I am doing are multiplying. It will
not remain small or stagnant

14. 2 Chronicles 32:27

27 And Hezekiah had exceeding much riches

and honour: and he made himself treasuries
for silver, and for gold, and for precious stones,
and for spices, and for shields, and for all
manner of pleasant jewels;

God is bringing dimensions of branching out into my businesses.

The anointing is bringing branching out into my businesses.

I receive grace to increase!

15. Genesis 26:13

13 And the man waxed great, and went

forward, and grew until he became very great:

I wax great, my business wax great, and my company wax great

to the point it cannot be assaulted and put under.

I also have exceedingly more riches and honour.

My business and company are breaking out and multiplying

16 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

into different dimensions.

16. 2 Chronicles 17:12

12 And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly;

and he built in Judah castles, and cities of store.

I wax exceeding great

I will be able to build

I receive the power to build higher and mighty things that will last

17. 2 Samuel 5:10

10 And he became more and more powerful,

because the Lord God Almighty was with him.

I go forward and grow forward

When I go forward and bigger, I will not lose the presence of God

As I wax stronger in wealth, I wax more greater in God

18. Job 8:7

7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy

latter end should greatly increase.

Though my beginning was small, but my latter end shall be great

 21 CONFESSIONS FOR WEALTH AND BUSINESS ENLARGEMENT 17

I receive the power of anointed increase and multiplication

Everything that I am doing will begin to increase

I go forward, it increases and multiplies

19. Psalm 67:6

6 Then shall the earth yield her increase; and

God, even our own God, shall bless us.

I speak over myself, the earth yields her increase for me

Wherever the location I am operating, the earth yields her

increase for me

The land yields her increase for me

My business is moving from the local dimension to the global

dimension

20. Psalm 85:12

12 Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good;

and our land shall yield her increase.

No more bad business

The land of my operation yields increase for me

18 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

21. Deuteronomy 28:1

1And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken

diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God,
to observe and to do all his commandments
which I command thee this day, that the Lord
thy God will set thee on high above all nations
of the earth:

The Lord has set me on high and above all nations of the earth

All the blessings comes upon me and overtakes me

Before I start it, it is booming

Before I come, customers are waiting for me

All oppositions are brought down and fallen

 10 FORCES THAT GENERATE
KINGDOM WEALTH

by Rev. Olusola Areogun

In this study, I will show you ten powerful keys that will set you
on a personal journey of kingdom wealth if you incorporate
them into your daily practices. They are vital in reaching your
goals and fulfilling your God–given destiny in life.

1. Verbal Confidence

1 Corinthians 1:4–5

4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for

the grace of God which is given you by Jesus
Christ;
5 That in every thing ye are enriched by him,
in all utterance, and in all knowledge;
20 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

2 Timothy 1:6–7

6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that

thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee
by the putting on of my hands.
7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Break every yoke of intimidation and inferiority complex in

yourself. There are places you need to keep quiet and there are
other places where you need to speak out. You need to deal with
the spirit of timidity to be able to properly express yourself where
necessary. Lack of verbal confidence will affect you in negotiations
and your ability to seal up deals in business.

2. Self–Discipline

We all must learn to walk our way from external control to

internal control. In developing the spirit of responsibility and
disciplined life, God puts external control systems represented
by external authority structures and figures in our lives. God
expects us to respond to them while we are developing the
internal control system of direction and guidance represented
by the Holy Ghost inside of us.

Ultimately, a believer is accountable to the Holy Spirit and to

develop that, God places authority structures around us. One
of the primary roles of Joseph in the life of Jesus was to provide
the visible authority structure of a father. He created the kind
of atmosphere for Him to develop a spirit of obedience which
 10 FORCES THAT GENERATE KINGDOM WEALTH 21

the Bible talks about in Hebrews 5:8.

Hebrews 5:8

8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he

obedience by the things which he suffered;

Jesus endured being obedient. This is not talking of endurance

of sickness because sickness does not teach you anything. He
endured a relationship with authority structures, challenges that
came from obeying them etc. and developed a spirit of obedience
through the process. A lot of people assume that autonomy is
automatic. No, it is not. God will not move you to autonomy
if don’t pass the test of submission to authority.

Luke 16:12

12 And if ye have not been faithful in that

which is another man’s, who shall give you
that which is your own?

God did not plan that you remain permanently dependent. But
If you are not faithful under authority, you cannot be granted
autonomy that is why some people start a business and fail.
Some people have failed at raising a family because they were
not faithful when they were under the authority of their fathers,
bosses etc. Authority is placed in our lives to work a control into
our lives while we are immature. Maturity is seen in your ability
to walk in internal control.
22 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

When you see a baby, he needs a visible demonstration of

authority like threats from the father or a spanking. There is
nothing wrong with spanking a child; the Bible encourages
parents to do that. But then, when the child begins to grow, he
should move from being forced to do what is right to obeying
instructions by understanding.

3. Strategic Savings

The spirit of poverty works with how much you spend while the
spirit of prosperity works with how much you save.

Genesis 41:34–36

34 Let Pharaoh do this, and let him appoint

officers over the land, and take up the fifth
part of the land of Egypt in the seven plenteous
years.
35 And let them gather all the food of those
good years that come, and lay up corn under
the hand of Pharaoh, and let them keep food
in the cities.
36 And that food shall be for store to the land
against the seven years of famine, which shall
be in the land of Egypt; that the land perish
not through the famine.

Genesis 41:53–57

53 And the seven years of plenteousness, that

 10 FORCES THAT GENERATE KINGDOM WEALTH 23

was in the land of Egypt, were ended.

54 And the seven years of dearth began to come,
according as Joseph had said: and the dearth
was in all lands; but in all the land of Egypt
there was bread.
55 And when all the land of Egypt was famished,
the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and
Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto
Joseph; what he saith to you, do.
56 And the famine was over all the face of the
earth: and Joseph opened all the storehouses,
and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine
waxed sore in the land of Egypt.
57 And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph
for to buy corn; because that the famine was
so sore in all lands.

You won’t know how heavy the rainfall is unless you have a tank
to trap the rain. In the same vein, without a savings account,
you won’t know how much God has blessed you. The devil steals
your harvest when you say there’s not enough to save. Here are
a few important savings accounts you should have:

a. Targeted savings account: A good target is saving

towards building your house. Graduates can save for professional
examinations.

b. Rainy day account: With this account, you are to have a

savings balance equal to 6 months’ worth of your current salary
if anything tampers with your work.
24 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

c. Joseph’s account: God showed me Joseph’s account in

1992; He said, “Save twenty per cent of your earnings and don’t
touch it for seven years.” If you are faithful with your Joseph
account, God can bring an opportunity for you to buy a house
worth seven million naira for two million.

d. Gathering the crumbs account: The small loose change

hanging around in your house should be gathered and saved
because there is plenty of wealth in fragments.

e. Kids savings scheme: This is to activate the operation

of the spirit of prosperity upon your children by getting them
involved in saving. Motivate them by promising to double every
naira they save. Teach them to read and meditate on their Bible
when they wake up in the morning and check their passbook
before bed at night.

4. Strategic Sowing And Kingdom Partnership

As members of the Dream Centre, we all have several opportunities

to do strategic sowing. We have been taught to sow upwards (to
be blessed) at three levels;
a. The man of God
b. The work of God
c. The house of God

By doing so, you will be a partner which enables you to partake

of God’s covenants upon our father in the Lord (Rev. Olusola
Areogun) and the ministry.
 10 FORCES THAT GENERATE KINGDOM WEALTH 25

5. Due Diligence And Attention To Detail

Proverbs 6:6–11

6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her

ways, and be wise:
7 Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,
8 Provideth her meat in the summer, and
gathereth her food in the harvest.
9 How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when
wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?
10 Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little
folding of the hands to sleep:
11 So shall thy poverty come as one that
travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.

We all can learn from the ants on how to be diligent and pay
attention to detail. If you don’t, you are inviting poverty and
failure in your life, not only in business.

6. Eyes That See What Others Overlook

This is one of the elements of financial anointing and you should

pray for eyes that see what others overlook. You should learn
from the story in 2 Kings 4:1–7. What do you have in the house?

7. Increased Sensitivity To The Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is ready to show you where He has kept your
wealth. Wait on Him in prayer, commit yourself to know Him
26 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

and ask Him to help you know Him. He can show you things
that will elevate you. He can take one item of His creation and
show you a thousand things you can get from it, but will you
pay the price to enter into the intercourse and interaction with
Him. There are people today that if the Holy Ghost asks them
to choose between Himself and 10 million (in any currency),
they will say, ‘Holy Ghost, please let me take $10 million’. They
could also say, ‘You may think it is easy to say the Holy Ghost is the
greatest form of wealth after you have made it, let me also make it
and I will say it is the Holy Spirit that did it’.

Some people erroneously believe that they have to make it in life

first before they can say the Holy Ghost is the highest form of
wealth. They claim the Holy Ghost led them to make it when it
was their own labour or the devil’s involvement that made them.
God is calling you back to your advantage; The Holy Ghost.
He knows the business you should do and the one you should
not venture into, the deals you should reject, and the deals you
should invest in. However, you have to give Him the place of
honour for Him to communicate the secrets to you.

8. Recognise Your Seed, Your Seed Time And Your

Ground

Genesis 8:22

22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and

harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and
winter, and day and night shall not cease.
 10 FORCES THAT GENERATE KINGDOM WEALTH 27

Many seeds are available to us and one of them is money. Money

is a seed and it has seed power. It can do all that any other seed
will do. It obeys the law that governs seeds on the planet.

There are four things that you need to understand when you are
dealing with the laws of seed. They are;
1. The seed itself – You must be able to identify what your
seed is.
2. Seedtime
3. The ground to put the seed in
4. The harvest

Every seed has a particular ground for it to function. The human

seed called spermatozoa (from the male) has another seed that it
must go into, the human egg (from the female) and its ground is
inside the womb of a woman. You can’t put the human seed inside
a goat. Different grounds affect seeds differently. For money to
be a seed, it must be yours legally or under your legal control
to do what you like with it. It means that it cannot be stolen
money, borrowed, money kept with you, or money reserved for
something else. Once it is not yours to legally determine what
happens to it, it can’t be a seed.

As a cashier in an office, you went to the bank to collect the

salaries for the staff and you heard a prophetic instruction to
sow all the money with you, the money in your hands does
not belong to you! You can’t be in church and hear daddy say,
‘Sow a special seed’ and you went to your father’s house or your
husband’s purse, even though you are legally married, and take
the money that is not yours; it is not a seed. If you have done
28 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

anything like that, you need to repent because such an act can
get you in prison.

9. Divine Location

The ravens met Elijah at the brook God sent him to (1 kings
17:2–4). The widow waited for him where God sent him to.
Divine provision is waiting for you in the place of divine location.
When Zacchaeus withdrew himself from the crowd and climbed
the sycamore tree (Luke 19:4–8), Jesus got there and looked
up saying, ‘Come down’. There is a place called ‘there’ for every
believer and we should all find our place of divine location.

Some people have ideas but except they are in Lagos (Lagos
State, SW Nigeria), they won’t make it. Some people are in
Lagos, but their place of accessing kingdom wealth is in Osogbo
(Osun State, SW Nigeria). You can make the money in Lagos,
and put it to proper use in another town of your divine location.
For some people, the place of their divine location of wealth is
in their hometown. Go and set up something there. It’s a rural
community.

10. The Principle Of Honour

What and who you choose to honour will determine the blessings
that flow. Dishonour is the seed for loss. You can get through
humility and honouring the right person what you can never
get through formal education. Learn to imbibe honour. Young
professionals need this counsel more.
 10 FORCES THAT GENERATE KINGDOM WEALTH 29

This is not an exhaustive list in itself, but putting the above points
into our daily practices will go a long way in ensuring that we
become wealth creators and builders. Thus, making us mighty
tools in God’s hands to extend the frontiers of His kingdom in
our generation.

References

1. Wisdom For Finances by Rev. Olusola Areogun

2. Structuring Your Life For Responsibility by Rev.

Olusola Areogun

3. Laws And Acts That Govern Kingdom Wealth Flow

by Rev. Olusola Areogun

4. Principles Of Kingdom Wealth by Rev. Olusola Areogun

 THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE
HIGHEST FORM OF WEALTH
ON EARTH TODAY AND YOUR
FINANCIAL ADVANTAGE

By Rev Olusola Areogun

Texts: John 16:7; 1 John 2:20; 1 Cor. 2:9–12

The key message in this workshop is simple: there should be a

clear difference between a man who is helped by the Holy Spirit
in business and someone who only depends on natural means or
human wisdom. The Bible establishes a clear difference between
the outcomes of a believer and that of an unbeliever.

Isaiah 45:19

19 I have not spoken in secret, in a dark

place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of
Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak
32 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

righteousness, I declare things that are right.

Exodus. 11:7

7 But against any of the children of Israel shall

not a dog move his tongue, against man or
beast: that ye may know how that the Lord
doth put a difference between the Egyptians
and Israel.

Malachi 3:18

18 Then shall ye return, and discern between

the righteous and the wicked, between him
that serveth God and him that serveth him not.

So, why do believers struggle just like unbelievers in business and

careers? In many cases, believers even have worse outcomes than
unbelievers and secretly wish they had those positive outcomes.
Hosea 4:6 gives us the answer “My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject
thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten
the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” We are simply
not using our advantage.

I will show you the practical steps on how a Christian and a

business person can leverage his/her advantage in the Holy
Spirit for financial gain. This study will assume the necessary
conditions such as a financial partnership with God, clarity of
God’s role as the source and ours as stewards, the necessity of
 THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HIGHEST FORM OF WEALTH... 33

integrity in business dealings, clarity of God’s purpose for wealth

and practical matters such as the necessary preparation/education
for your business venture are explained below. This piece will
thus focus on the specific ways in which the Holy Spirit confers
an overwhelming advantage on the Christian business person.

The Practical Workings Of The Holy Spirit In Business And

Wealth Creation

The Holy Spirit is:

1. A generator of options, ideas and opportunities

John 16:13

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is

come, he will guide you into all truth: for he
shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew
you things to come.

‘All truth’ doesn’t mean all spiritual truth only, but truths
including avenues of wealth.

2. A Connector/reminder

John 14:26

26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,

whom the Father will send in my name, he
34 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

shall teach you all things, and bring all things

to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said
unto you.

The Holy Spirit reminds us of what we know when it matters.

We have the responsibility of getting the information in the
first place and indexing it. Then, the Holy Spirit references it
at the right time and connects the information to the context
that requires it. He also connects you to the people, ideas, and
sources of information that will bring wealth flow your way.

3. A quickener

He drops a spark of an idea but oftentimes, we fail to mature the

spark into flames. Just like the Bible says in Prov. 12:27, “The
slothful man roasteth not that which he took in hunting: but the
substance of a diligent man is precious.”

4. An attractor of opportunities

Isaiah 60:5–7a

5 Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and

thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; because
the abundance of the sea shall be converted
unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come
unto thee.
6 The multitude of camels shall cover thee,
the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; all
they from Sheba shall come: they shall bring
 THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HIGHEST FORM OF WEALTH... 35

gold and incense; and they shall shew forth the

praises of the Lord.
7 All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered
together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall
minister unto thee: they shall come up with
acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify
the house of my glory.

He brings a constant flow of opportunities and the internet has

fulfilled part of it (Isa. 60:11).

5. A stabiliser and helper to maintain consistency of daily

practices that strengthens effectiveness. Consistent wealth flow
comes from practices that you do consistently

6. An helper in strategy: business strategy, marketing

strategy, and financial strategy

1 John 2:20

20 But ye have an unction from the Holy One,

and ye know all things.

7. A supplier of wisdom and discretion (Joseph in Gen.

41: 31–38)

8. The Holy Spirit favours your work or your product

(Jacob: Gen. 30:27, Joseph: Gen. 39:4,21)

9. A revealer of the future to help position your strategic

36 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

choices

John 16:13

13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is

come, he will guide you into all truth: for he
shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he
shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew
you things to come.

Imagine if you pressed enough into the Spirit to have known

about the global disruption that came from COVID–19? What
difference could that have made to your business and your
inflows?

10. The Holy Spirit helps you in the selection of faithful

personnel. Men like those in 2 Kings 12:15 who were honest
and faithful that no account was required of them.

Practical examples in the scriptures

1. Supernatural supplies beyond human wisdom or the

ability to comprehend. Old Testament display of Eph.
3:20 was seen in God’s supply of quails to the Israelites
in the wilderness in Num.11:10–23,31–32

2. The Holy Spirit leads us to profit. God knows where the

leads, the businesses are as shown to Peter in Luke 5: 4

3. The Holy Spirit is the revealer of secrets as He did for

 THE HOLY SPIRIT, THE HIGHEST FORM OF WEALTH... 37

Daniel in Dan. 2:19–22 and the rich woman of Shunem

in 2 Kings 4:8. The Holy Spirit can provide supernatural
information about the economic events yet to come and
the realities that impact stock markets. What difference
will that make for your finances?

4. Unending supply/suspension of the law of depletion as

He did for the widow when the oil kept multiplying in 2
Kings 4:1–6, for Elijah when the cruse of oil did not fail
and the jar of flour during the famine in 1 Kings 17:8,
14–16 and for Jesus when He fed the 5000 with 5 loaves
and 2 fishes in Matt. 14:17–21. What if your supplies
(fuel, lower operational costs etc.) run out slower than
your competition? How could that help your business?

5. Supernatural supply in an imperceptible way. God did

it through Elisha in 2 Kings 3:17–20. No wind, no rain
yet the valley was filled with water.

6. The Holy Spirit is a helper in strategy/revealer of the

plans of the enemy as He did for Elisha in telling him
of the attack plans of the Syrians in 2 Kings 6:11–12
or for Jesus in telling Him of the plans of the Pharisees
in Matt. 9:4.

Key practices that strengthen the partnership of the Holy

Spirit

1. Consistent daily fellowship with the Lord

2. Prayer/exploration in the spirit (Rom. 8:26)
38 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

3. The study of the word (John 14:26, 2 Kings 4:13, Dan

9:2)
4. Meditation of the word (Josh. 1:8)
5. Practice the presence of the Holy Spirit (Luke 12:12;
Neh. 2:4)
6. Consultation of godly mentors (Prov. 11:14)
7. Avoiding mixtures with those who hate God (2 Chron.
20:35–37)

Reference:

Holy Spirit, the Highest Source of Wealth by Rev Olusola

Areogun
 SIMPLE STEPS FOR
EFFECTIVE BRAND BUILDING

Assistant Pastor Adedotun Damilola, Dream Centre Ajah,

Lagos

Text: Proverbs 22:29, Proverbs 16:3, 1 Corinthians 3:6.

Before I talk about brand building, there’s a need to establish

that you need to get a business name and register it with CAC.
Have at least a domain name if it’s not a website yet and register
an email in the company’s name not yahoo or Gmail etc. Having
a registered company email address increases the reputation of
your business. Also, open a business account.

Your brand is defined as the customer’s overall perception of your

business. Branding is the activity of crafting that perception. How
well you do this is critical to the success of your brand standing
out and creating fans. The obvious elements like a name, a logo
or a phrase–convey in an instant the entity’s reputation to the
40 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

observer.

Below are simple steps for effective Brand Building:

STEP 1

DISCOVER THE PURPOSE BEHIND YOUR BRAND

Your purpose is what you wake up every day loving to do for

other people and the world at large through your product or
service. You should be able to ask yourself the following questions.
a. Why do you exist?
b. Why should people care?
c. How are you different?
d. What problem do you solve?

STEP 2

RESEARCH BRANDS WITHIN YOUR INDUSTRY

The main goal when branding your business is to differentiate

from the competition. It can convince a customer to purchase
from you over them. Create a visual table to view the similarities
and differences of the competition side–by–side. You can use a
spreadsheet (Google Sheets, Excel) etc. These are a few questions
you may want to answer:
a. Is the competitor consistent with their message and visual
identity across channels?
b. What is the quality of the competitor’s products or
services?
 SIMPLE STEPS FOR EFFECTIVE BRAND BUILDING 41

c. Does the competitor have customer reviews you can read

or social mentions about them?
d. In what ways does the competitor market their business,
both online and offline?

STEP 3

DEFINE YOUR BRAND’S TARGET AUDIENCE

When determining your target audience, focus on who you

are trying to reach. You’ll tailor your mission and message to
meet their exact needs. The key is to get specific by figuring
out detailed behaviours and lifestyles of your consumers. A
competitive advantage when branding your business may be
to narrow down your audience to a niche. This can help your
brand message come across crystal clear.

Do you have a current customer/client base?

If yes:
1. Why do your customers buy from you?
2. Which customers purchase the most?
3. What product or service is your best seller?

Please note: You may have more than one type of customer in
your target audience.

Determine the following factors about your customer: age,

location, gender, income level, education level, marital or family
status, occupation, ethnic background, personality, attitudes,
42 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

values, and interests/hobbies

1. How does your product or service fit into your target

customer’s lifestyle?
2. How and when will your target customer use the product
or service?
3. What features are most appealing to your target customer?
4. What media does your customer turn to for info?
(Example: newspaper, blogs, social media, google etc.)

STEP 4

DEFINE YOUR BRAND MISSION STATEMENT

Before you can build a brand that your audience can trust,
you need to know what value your business provides. Craft
a clear and concise expression of what your company is most
passionate about. The mission statement should define a purpose
for existing. Use your what, how, and why to put together your
purpose into a concise statement.

STEP 5

OUTLINE THE QUALITIES AND BENEFITS OF YOUR

BRAND

What are you offering that no one else is offering? Focus on the
key qualities and benefits that make your company branding
unique. It’s important to note that this is not just a laundry list
of the features your product or services offer to the customer
 SIMPLE STEPS FOR EFFECTIVE BRAND BUILDING 43

or client. Think about how you provide value that improves

consumers’ lives (outcomes or results that are experienced by
them). You can use your set of features to identify qualities and
benefits derived from each feature.

STEP 6

CREATE A BRAND LOGO AND TAGLINE

When you think about building a brand, visuals probably come

to mind first. You may probably need help with execution in
this step. Be willing to invest the time and money by having
something exceptional created to reinforce the visual identity
of your brand. Your logo will appear on everything that relates
to your business. It will become your identity, business card,
and the visual recognition of your promise. Share the following
insights with your designer.
1. What colours do you want to align with your brand?
Any colours to avoid?
2. What emotion and symbolism should your logo portray?
3. Which five words should describe your logo?
4. Are there any existing brand logos that you like, and why?

STEP 7

INTEGRATE YOUR BRAND EVERYWHERE

Your brand should be visible and reflected in everything that

your customer can see, read, and hear.
44 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

1. Office/Retail Environment

If a client walks into your office or a customer walks into your

store, your brand should be apparent in the following areas;
• Signage and displays
• Product and packaging
• Interior design
• Business cards
• Promotional material
• Personal interactions

2. Social Platforms

Use your brand style guide to create a consistent colour and logo.
Use, fonts, image, icons, and patterns on the visual graphics for
any of the following social channels:
• Facebook
• Google Business
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Instagram
• Pinterest
• Snapchat
• YouTube
• TikTok

3. Website

Your website is one of the biggest assets in a branding toolbox.

It is the hub for all online marketing efforts. Core elements to
 SIMPLE STEPS FOR EFFECTIVE BRAND BUILDING 45

include:
• Strong, prominent call–to–action
• Installation of Google analytics
• Optimized content for search engines(SEO)
• Easy to find contact information
• Mobile–friendly designs and functionality
• Simple navigation and user experience

STEP 8

STAY TRUE TO YOUR BRAND

Consistency is key unless you decide to change your brand into

something that is more effective based on measured consumer
response.

STEP 9

BE YOUR BRAND’S BIGGEST ADVOCATE

It’s up to you to spread the word. No one knows your brand

better than you. Once you build a brand that works for your
business, you, your employee, and your customers are the best
advocates to market your brand.

Further Study & Relevant Resources:

1. The Ultimate Guide to Building Your Brand: https://

freshsparks.com/wp–content/uploads/2021/12/The–
Ultimate–Guide–to–Building–a–Brand.pdf
46 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

2. 11 Simple Steps for a Successful Brand Building Process:

https://freshsparks.com/successful–brand–building–process/

3. 10 Ways to Set Realistic Social Media Goals: https://

freshsparks.com/wp–content/uploads/2021/12/Social–
Media–Goals–Checklist.pdf
10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN
BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA

Assistant Pastor David Alabi, Dream Centre Ilorin

Introduction

We will be looking at emerging businesses in Nigeria; a number

of them are evergreen businesses that you can do research about
and safely invest in. Remember that a way out of the poverty
rat race is to make sure that your passive income is greater than
your earned income. A proven means of doing this is to either
become a business owner or an investor in a lucrative business
that will in turn become a lucrative cash–spinning source of
wealth for you. You need to build a consistent cash flow so that
you can remain afloat financially.

1. Real Estate: This is currently the most lucrative business

niche in Nigeria aside from oil and gas. The rapid population
growth rate in Nigeria has made the real estate sector remain very
48 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

lucrative because people are daily looking for houses to rent or

lands to buy to build homes of their own. The country’s housing
deficit as of December 2020 was estimated at a staggering 21
million units which is about a 15% increase from the figures that
were obtained in January 2019. According to the current housing
committee in the House of Representatives in Nigeria, the
housing deficit estimated number has been increasing annually by
900,000 units and bout N23 trillion will be required to finance
the deficit. This is a very huge opportunity here to explore. Real
Estate is divided into many branches with different areas of
specialization. However, you can specialise in any branch that
you are comfortable with after doing your research.

Branches of Real Estate

a. Land flipping: This means buying land and quickly

reselling it for a profit. This is a kind of business where you buy
land or property at a cheaper rate and resell it to get a profit.
This strategy requires a reasonable amount of money and some
serious effort to start. All you need is some money and good
knowledge of how to acquire your first plot of land. You must
not be naïve about land documentation so as not to fall into the
hands of fraudsters.

b. Real estate agency/ Brokerage: A real estate agent also

known as a real estate broker or realtor acts as a middle man
between sellers and buyers of real estate property. Real estate
agents connect sellers with buyers. When sales are made, the agent
receives his or her commission for successfully concluding the
transactions. You don’t really need money to start this business.
 10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA 49

Integrity and trustworthiness are the required currency.

c. Property development: This aspect of real estate is

simple but capital intensive. You need to buy a property in a
good location, develop it into commercial structures or luxury
apartments and sell it for a bigger sum of money than the original
cost of the whole property. This kind of business requires a lot
of investment, more than other forms of real estate businesses
but it can yield a significantly high profit.

e. Rent/Short lease for living in or an office: Leasing is a

good way of making money in real estate. You make money by
renting out your property. It is important to purchase a building/
property that is in a good location so that it won’t be difficult
for you to get tenants. The occupants will pay you monthly or
yearly and you can still sell this property whenever you wish and
at a higher rate.

f. Land banking: This is a real estate investment scheme

that involves buying undeveloped land at a reduced amount
to hold unto it for a while and sell it for profit at a future date
when the land appreciates. You need to acquire land by tracking
locations government plans to open up in the future. These are
locations the government has planned for future investment,
based on social infrastructure and demographic factors. Find
out about such areas and invest in them.

g. Airbnb rental services: This involves renting out a

property over a short period and it is one of the fastest ways of
making money in Nigeria. With the increasing population in
50 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

most major cities in Nigeria, especially Lagos, starting an Airbnb

rental business is a very lucrative one.

2. Agriculture/Agrobusiness

Before the advent of crude oil in Nigeria, one of the major

economic drivers in Nigeria was agriculture. It sustained the
country so well before all attention shifted to petroleum. The
untapped potential within the agricultural sector is huge. The
agricultural sector’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) grew to 23.78% in Q2 from 22.35% in Q1 2021. The
figure shows that Nigeria is yet to even scratch the surface of
the sector’s potential. Nigeria’s major agricultural importation
products include wheat, sugar, fish and milk, while the main
agricultural exportation products include sesame seeds, cashew
nuts, cocoa beans, ginger, frozen shrimps and cotton. Sesame
seeds, cashew nuts and cocoa account for more than half of the
nation’s agricultural exports.

The agricultural business is an evergreen business; it never gets old

or fades. As long as humans exist, the agricultural business will
continue to trend and thrive which makes it a strategic business
to invest in. You can invest in cash crops such as cashew nuts,
beniseed, palm oil, cocoa, ginger etc. Other areas of farming
that have readily available market include the following but are
not limited to these:
a. Cassava farming
b. Poultry farming
c. Rice farming
d. Snail farming
 10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA 51

e. Catfish farming
f. Maize farming
g. Pig farming
h. Honey Bee farming
i. Cashew farming
j. Oil palm farming

The agro–business sub–sector has four main market entities

which are:
• Agricultural implements or equipment suppliers
• Producers
• Processor, wholesalers or distributors
• Retailers

Each of these established actors in the value chain has its unique
valuable business and they all have major contributions to the
success of the whole agribusiness system. You can safely choose
to operate in any of these sub–sectors and become a major actor.
There are grants and low–interest loans available for investors
in the value chain. Even if you don’t have money, with a good
attitude, integrity and effective networking, you can still find your
place within the value chain as a broker between the producer
and industrial processor.

3. Food Business

a. Food supply/Distribution

This is an evergreen business; people will always eat! No matter

how hard the economy is, one thing people can never do without
52 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

is food. Even during the Covid–19 pandemic, this is one of the

industries that was included as an integral part of essential service.
This is a business that can make you wealthy, if well operated
and managed. It is also very easy to win loyal customers, as long
as your food is delicious, healthy and clean. You can distribute
raw staple food materials within homes, estates, associations and
corporate societies via logistic services.

b. Food processing

The food processing industry is responsible for the diversification

of agriculture, improvement of value–added opportunities and
creation of excess that can be preserved and exported. I will
give some examples here. Think of any agricultural product
that is produced in excess and also think of how to process it.
For example, mango grows in excess in Ogbomoso, Southwest
Nigeria; can you process it into dry flakes that can be served as
snacks?

Food processing accounts for one of the small and medium–scale

factories globally. You can process any agricultural produce for
storage, distribution and export from your location where it
is very cheap to people in other parts of the world where it is
scarce. With the relaxation of border regulations now, through
technologies, you can sell to any buyer or become a supplier
to a bigger valued processor globally. Other good examples of
processed food are baked bread, tomato paste, chocolate, fruit
juice, potato chips, cashew, yoghurt and seasonings such as dried
pepper, thyme, curry etc. There is also livestock food processing
for poultry, cattle, goats, e.t.c. Food processing for livestock is
 10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA 53

much cheaper to start.

c. Restaurant business

This is widely regarded as one of the most lucrative businesses in

Nigeria today. One can approach this type of business in several
ways: fast food, food on the move, walk–in and take–out, eat–in,
delivery only or drive–through. Whichever model you choose;
it is a business that will keep trending and will ever be green to
invest in at any point in time. The Bible says men will wine and
dine at the end time. This is a prophetic business that requires
critical strategies and efficient execution. Rarely is there poor
sales and this is largely because there is a limitless target market
available for the business. Examples of places where you can do
food business are cafeterias, lunchrooms, cafés, hospital kitchens,
bistros, catering facilities, etc.

d. Direct homemade food supply

This is an aspect of food business that is fast growing currently.

Career women with busy and tight schedules are using this
opportunity to keep up with their schedules and still be balanced
on the home front. They employ the services of a caterer and
order bulk ready–made food that can take care of the family for
one or two weeks such as soup, stew, steamed bean pudding,
etc. They order it in bulk and keep it in the freezer. This makes
it easy for career women to make good food available for the
family in record time. This is a good area to focus on if you want
to go into food business.
54 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

4. Medicals

This includes pharmaceutical services, ambulance services and a

public–private partnership with health institutions. The teeming
population increase in Nigeria has made the medical business
very lucrative.

5. Fashion Designing

The Fashion industry is one of the most lucrative businesses in

Nigeria. Fashion is very much in high demand. The Nigerian
fashion industry is said to be worth about $5 billion and it
continues to attract investors. Nigerians love parties; be it
weddings, birthdays, end–of–the–year gatherings, etc. Even
during funerals, we still find a way to throw parties! For all these
events, people buy and sew uniform native attires.

The fashion business is very much in high demand. People will

always wear clothes: at home, for work, to school, to sleep such
as lingeries etc. The demand is constantly very high.

You can go into fashion designing and make amazing wears.

You can also open a boutique (with a virtual presence too) and
sell imported and locally made fashion items. You can provide
printing services for fabrics, t–shirts, caps etc. Remember, people
will always wear clothes; the demand will always be there. You can
also specialize in men’s wears, children’s clothes, babies’ clothing,
under–wears, female wears, bridal wears, African prints etc.
 10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA 55

6. E–commerce

In 2021, experts predicted that 19.5% of global retail sales

would come from online purchases. They estimated that online
shopping will be responsible for nearly 22% of all retail purchases
in the world by 2024. Nigeria recorded a volume of $12 billion
transactions on online purchases in 2020. As more people
take their businesses online, this trend and competition will
continue to grow. Some e–commerce sites have become global
marketplaces that welcome e–commerce entrepreneurs. Examples
of e–commerce platforms are Esty, Amazon, eBay, Jumia etc.
You can start selling all kinds of products on these platforms.

An amazon automation store provides additional turnkey services

beyond fulfilment to building and running your amazon business,
including listings optimization, order tracking and inventory
management. Essentially you are hiring an experienced team
to run and scale your business and potentially ready it for sale.
Getting your own Amazon FBA business is quite possible. This
is a way to become an e–commerce business owner or own a
store within the Amazon ecosystem.

Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) is a storage and shipping service

that Amazon offers to help business owners sell their products.
Businesses ship their products to Amazon’s fulfilment centres
which are specifically designed for FBA services. Amazon has
become a marketplace that welcomes e–commerce entrepreneurs.
It takes a few minutes to sign up for an account and a few more
minutes to get a product listing live. The platform has a massive
audience and it’s a global marketplace. Listing optimization can
56 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

help your products get found and unlock new opportunities.

And Amazon’s in–app promotions can increase your brand’s
visibility for highly targeted audiences.

The example above is for Amazon. You can find out about more
online marketplaces where you can sell products and make
money. It’s a settled fact that online businesses keep growing as
technologies are fast removing border restrictions on the way
we do business and work.

7. Haulage/Logistics

Logistics is a business venture or a commercial activity that

involves the transportation of goods to customers. It involves
packaging and organizing equipment or goods and transporting
them to different destinations. Because it provides the delivery
services from e–commerce businesses to their customers, logistics
will continue to be one of Nigeria’s most profitable industries.
There are different types of logistic businesses or niches. The
most popular ones are:
a. Warehouse services
b. Third–party logistics services (3PL)
c. Freight shipping
d. Courier shipping
e. In–House logistics services
f. TMS logistics software

Logistics businesses work side by side with e–commerce services

which are coming into the limelight now more than ever, due to
the advent of COVID–19. So, as long as there are e–commerce
 10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA 57

services, there will always be a need for a logistics business. With

demand comes sales and with sales comes profits. According
to statistics from the International Trade Administration, the
current spending through e–commerce in Nigeria is about $12
billion. These numbers are huge and these sales via e–commerce
platforms will need logistics services to transport and deliver
goods to customers. The success of a business is determined by
how many customers the business can amass and the delivery
strategy; as long as you have a solid strategy to get your products
to your customers and keep them using your services, your
business is sure to bloom.

8. Furniture and Interior Business

The furniture business is deservedly among the most lucrative

businesses in Nigeria. The market is huge and demand is
high. People seat and sleep on furniture in the living room
and bedroom, accordingly. Furniture for kitchen, sitting room,
office and school are all in high demand. We are surrounded by
furniture every day; it is an essential commodity. You can employ
skilled carpenters, staff them and start a carpentry workshop
where you make well–polished furniture for various purposes.
You can also supply furniture to showrooms, companies and
schools or sell to individuals.

If you are not interested in setting up a carpentry workshop, you

can open a showroom, source well–made furniture from good
carpenters, display and sell them. The market is huge and the
profit margin is high.
58 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

9. Distributorship Business

This business can be extremely lucrative in Nigeria, especially if

you target popular goods. Distributorship business in Nigeria can
be very easy to start if you know the goods that are popularly in
demand. Have you been thinking about what goods and products
you can supply that can earn you money? Look around your
environment, investigate and do research on products people
need regularly and try to supply them.

For example, there was an article in the Nigerian Finance &

Investment weekly paper that talked about a Nigerian woman
who was a high school graduate. She became an entrepreneur
out of necessity, starting as a distributor of Mouka Foam, with
just N200, 000. While this might look like a huge amount, the
manufacturing company wanted an investment of at least N400,
000, an amount that she didn’t have at that time. Not one to
give up easily, the young lady proceeded to negotiate with the
manufacturer and surprisingly, they accepted the money she had
to offer. Since then, she has come a long way and she is making a
lot more than she invested, with an income greater than N200,
000 every month. This happened some years ago and the situation
isn’t different now. The key to starting a successful distribution
business in Nigeria is to start with whatever you have. Even if
you can only afford N500, 000; invest and keep reinvesting your
profit into your business to achieve growth.

Who is a Distributor?

Distributors are people who have a business relationship with

 10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA 59

the manufacturers that they represent. Distributorship in Nigeria

isn’t limited to a certain group of people. Anyone can become a
distributor. Most times, distributors maintain exclusive buying
agreements that limit the number of participants or enable
distributors to cover a certain territory. Therefore, the distributor
becomes the manufacturer’s direct point of contact for prospective
buyers of the products. Most times, distributors rarely sell a
manufacturer’s goods directly to consumers; wholesalers and
retailers generally find distributors to buy products for reselling.

Understanding the Distributorship Business

Before a manufacturer sells products to the consumers, there are

several steps or entities involved, including the wholesaler and
retailer. This is where a distributor or wholesaler comes in, to
add value. For manufacturers, pushing large quantities of goods
into the market requires an effective and efficient distribution
channel and this is what distributors help them to accomplish.
They purchase the goods in bulk, break them down into smaller
units and then sell them to retailers who further break them
down to sell to consumers.

While some manufacturers sell directly to consumers, some

wholesalers also do just that. A wholesaler or distributor needs
a warehouse to store and distribute the goods from. Just like any
other business, the major idea behind a distribution business
in Nigeria is to buy and sell goods to earn profit. What sets it
apart is the quantity of goods and the kind of people you are
selling the goods to.
60 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

Getting started in the distribution business requires training

and an understanding of your niche. Examples of popular items
that are most suitable for distributorship in Nigeria are eggs,
drinks, rice, diesel or petroleum products, beans and other
foodstuffs such as noodles, pasta, cement, mattresses and pillows,
beverages, sugar, salt, cars, building materials, car parts and
engines, generators, cosmetics, footwear, ladies and men’s items
or accessories, mobile phones, laptops and accessories, fruits,
cooking gas, furniture, fitness equipment, baby items, food spices,
essential oils, electrical equipment, drug, medical equipment and
body care items such as body creams, moisturizers, etc.

10. Oil and Gas

The simple truth is that Nigeria, and to a large extent, the whole
world, still depend on oil and gas for so many operations. As long
as this trend continues, this business will continue to dominate
and thrive excellently. Oil and gas is the king among the most
lucrative businesses in Nigeria. We depend on gas or kerosene to
cook; we depend on fuel to move around whether we are using
cars, motorcycles or tricycles. Due to poor electricity supply, we
also depend on fuel for electricity. All the big and small companies
in Nigeria depend on fuel or diesel to power generators. There
is too much dependence on oil and gas and Nigeria is blessed
with an abundance of it. Anyone who taps into this business
will be making a huge income.

Opportunities in the oil and gas business include the following:

a. Distribution
 10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA 61

This is one of the most lucrative parts of the oil and gas business
but you will need a high budget to get into it. Oil and gas
distributors bring in refined petroleum products into the country
for distribution to different sectors.

b. Filling station

With a few million naira, you can start a petrol station. There
are so many vehicles in Nigeria and as such, you can never run
out of customers. Also, many people depend on filling stations
to buy petrol or diesel to power their generators.

c. Cooking gas business

This is an under–tapped business in Nigeria. Many people are so

focused on petrol that they overlook the cooking gas. Recently,
I was speaking with a friend who manages a medium–sized
petroleum company. They are into all petroleum products. He
told me they make more money from cooking gas than any other
petroleum product. You can supply cooking gas to retailers or
you can become a retailer and refill gas for end–users; spice it
up. This business is very lucrative and it does not cost much to
start. You can start small and grow big!

d. Oil and gas transportation

You can purchase tankers and get into the business of lifting
petroleum products. You can also ship petroleum products like
any other commodity. Fleet management opportunities are also
available.
62 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

There are still more opportunities to be explored in the oil and

gas business which remains one of the most lucrative businesses
in Nigeria.

10 BUSINESSES YOU CAN START WITH LESS THAN

N100,000

1. Palm Oil Retailing

You can start this business by looking for good sources to secure
palm oil that is of good quality, healthy and cheap. After which
you can repackage and sell in a new location where it is scarce.

2. Laundry

This is a business where you can make a steady income. You need
to be intentional in offering good and reliable service. Being
skilful in handling people’s wears is greatly important. You have
to learn how to do laundry without damaging people’s clothing.

3. Poultry Farming

You can start a poultry farm right in your house and raise about
fifty broilers. A broiler is any chicken that is bred and raised
specifically for meat production. Most commercial broilers reach
slaughter weight between four and seven weeks of age. You can
also raise noilers. Noilers are dual–purpose multi–coloured
birds that are reared for both meat and egg production. They
are a hybrid of broiler and cockerels; they attain maturity at 13
weeks with a weight of about 2.6kg for males and 2kg for females.
 10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA 63

The females start laying at 5 months with about 150–200 eggs

in a year. Raising broilers can fetch you about 40% return on
investment (ROI) after 6 – 8 weeks of investment.

In addition:

a. You can resell Eggs. Get a supplier that has poultry

that produces eggs and sells to people that buy in crates in
marketplaces. This is a huge business.

b. You can rear birds, hatch the eggs and sell the chicks.
You can also sell “point of lay chickens”.

4. Production of Animal Feeds Locally

You can produce chicken feed, cow feed and goat feed. Do your
research and find out about the different types of feeds and their
constituents, according to the needs of the animals. Some special
chicken feeds make them ready for meat consumption within
a short period. In fact, you can begin to sell proven recipes for
animal feed, based on the level of your research and results.

5. Skincare

This business has gained a lot of attraction in Nigeria in the

last few years. This is a small–scale business that you can start
by going through training and helping people that are having
serious skincare issues. Women generally are ready to invest in
any healthy product or routine that will make them look good.
64 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

6. Food Vending

This is a mobile food business that involves you making healthy

and good quality food available to people in locations and popular
areas where there are plenty people and they buy food on the
go. This is a business that thrives well in big cities. You can also
offer the service to some corporate organizations in a model of
online food vending such that you take food orders via calls or
online order and transport the food to them. You can provide
food vending service by partnering with an established restaurant
as another line of service if you have an existing courier or
logistics business.

7. Mini–Importation

You can import a lot of small quantity materials where you can
buy cheaper and resell at a marked–up price. Deal in commodities
that are scarce within your domain or location. Do your due
diligence in finding a good source. Remember the golden rule
in merchandising, you don’t make money when selling, you
make your money when you are negotiating the cost price.
China sells a lot of wears but you have to ensure that the quality
of the product is good before you buy. Find out about reliable
shipping or logistics companies to help you ship your goods
safely. Most manufacturers will be ready to help you waybill
to your chosen logistics company for shipping. Examples of
goods you can import on a small–scale level are wrist watches,
clothes, shoes, electronic gadgets, automobile–related gadgets,
household equipment etc.
 10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA 65

8. Photography

The photography business is thriving highly globally. In Nigeria

alone, there are thousands of photographers. The photography
business is a profitable business venture and it is open to any
aspiring entrepreneur for investment. Since there are many
studios, the truth is one’s company can only thrive if it is
strategically planned and positioned virtually and physically.
As an aspiring entrepreneur in photography, you can choose to
start on a small, medium or large scale. Pre–wedding photoshoots
and videos, wedding photoshoots, birthday photoshoots, event
photography, documentary photography and aerial photography
are all kinds of ways money is made in photography nowadays.

9. Local Business Consulting

A business consultant is a professional who advises, provides

information, insight and recommendations to help clients or
business owners reach their goals and solve problems. Most
small–scale business owners usually have various challenges in
running their business on a day–to–day basis. They deal with
problems such as hiring, bookkeeping, inventory management,
various account preparation, tax management, etc. If you are
skilled in all these mentioned above, you can provide a template
or service to help business owners overcome these and thereby
make money.

10. Catering Services/Confectionaries

The catering business is one of the most lucrative and profitable

66 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

businesses with a high potential for expansion and growth. It is

both financially rewarding and fun, simply because every single
day, people: rich, poor, educated or illiterate need food. Once
in a while, everyone has a special occasion where cooking for
a large number of people is necessary. Events like birthdays,
anniversaries, weddings, naming ceremonies and funerals all
fall into this category but only caterers who are trained and
experienced can cater on such occasions.

In the catering business, you make extra money because your

client pays for your services and you never really use up all you
bought for the event, which is another gain for you. Most times
you make your profit from food because you can’t properly
charge people for ingredients, firewood or gas cooker usage. So,
it is essential to know how to do your calculation and billing.

The number one thing to consider when starting a catering business

is to examine yourself if you are ready for the responsibilities
of a caterer. These responsibilities include preparation of meals,
delivering the meals, serving the meals, gaining clients, organizing
and planning, and most importantly customer service.

10 BUSINESSES YOU CAN START WITH NO MONEY

Below are 10 collections of businesses that you can start with

no money. All you need to do is to learn the skill involved
and constantly keep improving yourself on the Job. Once you
have acquired the right and necessary skills and you are good
at producing results, money will flow in your direction as you
provide value. There are a lot of intellectual materials at your
 10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA 67

reach online for free on Youtube, Google, Shopify academy,

Udemy etc. These materials are available and free for you to
acquire critical money–spinning skills. The information available
on these platforms is huge. Go and convert this information to
skill and earn from them.

1. Graphics Design

This is one skill that has come to stay and it’s currently a major
career path. All classes of graphics are currently lucrative: UI/
UX, social media graphics and logo design. Graphics designing is
very useful in the following areas: product design, brand design
(to creatively build a connection between a product, service
or person with people’s minds), website design, print design,
publishing (book, outdoor) design, environmental design and
animation design.

2. Digital Marketing

You can build your own business and provide service to a lot of
people with your critical digital marketing skill. Don’t forget that
every business needs some form of marketing to survive. The
use of technology makes marketing more effective and efficient.
All you need is to simply learn from youtube or take a few free
online courses on how to get started.

3. Private Tutoring

Sharpen your skill in this area if you have the flair for it or you
are talented in teaching. Education is fast becoming a very big
68 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

business. In fact, the Nigerian government is now collecting

taxes on education because they have realized that people are
making more profit from education. You can start by providing
home service. I know of a secondary school teacher that makes
over N200,000 between 3 pm–8 pm per month in addition
to his salary as a school teacher. Note that if you are not good
nobody will refer you. You can also teach computer skills, musical
instrument skills and coding skills privately and make money.
The critical part is that you must be good at what you do and
you must know how to transfer the knowledge.

4. Remote Work

This could be as a virtual assistant or offering your skill for good

pay remotely. The outbreak of Covid – 19 has relaxed geographical
borders in business transactions and working operations across
the globe, as a result of highly improved technology that allows
multiple and simultaneous crisscrossing of information and
global networking. Most companies have installed technologies
and soft wares that allow good–skilled talents or personnel to
work for them from any part of the world. There are a lot of
online offers for remote work. You can search on google for
different remote job offers.

5. Make–up Artist

A makeup artist is someone who uses cosmetic techniques and

processes to create beauty in the human body. In its simplest
form, a make–up artist enhances a person’s appearance, bringing
out colour and features and hiding or smoothening out flaws,
 10 EMERGING AND EVERGREEN BUSINESSES IN NIGERIA 69

using cosmetic products. You need to develop sound skills in

this to become a professional. You can also include headgear
styling, hair braiding, bridal hair styling etc.

6. Brokerage

A broker is an intermediary who connects a supplier /seller and

a buyer to facilitate a profitable transaction. Individuals or legal
entities can act as brokers. In most fields, you need to learn the
know–how and develop relevant skills in the field. A broker is a
person or firm who arranges transactions between a buyer and
a seller for a commission when the deal is executed. A broker
who also acts as a seller or as a buyer becomes a principal party
to the deal. A brokerage provides intermediary services in various
areas: investing, obtaining a loan or purchasing real estate. A
brokerage fee is a fee charged by a broker to execute transactions
or provide specialized services. The fee is for services such as
sales, purchases, consultations, and delivery. A brokerage fee
compensates a broker for executing a transaction.

8. Drop shipping

This is a form of retail business wherein the seller accepts

customers’ orders without keeping stock at hand. In fact, you
don’t need any capital to start drop–shipping. All you need is just
for you to connect the customer to the seller. The customer pays
you at a marked–up price and you pay the seller after removing
your profit from the money paid to you by the customer, after
which the seller waybills the product to the customer’s address.
The critical part is that you must build trust with customers so
70 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

that they feel safe enough to release the money to you without you
taking off with the money or delivering poor–quality products
or services.

9. Monetizing your knowledge which is information

marketing

10. Transcribing, voice–over, editing etc.

References

Click on this link to get more ideas on businesses you can start
with zero or small capital: https://www.shopify.com.ng/blog/
make–money–online
 UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS
OF DIGITAL MARKETING

Assistant Pastor Bukola Abe, Dream Centre Ikorodu, Lagos

Text: Genesis 26:12–33, Matthew 13

The anchor text, Gen. 26:12–33, gives a vivid description of how

God wants His children to become blessed, remain blessed and
be a blessing to their world. Isaac sowed and reaped bountifully,
diversified and made huge profits; he even unstopped the wells
his father dug. This means he surmounted the mountains too
high for his father to climb. In like manner, God wants us to
become vast in wealth perpetuation. He has blessed us and He
says, “And you, be ye fruitful, and multiply; bring forth abundantly
in the earth, and multiply therein” (Gen. 9:7). And for you to
multiply and amass wealth, you must understand the evolving
ways of marketing your divine ideas.

Jesus likened the word sown in the hearts of people to the ground
72 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

and seeds in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. Some fell
on rocky ground, some by the way side and some on the good
ground. Likewise, when marketing, some methods would yield
massive results while some would yield a little. Understanding
the basics of digital marketing will go a long way to help you
fulfil that divine mandate of amassing wealth on the earth and
becoming a major shareholder of the 40% wealth in the land.

We live in an age and time where everything has gone digital;

from the four walls of your home, you can now reach the globe.
This workshop is aimed at helping you maximize your digital
space and use it to your advantage.

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing is the component of marketing that uses the

Internet and online–based digital technologies such as desktop
computers, mobile phones and other digital media and platforms
to promote products and services.

Any marketing that uses electronic devices and can be used by

marketing specialists to convey promotional messaging and
measure its impact through your customer journey is called
digital marketing. In practice, digital marketing typically refers
to marketing campaigns that appear on a computer, phone,
tablet, or other devices. It can take many forms, including online
video, display ads, search engine marketing, paid social ads
and social media posts. Digital marketing is often compared
to “traditional marketing” such as magazine ads, billboards,
and direct mail. Oddly, television is usually lumped in with
 UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF DIGITAL MARKETING 73

traditional marketing.

Do you know that more than three–quarters of Americans go

online daily? Also, in Nigeria, online shopping gained more
prominence during the COVID–19 lockdown. Not only that,
43% of Americans go online more than once a day and 26%
are online “almost constantly”.

These figures are even higher among mobile internet users. 89%
of Americans go online at least daily and 31% are online almost
constantly. As a marketer, it’s important to take advantage of the
digital world with an online advertising presence by building a
brand, providing a great customer experience that also brings
more potential customers and many more, with a digital strategy.

Digital marketing, also called online marketing, is the promotion

of brands to connect with potential customers using the internet
and other forms of digital communication. This includes not
only email, social media and web–based advertising but also text
and multimedia messages as marketing channels.

Types of digital marketing

There are as many specializations within digital marketing as

there are ways of interacting using digital media. Here are a few
key examples:

• Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) is technically a marketing

74 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

tool rather than a form of marketing in itself. One source defines

it as, “The art and science of making web pages attractive to
search engines.” The “art and science” part of SEO is what is
most important. SEO is a science because it requires you to
research and weigh different contributing factors to achieve the
highest possible ranking. Today, the most important elements
to consider when optimizing a web page include:
• Quality of content
• Level of user engagement
• Mobile–friendliness
• Number and quality of inbound links

The strategic use of these factors makes SEO a science but the
unpredictability involved makes it an art. In SEO, there’s no
quantifiable rubric or consistent rule for ranking highly. Google
changes its algorithm almost constantly so, it’s impossible to
make exact predictions. What you can do is closely monitor
your page’s performance and make adjustments accordingly.

• Content Marketing

SEO is a major factor in content marketing, a strategy based

on the distribution of relevant and valuable content to a target
audience.

As in any marketing strategy, the goal of content marketing is

to attract leads that ultimately convert into customers. But it
does so differently than traditional advertising. Instead of enticing
prospects with the potential value from a product or service, it
offers value for free in the form of written material.
 UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF DIGITAL MARKETING 75

Content marketing matters and there are plenty of statistics to

prove it:
• 84% of consumers expect companies to produce
entertaining and helpful content experiences.
• 62% of companies that have at least 5,000 employees
produce content daily.
• 92% of marketers believe that their company values
content as an important asset.

As effective as content marketing is, it can be tricky. Content

marketing writers need to be able to rank highly in search engine
results while also engaging people who will read the material,
share it and interact further with the brand. When the content
is relevant, it can establish strong relationships throughout the
pipeline.

• Social Media Marketing

Social media marketing means driving traffic and brand

awareness by engaging people in discussion online. The most
popular platforms for social media marketing are Facebook,
Twitter and Instagram, with LinkedIn and YouTube not far
behind. Because social media marketing involves active audience
participation, it has become a popular way of getting attention.
It’s the most popular content medium for marketers and it’s
gaining ground in the world. Social media marketing offers built–
in engagement metrics, which are extremely useful in helping
you to understand how well you’re reaching your audience. You
get to decide which types of interactions mean the most to you,
whether that means the number of shares, comments, or total
76 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

clicks to your website.

Direct purchase may not even be the goal of your social media
marketing strategy. Many brands use social media marketing to
start dialogues with audiences rather than encourage them to
spend money right away. This is especially common in brands
that target older audiences or offer products and services not
appropriate for impulse buys. It all depends on your company’s
goals.

• Pay–per–click Marketing

Pay–per–click (PPC) is posting an ad on a platform and paying

every time someone clicks on it. How and when people see your
ad is a bit more complicated. When a spot is available on a search
engine results page, also known as a SERP, the engine fills the
spot with what is essentially an instant auction. An algorithm
prioritizes each available ad based on some factors, including:
• Ad quality
• Keyword relevance
• Landing page quality
• Bid amount

Each PPC campaign has 1 or more target actions that viewers are
meant to complete after clicking an ad. These actions are known
as conversions and they can be transactional or non–transactional.
Making a purchase is a conversion but so is newsletter signup or
a call made to your home office. Whatever you choose as your
target conversions, you can track them via your chosen platform
to see how your campaign is doing.
 UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF DIGITAL MARKETING 77

• Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing lets someone make money by promoting

another person’s business. You could either be the promoter or
the business that works with the promoter, but the process is the
same in either case. It works using a revenue–sharing model. If
you’re the affiliate, you get a commission every time someone
purchases the item that you promote through your specialized
link. If you’re the merchant, you pay the affiliate for every sale
they help you make. Some affiliate marketers choose to review
the products of just 1 company, perhaps on a blog or other third–
party site. Others have relationships with multiple merchants.

Whether you want to be an affiliate or find one, the first step

is to make a connection with the other party. You can use a
platform designed to connect affiliates with retailers or you can
start or join a single–retailer program. If you’re a retailer and you
choose to work directly with affiliates, there are many things you
can do to make your program appealing to potential promoters.
You’ll need to provide those affiliates with the tools that they
need to succeed. That includes incentives for great results as well
as marketing support and pre–made materials.

• Native Advertising

Native advertising is marketing in disguise. Its goal is to blend in

with its surrounding content so that it is less blatantly obvious
as advertising. Native advertising was created in reaction to the
cynicism of today’s consumers toward ads. Knowing that the
creator of an ad pays to run it, many consumers will conclude
78 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

that the ad is biased and consequently ignore it. A native ad

gets around this bias by offering information or entertainment
before it gets to anything promotional thereby, downplaying
the “ad” aspect.

It’s important to always label your native ads clearly. Use words
like “promoted” or “sponsored”. If those indicators are concealed,
readers might end up spending significant time engaging with
the content before they realize that it’s advertising. When your
consumers know exactly what they’re getting, they’ll feel better
about your content and your brand. Native ads are meant to
be less obtrusive than traditional ads but they’re not meant to
be deceptive.

• Marketing Automation

Marketing automation uses software to power digital marketing

campaigns, improving the efficiency and relevance of advertising.
It lets companies keep up with the expectation of personalization.

Importance of Marketing automation to brands:

• Collect and analyze consumer information
• Design targeted marketing campaigns
• Send and post marketing messages at the right time to
the right audiences

Many marketing automation tools use prospect engagement (or

lack thereof ) with a particular message to determine when and
how to reach out next. This level of real–time customization
means that you can effectively create an individualized
 UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF DIGITAL MARKETING 79

marketing strategy for each customer without any additional

time investment.

• Email Marketing

The concept of email marketing is simple—you send a

promotional message and hope that your prospect clicks on
it. However, the execution is much more complex. First of all,
you have to make sure that your emails are wanted. This means
having an opt–in list that does the following:
• Individualises the content, both in the body and in the
subject line
• States clearly what kind of emails the subscriber will get
• Offers a clear unsubscribe option
• Integrates both transactional and promotional emails

Email marketing is a proven, effective technique all on its

own: 89% of surveyed professionals named it as their most
effective lead generator. It can be even better if you incorporate
other techniques such as marketing automation which lets
you segment and schedule your emails so that they meet your
customer’s needs more effectively.

Benefits of Digital Marketing

Digital marketing has become prominent largely because it

reaches such a wide audience of people but it offers some other
advantages as well. These are a few of the benefits:

• A broad geographic reach

80 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

When you post an ad online, people can see it no matter where

they are, provided you haven’t limited your ad geographically.
This makes it easy to grow your business’ market reach.

• Cost efficiency

Digital marketing not only reaches a broader audience than

traditional marketing but also carries a lower cost. Overhead
costs for newspaper ads, television spots and other traditional
marketing opportunities can be high. They also give you less
control over whether your target audiences will see those messages
in the first place. With digital marketing, you can create just
1 content piece that draws visitors to your blog as long as it’s
active. You can create an email marketing campaign that delivers
messages to targeted customer lists on a schedule and it’s easy to
change that schedule or the content if you need to do so.

When you add it all up, digital marketing gives you much more
flexibility and customer contact for your ad spend.

• Quantifiable results

To know whether your marketing strategy works, you have to

find out how many customers it attracts and how much revenue
it ultimately drives. But how do you do that with a non–digital
marketing strategy?

There’s always the traditional option of asking each customer,

“How did you find us?” Unfortunately, that doesn’t work in
all industries. Many companies don’t get to have one–on–one
 UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF DIGITAL MARKETING 81

conversations with their customers and surveys don’t always get

complete results. But with digital marketing, results monitoring
is simple. Digital marketing software and platforms automatically
track the number of desired conversions that you get, whether
that means email open rates, visits to your home page or direct
purchases.

• Easier personalization

Digital marketing allows you to gather customer data in a way

that offline marketing can’t. Data collected digitally tends to
be more precise. Imagine you offer financial services and want
to send out special offers to people who have looked at your
products, you know you’ll get better results if you target the offer
to the person’s interest, so you decide to prepare 2 campaigns.
One is for young families who have looked at your life insurance
products and the other is for millennial entrepreneurs who have
considered your retirement plans.

Digital marketing lets you communicate with your customers

in real–time. More importantly, it lets them communicate with
you. Think about your social media strategy. It’s great when your
target audience sees your latest post but it’s even better when
they comment on it or share it. It means more buzz surrounding
your product or service, as well as increased visibility every time
someone joins the conversation.

Interactivity benefits your customers as well. Their level of

engagement increases as they become active participants in
your brand’s story. That sense of ownership can create a strong
82 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

sense of brand loyalty.

• Easy and convenient conversions

Digital marketing lets your customers take action immediately

after viewing your ad or content. With traditional advertisements,
the most immediate result you can hope for is a phone call shortly
after someone views your ad. But how often does someone have
the time to reach out to a company while they’re doing the dishes,
driving down the highway or updating records at work? With
digital marketing, they can click a link or save a blog post and
move along the sales funnel right away. They might not make a
purchase immediately, but they’ll stay connected with you and
give you a chance to interact with them further.

• Digital marketing creates growth

Digital marketing should be one of the primary focuses of almost

any business’ overall marketing strategy. Never before has there
been a way to stay in such consistent contact with your customers
and nothing else offers the level of personalization that digital
data can provide. The more you embrace the possibilities of digital
marketing, the more you’ll be able to realize your company’s
growth potential.

Take your business to the next level!

Start today and you’ll welcome wealth in Jesus’ name!

 UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF DIGITAL MARKETING 83

REFERENCES

https://mailchimp.com/en–gb/marketing–glossary/digital–
marketing/

Sightings for a great tomorrow. Rev Olusola Areogun

Stepping into Zion wealth.by Rev Olusola Areogun

DEALING WITH CHALLENGES
AND OBSTACLES IN BUSINESS

Assistant Pastor Samuel Aina, Dream Centre Ilorin

Deuteronomy 8:18

KJV … for it is He that giveth thee power to

get wealth.

NLT ... He is the one who gives you power to

be successful...

NIV ... He who gives you the ability to produce

wealth...

Proverbs 10: 22 (NLT)

The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich,

and he adds no sorrow with it.
86 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

Introduction

From the scriptures above, it may interest you to know that

the Bible did not say God gives wealth. But, He gives power,
ability, knowledge, understanding, revelation etc. to get wealth.
So, the first question is, “What do you have that will make you
wealthy?”

Let’s talk about business.

Growing a business faces a range of challenges. As a business

grows, different problems and opportunities demand different
solutions – what worked a year ago may not be the best approach
now. At times, avoidable mistakes turn what could have been a
great blessing into an error.

Recognizing and overcoming the common pitfalls associated

with growth is essential if your business is to continue to grow
and thrive. Crucially, you need to ensure that the steps you
take today don’t themselves create additional problems for the
future. Effective leadership will help you make the most of the
opportunities. To deal with any challenge, you must, first of all,
identify the challenges.

Let me highlight some of the particular risks, mistakes, challenges

and obstacles that most commonly affect growing businesses and
outline what you can do to overcome them.
1. Keeping up with the market
2. Information sources
3. Planning ahead
 DEALING WITH CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES IN BUSINESS 87

4. Cash flow and financial management

5. Problem solving
6. The right systems
7. Skills and attitudes
8. Welcoming change

Keeping Up with The Market

Market research isn’t something you do as a one–off thing

when you launch your business. Business conditions change
continually, so your market research should be continuous as well,
otherwise, you run the risk of making business decisions based
on out–of–date information, which can lead to business failure.

The more you succeed, the more competitors notice and react
to what you are doing. A market–leading offer one day may be
no better than average a few months later. Loyal customers can
be quick to find alternative suppliers who provide a better deal.

Information Sources.

Published information can provide useful insights into market

conditions and trends. As a growing business, your own experience
can be even more valuable. You should be able to build up an
in–depth picture of what customers want, how they behave and
which of your marketing approaches work best.

Planning Ahead

The plan that made sense to you a year ago may not be necessarily
88 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

right for you now. Watch out for being too opportunistic – ask
yourself whether new ideas suit your strengths and your overall
vision of where the business is going. Bear in mind that every new
development brings with it changing risks. It’s worth regularly
reviewing the risks you face and developing contingency plans.

Cash Flow and Financial Management

Good cash flow control is important for any business. For a

growing business, it’s crucial – cash constraints can be the biggest
factor limiting growth and overtrading can be fatal.

Problem Solving

New businesses often run in perpetual crisis mode. Every

day brings new challenges that urgently need resolving and
management spends most of their time troubleshooting. As
your business grows, you also need to be alert to new problems
and priorities. A disciplined approach to management focuses
on leading employees, developing your management team and
building your business strategy. Instead of treating each problem
as a one–off, you develop systems and structures that make it
easier to handle them in the future.

Documentation, policies and procedures also become increasingly

important. The informality that might work with one or two
employees and a handful of customers simply isn’t practical in
a growing business. You need proper contracts, clear terms and
conditions, effective employment procedures and so on. Investing
in the right systems is an investment that will pay off both
 DEALING WITH CHALLENGES AND OBSTACLES IN BUSINESS 89

short and long term. You benefit every day from more effective
operations. If you ever decide to sell the business, demonstrating
that you have well–run, efficient systems will be an important
part of proving its value.

Skills and Attitudes

Entrepreneurs are the driving force behind creating and growing

new businesses. All too often, they are also the people holding
them back. The abilities that can help you launch a business are
not the same as those you need to help it grow. It’s vital not to
fool yourself into valuing your abilities too highly. The chances
are that you’ll need extra training to learn the skills and attitudes
required by someone who is leading growth.

As your business grows, you may need to bring in outsiders to

help. You’ll want to delegate responsibilities for particular areas
to different specialists or appoint one or two non–executive
directors to strengthen your board. As you start tackling a new
opportunity, someone who has experience in that activity can
be vital.

Welcoming Change

Complacency can be a major threat to a growing business.

Assuming that you will continue to be successful simply because
you have been in the past is very unwise.
90 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

Conclusion

I thank God for a Church like Dream Centre, where leadership

development is the heartbeat of the Daddy and Mummy. We
have no excuse for failure. The PERSON and PRINCIPLE of
JESUS are ALL we need to face all challenges and overcome
them. “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof:
from such turn away” (2 Tim. 3:5). Don’t be in the midst of
PLENTY and manifest LACK.

REFERENCES

1. The teaching in the house (THE DREAMCENTRE OF THE

LIFE OASIS INT’L CHURCH) and Personal Experiences.

2. The Challenges of Growing a Business – and how to meet

them, © Crown copyright 2009.

Source: Business Link UK (now GOV.UK/Business)

Adapted by Info Entrepreneurs.

DEALING WITH COMPETITORS
IN BUSINESS

COMPILED BY OYINKANSOLA ADEDAPO DREAM

CENTRE ONLINE CHURCH, NIGERIA ZONE

TEXT: Genesis 13:8–11, 30:28–34, Isaiah 65:25

There is a peculiar trend in the business world where people

tend to rush to popular and seemingly booming business at a
time. There was a time in Nigeria for instance that sachet water
production business was in vogue, bread production had its
time. So did internet café, recharge card sales, make up artistry,
‘auto gele’ (head wares), and some others. Not all competitions
are unhealthy. Except your business is an original idea, you also
became someone’s competitor. If you are like Jacob, who you
could term an apprentice under Laban and now needs to be
‘free’ to practice your trade, your boss becomes your competitor,
and you must deal with that by wisdom. Asides that, if your
business idea originated from you, you will soon need to deal
92 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

with imitators.

PLUSES OF COMPETITION

In the business world, competition has:

1. Helped to regulate prices.

2. Encouraged localization. There are streets or areas

known for a particular business. Florida in the United
States is a go to place for vacation because of the many
attractive sights, fun places, relaxation area. Oxford
street in London is full of fashion labels. It is a group of
competitors ‘living’ together, helping each other attract
a pool of customers.

3. It has enforced a culture of excellence among business

owners. Knowing that you are not the only one offering
a good or service keeps you on your toes to win the
acceptance of the consumers.

4. It has become a breeding platform for complementary

businesses. For example, you will find books and
stationary stores around schools.

5. It has spurred small businesses to spring up. For example,

printers situate themselves around souvenir shops in a
market like Idumota in Lagos State Nigeria.

6. It has expanded the range of goods and services to choose

 DEALING WITH COMPETITORS IN BUSINESS 93

from. This has made life easier for consumers. Some

people sure regard varieties as a spice to life. In this
context, it is correct.

7. It has engaged more labor. The skill required in businesses

differs. More competitors in an industry mops up
unengaged or disengaged labour.

KEY NOTES FOR A CHRISTIAN IN BUSINESS

1. Don’t antagonize new entrants.

2. Recognize speeches: there are mere innocent comments

about your choice of business while there are demonically
empowered conversations that seals the progress of that
business. There was a difference between the scolding
of David’s brothers for showing up on the battlefield
and the curses Goliath hurled at him for same reasons.
Psalm 31:20

3. Your mouth is critical in the status of your business per

time. Do not work right and speak wrong, that will set
your competitors ahead and you stalled. Nothing just
happens! The prophet’s widow was sure to sell her oil
because a prophet had said, “go, sell the oil”. She will
sell! But even more important is her/your own words.

4. Take advantage of the ministry of angels.

5. Do not take the bait of offences. Competitors use

94 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

emotional blackmail often. They also look for loopholes

to hammer on to discredit your business. Rise above
the bait of offences. It will puncture the tyres of your
business wheels.

6. Competitors today can be your biggest advertisers. The

reference competitors make to your business sometimes
become the source of information for a potential
customer.

7. Watch spiritual activities taking place in your business

area, including the seemingly Christian ones. There are
some open markets in Nigeria that have prophets who
go around from store to store distributing prophecies in
the name of assisting your sales. What you are joined to
goes with you. Therefore, watch your joining.

8. As our father in the Lord, Rev. Olusola Areogun has

taught us, be a conscious learner around unconscious
teacher. There are learning points to pick from your
competitor, both things to do and things not to do. Be
watchful like an eagle. See far, see wide.

9. Be approachable: There are times that even the big–time

suppliers will lack a resource. You may then become the
beneficiary of their lack when they refer their customer
to you. Remember the prophet’s widow who needed
vessels from neighbors to sell her oil.

10. Avoid talking down habitually on someone else’s product.

 DEALING WITH COMPETITORS IN BUSINESS 95

Genesis 8:22. Remember the example of our father in

the Lord when a minister in town did all manner of
things that should make him offended. He would take
offerings to the minister’s ministry rather than retaliate
with negativity.

11. Avoid hoarding especially essential products. Business

owners sometimes know when competitors are in or out
of stock. Situations like that can be an opportunity for
sales boom. There is a gas station in Nigeria that has been
reported to never hoard. As a result, even when there is
no scarcity, consumers do not mind looking for their
branch in a town to refill.

12. Don’t compete illegally even when you know it is part

of the business strategies of your competitors. Plan to
last in business without scandals or scars.

13. Competition practiced unhealthily can be a breeding

ground for an atmosphere that repels the divine. Learn
from Abraham and Lot.

14. Deploy the real tools of competition by breaking into

realms in that business or industry before others. 1
Corinthians 2:10

15. Your real competitive edge is customer satisfaction.

You can achieve this with good customer relational
skills, excellent service delivery, getting feedbacks from
consumers and other approved practices.
96 PROPHETIC BUSINESS SUMMIT

16. Your real competition is with yourself and then globally.

See beyond today and your next–door competitor.

17. Competition can be a distraction from the core of

business practices. Consider the example of Leah and
Rachel. The love of their husband was not determined
by who had more children. He already had a ‘product’ he
was satisfied with and did not consider the years it took
to acquire ‘it’. There is a generational divine mandate
on their husband to focus on.

18. Business is spiritual. Money flow is spiritual. If He can

put money in fish’s mouth, be assured that He controls
money flows. Our father in the Lord, Rev. Olusola
Ayodele Areogun often tell us that it is a popular saying
that “use your brain”, but he has taught us a higher
business life which is, “use your spirit”.

19. Let God’s wisdom help you distinguish your product

and business image. Look at what Jacob did with Laban.
Genesis 30: 33. This can be your business name, some
form of branding or packaging and other such efforts
that distinguishes your product from competitors.

20. Know God to know men. The men you cannot talk to,
God can, even in their dream like Abimelech, the ones
you can speak to, God can convince them for you and
oil your speech (advertisement and requests) with favor.
 DEALING WITH COMPETITORS IN BUSINESS 97

CONCLUSION

Part of our benefits from the coming of our Lord is good will,
so, claim it. Please read Luke 2:14. We have been studying
on angels in the Prophetic, Effective and Productive classes
over some weeks. Angels are part of your business staff, engage
them. There are angelic gatherers to gather customers, angelic
harvesters to ensure you don’t labor in vain and the harvests
of your partnership with the anointing and the work of God
yields. Use these scriptures too: Isaiah 5:26–29, 65:21–25, Psalm
144:13–15.

We grow great, the Lord of hosts is with us. We are ‘glocal’

(global + local) business owners in Jesus name.

REFERENCES

1. Holy Bible, King James version.

2. Messages preached by Rev. Olusola Ayodele Areogun.

 Books Published By
The Abundant Life House

1. Passion For The Lost.

2. Your New Life.
3. The Anointed Man.
4. Prayer Breakthrough.
5. How To Turn Your Breakdown To Breakthrough.
6. He Helpeth Our Infirmities.
7. What Meaneth This?
8. Reality Of The Spirit Man.
9. People Of Destiny.
10. Seven Things Faith Needs To Be Alive.
11. Moving From The Dry Season Of Life Into The Rainy
Season.
12. Overcoming In The Battles Of Life.
13. Victory Over Fear.
14. Are You Believing Right?
15. Danger Of Offences.
16. Lose To Win Or Win To Lose.
17. Processed For The Throne.
18. The Problem, The Patient And The Power Of God.
19. Handling Life’s Crises Biblically.
20. Keys To Biblically Success.
21. Understanding Ministry Gifts.
22. Quiet Time.
23. Are You Praying Or Complaining?
24. The Woman Above Average.
 99

25. Sexual Purity.

26. God’s Plan For Your Conception, Delivery And Child
Nursing.
27. Godly Wisdom For A Pastor’s Wife.
28. Leadership Reflections (Volume 1)
29. Following The Faith Of Abraham.
30. Understanding The Heart In Spiritual Operations.
31. Power For Home Building.
32. End Time Redemption Of Gifts And Callings.
33. Structuring Your Life For Responsibility.
34. Marriage Is A Reward, It Is Not A Gift.
35. Lord, What Will You Have Me Do?
36. Pastor, Don’t Let Satan Hijack Your Church.
37. What God Anoints.
38. The Call Of God And You.
39. Mind Your Mind.
40. The Secrets Of The Blessed Woman.
41. Decisions That Guarantee Your Tomorrow.
42. Conscience Matters.
43. Faith Tonic.
44. Angels And You.
45. When Imitation Is Not Limitation.
46. Destiny Capsules.
47. The Mystery And Ministry Of Music.
48. Nine Major Laws Of Life.
49. Principles Of Excellence In Ministry.
50. Acts That Move The Hand Of God.
51. Seed Time.
52. Abusive Church Members.
53. Monitoring Your Spiritual Health.
100

54. Truths And Fallacies About The Prosperity Message.

55. Love, Courtship & Marriage.
56. Correct Mentoring.
57. Godly Counsels For Single Ladies On Sexual Matters.
58. Overcoming The Spirit Of Judas.
59. Divine Healing Secrets.
60. 36 Duties Of A Pastor.
61. Critical Matters To Consider In Choosing A Mate.
62. The Believer’s Manual For Soul Winning.
63. Follow The Leader.
64. Survival Tools When You Are Alone.
65. Godly Wisdom For God’s Servants.
66. Manifesting Generational Wealth.
67. Receiving Healing From Diseases Of The Soul.
68. Uncommon Commitment To An Uncommon Destiny.
69. The Laws Of Marriage.
70. The Power Of Cleaving.
71. Acquiring The Leadership Life.
72. Don’ts Of Wisdom For Success In Life And Ministry.
73. Breaking Bad Habits.
74. Unmasking The Enemy.
75. The Ten Components Of Worship.
76. The Seven Components Of The Will Of God.
77. Woman, A Fragment Of God.
78. Understanding The Helps Ministry.
79. Pastor, Let The Holy Spirit Take Over Your Church.
80. The Helping Hand.
81. The Wise Christian.
82. The Names Of The Lord.
83. The Qualities Of A Commanding Dream.
 101

84. The Integrity Of A Minister.

85. Leadership Reflections (Volume 2).
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87. The Don’ts Of An Associate Minister.
88. Mastering Female Dynamics.
89. Victory Over Deception.
90. Learning To Learn.
91. The Wealth Of Poverty.
92. Insight.
93. The Man That God Will Work With.
94. Ministerial Handbook For A Young Pastor.
95. “How To Series” For The Ministers Of The Gospel.
96. Divine Prescription For A Sound Body.
97. My Spouse, My Wealth.
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100. Succeeding With Success.
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103. Holy Spirit The Greatest Form Of Wealth On The Earth.
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102

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116. Why Am I Thus?
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118. Becoming One.
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120. Scriptural Prayers For Your Husband.
121. Dynamics Of Effective Worship.
122. The Male And His Female.
123. Critical Skills And Anointed Tools For Ministry.
124. What Are You Built On?
125. The Underground Ministry Of A Minister’s Wife.
126. The Maximised Woman.
127. Moving From Accidental Experience To Activating The
Power Of God.
128. Anointed Nuggets On Calling And Ministry: Vol. 1
129. Anointed Nuggets On Calling And Ministry: Vol. 2
130. Developing Intimacy With The Lord.
131. The Spirit Of Truth.
132. God Is Looking For A Strong Pastor.
133. Things Leaders Do.
134. Anointed Answers To Questions Facing Christian
Women.
135. Building The Unshakable Home.
136. Hearts And Skills For Effective Music Ministry.
137. Basic Preparations For Marriage.
138. Marks Of A Blessed Man.
139. The Presence Of God; Our True Strength.
140. Practical Steps To Becoming Intimate With God.
141. Divine Acceptance And Approval.
 103

142. The Power Of Pre–emptive Prayer.

143. The Generation Of Achsah.
144. Scriptural Purposes Of Praying In Tongues.
145. The Power of Divine Choice.
146. Different Ramifications Of Faith.
147. Developing Effectiveness For Life And Ministry.
148. Understanding Fruitfulness.
149. Original Sin And Personal Sin.
150. How To Move On From Divine Encounters.
151. His Word, His Prophecy, My Reality.
152. How To Clarify Your Divine Call.
153. Understanding Divine Commitment.
154. Developing A Battle Plan Against The Devil’s Attacks.
155. Training Manual For Women In The Local Church.
156. Characteristics Of A Joker.
157. Fulfilling The Ministry of Intercession.
158. The Unlimited Woman.
159. Keys To Becoming A Minister After God’s Heart.
160. Unveiling The Mystery And Power Of The Holy
Communion.
161. Rediscovering The Power Of Daily Christianity.
162. Keys To Sustaining Divine Commitment.
163. Understanding The Grace of God For Life and Ministry.
164. Victory Over Negative Ancestral Flows In Marriage.
165. The Leading Lady.
166. My God, My Destiny, My Man.
167. Requirements For Operating At A Higher Level In Life
And Ministry.
168. The Believer’s Curriculum Of Faith.
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104

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171. Mini Booklet Series–Church Membership.
172. Mini Booklet Series–Divine Destiny.
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174. Mini Booklet Series–The Holy Spirit.
175. Mini Booklet Series–Leadership.
176. Steps Of Faith For An Incredible Life.
177. Critical Understanding To Intelligently Participate In
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179. Mini Booklet Series–Wisdom For Finances.
180. Stepping Into Zion Wealth.
181. Laws And Acts That Govern Kingdom Wealth Flow.
182. Partnering With Your Husband In Ministry.
183. Understanding The Divine Call.
184. Stepping Into Your Divine Call.
185. Resolving Conflicts In Marriage.
186. Major Secrets Of A Blessed Marriage.
187. Discovering The Divine Process For Your Calling.
188. Submitting To The Lordship Of Jesus For A Powerful
Christian Life.
189. 9 Special Schools Of The Kingdom (Vol. 1)
190. Critical Keys To Identifying The Duties Of Your Calling
In The Local Church
191. Operating Above the Devil’s Tactics These Last Days.
192. Six Zones Of Life.
193. The Spirit of Wisdom.
194. Yield Your Strength.
195. The Grassroots Ministry Of A Pastor’s Wife.
 105

196. Key Reasons Why You Should Pray As A Christian.

197. Benefits Of Kingdom Mentoring.
198. Getting Your Calling Right.
199. Destiny Maker Versus Home Maker.
200. Unveiling The Activities That Birth Destiny.
201. Biblical Principles To Build A Great Marriage.
202. Igbe Aye Re Tuntun
203. Becoming a Son that Pleases the Father Vol. 1
204. Becoming a Son that Pleases the Father Vol. 2
205. Critical Keys To Making The Rapture–End Times Series
Vol. 1
206. How To Become An Effective Christian In These Last
Days–End Time Series Vol. 2
207. Living Victoriously In The End Times–End Time Series
Vol. 3
208. Judging Prophecy Biblically.
209. Sightings For A Great Tomorrow.
210. The Spirit Of A Sound Mind.
211. The Spirit Of Meekness And Quietness.
212. The Making Of A Mother–In–Israel.
213. Principles Of Kingdom Team–Work.
214. Developing The Heart Of An Overcomer.
215. Foundations For A Victorious Christian Life
216. How To Obtain Divine Results By Faith.
217. Overcoming In The Last Days.
218. The Covenant Compliant Life.
219. The Hallmarks Of Peculiar Shepherding.
220. Understanding The Church For Spiritual Profiting.
221. Teaming Up From A Place Of Assurance.
222. Developing A Healthy Physical Life In Minstry.
106

223. Understanding The Dual Mandates Of The Believer.

224. Vital Deposits For Success In Life And Ministry.
225. The Burden Of The Lord.
226. Located By Divine Choice.
227. The Characteristics Of Apostolic Women.
228. Victory Over The Spirit Of Witchcraft
229. Taking Charge By Faith
230. How To Mix Your Faith With The Word Of God
231. Assistants To Faith
232. Achieving Divine Results By Faith
233. Winning With Your Faith
234. Man Know Thyself
235. Becoming An Effective Leader
236. Taking The Wings Of The Morning.
237. Compendium Of The Calling.
238. Dealing Victoriously With Demonic Operations.
239. Becoming Effective In The Deliverance Ministry.
240. Terms And Conditions Apply.
108