Olamidun Ogundoyin (née Majekodunmi) is a serial entrepreneur and business executive known for her role as the Founder and CEO of Sooyah Bistro, a high-growth quick-service restaurant (QSR) chain in Nigeria. She has gained significant recognition for scaling a small street-food concept into a multi-million naira enterprise.
Ogundoyin has a background characterized by a blend of international strategy and education management. She earned her Master of Business Administration from the University of Notre Dame, where she was a Forte Foundation Fellow.
She also served as the pioneering Country Director for Nexford University in Nigeria (2018–2023) and was the Director of Education for the Nigerian Young Professionals Forum.
In 2018, Ogundoyin founded Sooyah Bistro in Lagos. The brand is famous for reimagining traditional Nigerian suya with a modern flair, offering items like Suya Burgers, Suya Shawarmas, and “PhD” combo meals.
This venture with initial investment of ₦20,000 has grown organically without bank loans or external investors. And as of late 2025, the chain has expanded to 12 outlets, predominantly in Lagos and Ibadan (Oyo State), and employs over 120 staff.
She is credited with professionalizing the suya industry by building an ecosystem that integrates traditional pitmasters with modern corporate structures and hygiene standards.
Below is a breakdown of the lessons shared recently as she opens the 12th outlet of Sooyah Bistro
Systems Are Your Foundation: Build Them From Day One
The moment systems break down, businesses start failing quietly. Strong processes are what keep things running when the founder isn’t in the room. History has shown that businesses without structure don’t survive generations. As a leader, you must always keep steering the ship.
Overnight Success Is a Myth
Building a business in Nigeria is a marathon, not a sprint. Growth takes time, resilience, and patience. Early wins are great, but sustainability is what truly matters. If you’re not ready for the long haul, the journey will humble you quickly.
For strategic Growth, Scale Smart, Not Just Fast
Speed matters, but reckless expansion can destroy what you’re trying to build. Growth should be intentional, data-driven, and supported by solid foundations. Move fast, yes, but never at the expense of quality or control.
Understand your Customer Base and Keep Catering to Them
Never make the mistake of thinking your customers don’t notice when quality drops. Nigerian consumers are incredibly sharp and have very little patience for brands that get “lazy” after finding success. You have to earn their loyalty every single day. The moment you stop catering to their needs or start cutting corners, they’ll move on to the next person and never look back.
Take Care of the People Who Take Care of Your Business
Good talent is the hardest thing to find and keep in this environment. You spend a fortune training people, so it’s only common sense to benefit from it. In more “sophisticated” markets, people are often just numbers, but here, relationships are everything. Go the extra mile for those who consistently show up.
