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Chairman of Coscharis Group, Dr. Cosmas Maduka, has charged young Nigerians to take personal responsibility for their future, stressing the importance of savings, self-development, discipline, and long-term vision.
The Coscharis Chairman made this call in Lagos during the sixth edition of the Wealth Summit, an event put together by business development firm Pertinence Group, designed to promote innovation, financial empowerment, and entrepreneurial growth.
Maduka encouraged participants to value access over money and cultivate the habit of saving, saying: “Only a fool spends all he has. Start saving early, even from age five. Also, a gift is a distraction to a king. What matters is access, relationships, and value creation.”
The billionaire entrepreneur shared parts of his journey that resonated deeply with the audience, recounting how he lost his father at age 10, started hawking spare parts in Lagos, and built one of Nigeria’s biggest auto and conglomerate brands through consistency and belief in his own potential. “If I could make it, anyone can, but you must be willing to suffer the inconvenience of discipline,” he stressed.
Co-founder of Pertinence Group & Chairman of Pettysave Microfinance Bank, Dr. Sunday Olorunsheyi, explained that the vision behind the Wealth Summit has always been rooted in impact, not numbers. “For us, the excitement is not just about the crowd, but the impact. When we started 13 years ago, we were very clear about what we wanted to achieve: enterprise development and people empowerment.”
He added that the goal of the summit is not simply to inspire, but to shift mindsets and provide ongoing platforms for people to act on what they learn. “People come here and return a different version of themselves. It’s like updating your software. By the time they come back next year, they perform better.”
Olorunsheyi noted that through various Pertinence platforms, over 100 businesses have emerged in the past decade, and thousands of Nigerians have benefited from incentives including international trips, vehicles, and home ownership.
“We’ve given out over 100 cars, taken more than 300 people on fully funded trips—many of them had never even owned a passport before. This stems back to why we are in business. It’s about impact. It’s always about impact.”
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Olorunsheyi, who introduced Genius App, described it as a groundbreaking tool that goes beyond savings to provide credit access, commissions, business tools, and automation features for both individuals and small business owners.
“Our mission is to create platforms for financial freedom. Genius is a tool that people can take advantage of to succeed. We don’t just complain about the economy; we provide solutions that update people’s lives, just like software updates.”
With the theme: “The Real Money of Lagos,” a Co-founder of Pertinence Group, Wisdom Ezekiel, challenged the idea that capital is the most important ingredient for starting a business in Nigeria. He reflected on his own early struggles in Lagos, revealing that he never completed formal education and taught himself how to read and write.
“The first thing you need for your business is not capital. You need to demonstrate that you are a resourceful person. Resources will always follow resourceful people. If you are not resourceful, resources cannot follow you.”
“I had no education. The highest I went was JSS2. Nobody taught me how to read. Don’t wait for ideal conditions, but keep showing up. They didn’t accept you today? Show up again and again. Courage is not the absence of fear, it’s moving in spite of fear. Keep advancing, adjusting, and doing the right thing—you will get there.”
Olumide Emmanuel, known widely as the “Common Sense Guru,” commended the summit’s long-term commitment to equipping Nigerians with applicable knowledge. He stressed that personal transformation and financial literacy were keys to escaping the poverty trap.
He said: “This summit is bridging the wealth gap. It’s not just giving motivation, it’s showing people the systems and habits they need to move from where they are to where they want to be.”
Managing Director of Meristem Trustees, Damilola Hassan, described the event as a needed alternative to traditional financial systems. “This gives structure to the savings culture. People are used to ajo and esusu, but this brings a more secure, expansive opportunity for those who are serious about growth.”
