How a Nigerian Couple built a $30 million Empire

Taiye and Kemi Fajana are quietly orchestrating one of Nigeria’s most formidable private business machines. The husband-and-wife team behind Twinsfaja Group didn’t step out of an elite business school or inherit a family conglomerate. He has a primary school certificate, she holds a Senior Secondary School Certificate – and together they have built a multi-sector empire that now spans building materials, 13 supermarket branches across Lagos and Ogun, a growing e-commerce operation, and a network of filling stations supplying fuel to both their fleet and thousands of retail customers.

Their story began in the mid-1990s with just 50 bags of cement taken on credit and delivered on a motorcycle. While Taiye leaned on skills gained as an apprentice in a building materials shop, Kemi sold baby items and braided hair in Ikotun Market before stepping in to professionalize the fledgling cement business. The couple reinvested every naira, shunned early displays of wealth, and built trust with suppliers long before banks would take their calls.

Today, Twinsfaja is recognized as one of the biggest distributors of Dangote Cement in Lagos and Ogun, moves tens of thousands of tonnes in a strong week, and employs over 2,000 people. Kemi Fajana is coy about annual revenues, but Billionaires.Africa estimates that the group turnovers more than $20 million annually. Even a $1 million loss during the EndSARS vandalization of one of their supermarkets couldn’t derail their trajectory. Instead, it hardened their resolve to turn a modest trading outfit into a resilient, data-driven Nigerian conglomerate.

Kemi Fajana recently chatted with Mfonobong Nsehe of Billionaires.Africa and told the story of how she and her husband built a multi-million-dollar empire from scratch.

Walk us through both your personal and educational backgrounds. Where did each of you grow up, what was growing up like, and what did you both study?

My husband and I were both born in Obbo Ayegunle and Omu Aran in Kwara State. We both grew up in Kwara and Lagos State respectively. Today, by God’s grace, we both live and run our business in Lagos, with branches spread across different parts of Nigeria.

I hold only my SSCE, and my husband has a primary school certificate. Our busy schedules over the years have made it difficult to pursue further formal education, but we remain deeply grateful to God for how far He has brought us. Despite our limited schooling, His blessings, hard work, and determination have carried us farther than we could have imagined.

When did you get married, and how did the marriage evolve into a business partnership?

We got married in 1995, which makes this year our 30th wedding anniversary, as earlier mentioned. At the beginning of our journey, I was running my own business, selling baby items at Ikotun Market in Alimosho, Lagos, while my husband focused on his trade, dealing in products such as Dangote cement, iron rods, and other building materials.

However, along the line, I noticed certain aspects of how his business was being managed that needed improvement, and I felt the need to step in and contribute. That decision marked the beginning of our partnership and the birth of Twinsfaja Nigeria Limited. Since then, we have worked side by side to build and grow Twinsfaja Nigeria Limited into the thriving enterprise it is today, a true reflection of teamwork, trust, and shared vision.

TwinsFaja Group was founded in 1993. Tells us about the origins of the company. What was the first venture you started (together or separately), and what did it teach you?

Twinsfaja actually started in 1994 before my marriage right there in Abaranje, Ikotun, Lagos before we later incorporated in 2007. My husband started Twinsfaja. He trained under an employer who is into building material sales for 4 years at Abule-Odu. He got his freedom in 1993 and left his boss to start his own business right there in Abaranje road.

I was initially selling baby items and braiding hair at Ikotun Market before eventually joining him. With the help of his former boss, we secured suppliers who gave us 50 bags of cement and iron rods on loan. We sold the goods, repaid the supplier, and took our profit. The business was first called Taiye Onirin and Taiye Abaranje before eventually becoming Twinsfaja Nigeria Limited—and now Twinsfaja Group.Working together taught us patience, hard work, and perseverance. We shared the same vision and values, and together we became a force. We built Twinsfaja from the ground up—solving problems, taking risks, and celebrating wins side by side. We didn’t just build a business; we built a life, a family, and a legacy. Today, by God’s grace, we are billionaires—not just in wealth, but in joy, love, and meaningful relationships.

You are now a large conglomerate operating in building materials, supermarkets, e-commerce, and oil & gas. How did your company snowball from a trading business, into the multi-million-dollar business it is today? Can you give us an estimated figure of your group’s annual turnover?

With the success of Twinsfaja Nigeria Limited, my husband and I decided it was time to expand into other ventures. As I mentioned earlier, I had always been involved in selling baby products before joining him in the building materials business. So, with his full support, I felt it was only right to revisit that passion and that ’ s how Twinsfaja Supermarket was born.

We started small, using the upper floor of my brother’s office as our first store. Through hard work, consistency, and strategic planning, the business grew rapidly. Today, by God ’ s grace, we proudly operate 13 supermarket branches across Lagos and Ogun States.

Following the success of the supermarket, we ventured into oil and gas. Our decision was inspired by the large amounts we were already spending on fuel for our businesses each year. We realized it made more sense to invest in our own filling stations, to buy from ourselves and reinvest the profits back into the company. In 2017, we opened our first Twinsfaja Filling Station, marking yet another milestone in our growth story.

Interestingly, many of our customers who buy cement, iron rods, and other building materials from us are the same people who shop at our supermarkets and refuel at our filling stations, a perfect synergy of our business ecosystem. Today, Twinsfaja Group has grown into a thriving conglomerate with operations in building materials, supermarkets, e-commerce, and oil & gas, recording a strong and consistently rising annual turnover.

Your company is generally recognized as one of the biggest distributors of Dangote Cement in Nigeria. How did that happen?

It definitely wasn’t magic, it was the result of pure hard work, perseverance, and faith. Smiles. When we decided to start selling Dangote Cement, we had no capital to begin with, no one to lend or loan us money, and no staff support. So, we began small, buying 50 bags of cement on credit in the late 90s, selling them one after the other, with delivering made on a motorcycle.

Those early days were incredibly tough, and there were moments when we felt like giving up. But I encouraged my husband to keep going. I believed deeply that if we remained consistent and dedicated, our hard work would eventually pay off, and it did. Gradually, we moved from selling 50 bags to 200, then 500, and eventually 1,000 bags. We eventually bought our first trailer in 1999.

From buying on credit, we grew into trusted suppliers ourselves. Today, by God ’ s grace, Twinsfaja Nigeria Limited is proudly recognized as one of the largest distributors of Dangote Cement in Lagos and Ogun States, with branches also operating in Kwara State. Our journey is a true testament to what determination and faith can achieve, no matter how humble the beginning.

As co-founders and spouses, how do your roles divide across building materials, supermarkets, e-commerce, and oil & gas—and which decisions still require both signatures?

My husband serves as the Chairman of the Twinsfaja Group, while I am the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). We delegate tasks and responsibilities based on the nature of the work at hand and our individual areas of strength. My husband primarily oversees Twinsfaja Nigeria Limited, which focuses on building materials, while I manage the supermarket and e-commerce arms of the business. We both jointly handle our oil and gas operations.

Although we each have defined areas of focus, we make all major business decisions together. Every key decision within the organization requires both our signatures, ensuring transparency and unity in leadership. Only minor or miscellaneous expenses are approved individually, but even those are properly documented for accountability.

From one depot to a system-wide position: what was the single highest-leverage move that unlocked your transition to an authorised Dangote Cement distributor?

In the beginning, we started with just 50 bags of cement on credit, selling and delivering them ourselves. It wasn’ t easy, but we remained disciplined, repaid our local suppliers promptly, and never defaulted on our commitments. Over time, this reliability earned us a solid reputation in the market.

As our sales volume grew, we continued to reinvest our profits, expand our customer base, and strengthen our relationship with Dangote Industries. Our unwavering honesty, timely payments, and dedication to service excellence eventually caught their attention, and that opened the door for us to become an authorized Dangote Cement distributor.

Looking back, it wasn’t one big break or a stroke of luck, it was consistent hard work, trustworthiness, and the courage to keep going even when it was tough that truly unlocked that transition.

Why cement—and why specifically Dangote? Was it allocation reliability, working-capital terms, dealer support, or brand pull that tipped the choice?

For us, choosing Dangote as our primary supplier was a strategic decision shaped by both opportunity and long-term partnership. In the early days, we sold different cement brands, but over time, Dangote Cement became our No. 1 supplier for very clear reasons. First, Dangote is produced locally, which immediately made the product more affordable and easier to access compared to imported alternatives. Their allocation reliability, strong supply chain, and consistent product quality gave us the confidence to scale aggressively. Second, their payment structure was a major advantage. Dangote offered flexible and supportive payment terms that made it possible for us to grow. Third, the dealer support system was exceptional. They didn ’ t just supply cement, they invested in our growth.

Over the years, during annual award nights, Dangote consistently recognized our performance by giving us trucks, vehicles, and other logistics assets. These contributions strengthened our operations, improved our delivery capacity, and directly expanded our distribution network. Finally, the brand pull of Dangote Cement cannot be overstated. Customers trust the name, the quality, and the consistency. Selling a brand that already has massive market acceptance made our work easier, and it allowed us to build customer loyalty much faster. So, it wasn’ t one single factor. It was a combination of reliability, affordability, working-capital support, strong dealer incentives, and unmatched brand strength that made Dangote Cement the clear choice for us, and the cornerstone of our growth story.

Walk us through the first ₦10–₦50 million you put to work: what mix of savings, supplier credit, bank lines, or rotating contributions got you off the ground?

In the early years of building Twinsfaja, the first ₦10–₦50 million we put to work didn’t come from any glamorous source, it came from pure discipline, savings, and supplier credit. We didn’t have easy access to loans, and there was no one willing to lend us large capital, so we made the most of what we had. Our initial capital was a mix of personal savings and credit from suppliers, especially in the building material business, where we started by taking as little as 50 bags on credit and paying back after sales. As our turnover increased and we consistently met our obligations, our credit lines expanded. Those early credit relationships formed the backbone of our growth.

We struggled to get bank loans at the beginning, but everything changed after we crossed the ₦ 50 million mark in turnover. Once the banks saw our consistency, cash flow, and repayment discipline, access to credit became much easier. From there, we could blend our own working capital with structured bank support. One thing we are proud of is that we never focused on material things in those early stages. Every profit, no matter how small, went straight back into the business. We reinvested everything into buying more goods, expanding inventory, improving logistics, and strengthening our operations. That continuous reinvestment is what allowed the business to grow from a small trading outfit into a multi-sector conglomerate.

What does “a great week” look like in the cement arm—tonnage moved, truck turnaround time, days-sales-outstanding, and cash conversion cycle? Share the current fleet strategy (own vs. outsource) and your backhaul playbook.

A great week for us in the cement arm of Twinsfaja Group is one where all aspects of our operations, sales, logistics, and cash flow, work seamlessly together.

On a strong operational week, we typically move 50,625 metric tons of Dangote Cement, depending on market demand and regional distribution schedules. We place a strong emphasis on efficiency and reliability, maintaining an average truck turnaround time of 24 to 36 hours, from loading at the depot to final delivery at our customers ’ sites. In terms of days-sales-outstanding (DSO), we operate primarily on a payment-before-sale model. Customers make payments upfront before dispatch, while only a few trusted, long-standing customers are extended a 24– 48 hour payment window under our structured credit control system. This disciplined approach ensures a healthy cash conversion cycle, allowing us to maintain strong liquidity and continuously reinvest in expansion and operational improvements. From a logistics standpoint, we manage deliveries with our company-owned fleet, offering free delivery for bulk purchases of 50 bags or more. Our owned trucks provide greater control over service quality, reliability, and brand visibility. For smaller orders, customers are encouraged to arrange their own transportation, which helps us optimize resources and maintain delivery efficiency across all branches. In essence, a great week in our cement business is one where our trucks move consistently, customers receive timely deliveries, and cash flows seamlessly, a perfect reflection of the structure, discipline, and teamwork that keep Twinsfaja Group running efficiently.

What have been some of your biggest challenges in running a business in Nigeria?

We’ve definitely gone through some challenging seasons in our Business. One of our ongoing challenges has been human resources. Finding the right staff, especially skilled and reliable ones like drivers, has not been easy. It’s a continuous process, and we are actively working on improving our recruitment, training, and retention strategies every day. Another major challenge we faced was during the End SARS protest, when our supermarket was vandalized. Everything was looted. Equipment was destroyed. The total damage amounted to $1 million, which was roughly ₦ 400 million at the time. It was heartbreaking and deeply disappointing. These kinds of challenges are enough to break a business, but by God ’ s grace, we are still standing strong. We took those setbacks, learned from them, rebuilt, and came back even more determined. Our resilience has become part of our story and our strength.

Your retail footprint spans multiple Lagos neighborhoods. How do you choose micro-locations? What data—basket mix, catchment density, traffic patterns—decides where the next store goes?

Our approach to choosing new retail locations is both data-driven and experience-based, shaped by years of understanding consumer behavior across Lagos, Ogun, and Kwara States. When considering a new Twinsfaja Supermarket branch, we first study the catchment density, the population size, income level, and lifestyle pattern of residents within a 3–5 km radius. Lagos, for example, offers diverse neighborhood dynamics, so we carefully analyze each area’ s purchasing power, traffic flow, and accessibility to ensure that the location aligns with our customer profile. In Ogun and Kwara, we focus on emerging urban communities with growing commercial activity and limited access to modern retail options. We also rely heavily on basket-mix analysis, which helps us understand what customers in a particular area buy most, from groceries and household goods to baby products and building materials. This insight allows us to stock each branch according to the unique needs of its community, ensuring that every store feels local while maintaining the Twinsfaja brand standard.

Traffic patterns and visibility play a major role as well. We prioritize locations with high vehicular and pedestrian flow, easy parking access, and proximity to residential estates, markets, or transport hubs. Our experience has shown that convenience and visibility significantly influence repeat patronage. Finally, we use our existing customer and logistics data from our other business arms, such as building materials and oil & gas, to identify high-demand zones where our brand already enjoys trust and recognition. This integrated approach ensures that every new branch adds strategic value, serving both existing customers and new communities efficiently. In summary, our expansion decisions are guided by a balance of market data, local insight, and customer proximity, ensuring that each Twinsfaja Supermarket branch is not just another outlet, but a well-positioned community hub that meets real demand and drives sustainable growth.

What real synergy exists between supermarkets/e-commerce and building materials — shared logistics, liquidity smoothing, cross-selling—or are they intentionally ring-fenced?

There is strong and deliberate synergy between our supermarkets, e-commerce platforms, and building materials business, even though each arm operates with its own management structure. Over the years, we ’ ve seen that our different business units don ’ t just coexist, they actively strengthen one another. First, the biggest synergy lies in logistics. Our fleet, warehousing processes, and delivery systems serve multiple purposes across the Group. For example, some of our trucks that deliver cement often return with supermarket goods or other inventory needed across our branches. This integrated logistics approach reduces empty trips, maximizes fleet utilization, and significantly lowers operational costs. Secondly, we benefit from liquidity smoothing across the businesses. The building materials arm is a high-volume, fast-moving cash business, driven by our payment-before-sale model. This strong and steady cash flow allows us to reinvest quickly into supermarket expansion, inventory stocking, and e-commerce operations. It helps us maintain liquidity even during seasonal fluctuations in retail. There is also natural cross-selling. Many of our cement and building materials customers are contractors, wholesalers, and home builders who also patronize our supermarkets and filling stations. Our strong brand trust in one sector often converts into patronage in the others, especially in Lagos where our presence is well established. Having our businesses in the same communities creates a powerful ecosystem effect. At the same time, we maintain ring-fenced operational management to ensure accountability and efficiency. Each business has its own dedicated team, leadership structure, and performance metrics. However, at the strategic level, finance, logistics, expansion, and customer experience, the synergy is intentional and carefully designed. In essence, our businesses complement one another in ways that improve efficiency, cash flow, and customer loyalty. This multi-sector synergy is one of the major strengths that has helped Twinsfaja grow into a robust conglomerate across Lagos, Ogun, and Kwara States.

On digital commerce, what share of cement and iron-rod orders now originates online, and what frictions (KYC, payments, delivery windows) are you solving this year to grow that mix?

Twinsfaja started purely as a physical walk-in store, and for many years all our customers came directly to our branches to place their orders. It was only about 8–9 years ago that we launched our website and officially began selling online. Since then, digital sales have grown steadily, and today about 20-25% of our cement and iron-rod orders now originate online through our website and WhatsApp platforms. To grow this number even more, the key friction we worked on improving this year was Instant payment confirmation which is why we now use online payment platform like opay, moniepoint, etc, since we mostly operate payment-before-sale. Also we are working on Improving online delivery scheduling, so customers can pick preferred delivery windows. Our goal is to make online ordering as smooth and reliable as walking into any Twinsfaja branch. By removing these frictions, we expect digital commerce to become an even bigger part of our growth story across Lagos, Ogun, and Kwara States.

What’s the mandate for TFK Oil & Gas (retail stations, LPG, lubricants, fleet fueling), and how does it de-risk operations during power or diesel price volatility?

TFK Oil & Gas was created to support both our business operations and the Alimosho community with reliable fuel services. We focus on retail petrol stations, LPG, lubricants, and Twinsfaja fleet fueling, and today we operate 3 stations and other mini substations/Depot across Alimosho, Lagos. Our mandate is simple: ensure steady supply, maintain fair pricing, and guarantee quality. By having our own stations, we protect the entire Twinsfaja Group from fuel scarcity and price volatility. It gives us stable pricing for our fleet, consistent product availability, and better control over the diesel that powers our supermarkets and operations. In short, TFK Oil & Gas helps us run smoothly during market fluctuations while also serving thousands of customers daily in Lagos.

How do you maintain price stability when the naira is so notoriously volatile? What’s your rulebook for adjusting prices without whiplashing customers—or your margins? Which supplier KPIs do you manage most tightly with Dangote each quarter?

Price stability is very important to us, especially with the volatile naira. We don’ t adjust prices based on rumours; we only review prices when our suppliers releases an official update. From there, we calculate our logistics costs and make measured changes so customers don’t experience sudden shocks. For suppliers like Dangote, the KPIs we track most closely each quarter are, Product availability, Delivery and loading speed, Quality consistency, and Clear communication on pricing. By managing these areas tightly, we protect our margins while keeping prices fair and predictable for our customers.

What have you learned about hiring and keeping front-line talent?

With over 2,000 staff across our branches, we’ve learned that the key to hiring and keeping good frontline talent is focusing on attitude, training, and respect. We hire people who are honest, willing to learn, and customer-focused, because skills can always be taught. And as a company that has experienced staff theft on numerous occasions, we do not joke with our hiring process. We take screening and background checks very seriously. We invest in strong on-the-job training, and many of our long-serving staff now mentor new employees. This has helped us build a loyal workforce, with some team members staying with us for many years. Our store managers are given clear P&L responsibilities, so they understand their targets, expenses, and shrink control. We also use performance-based incentives to reward hard work and encourage growth. Most importantly, we treat our people fairly. When staff feel valued and see opportunities to grow, they stay committed. That culture has been one of Twinsfaja’s biggest strengths.

Beyond trading: are you moving into light manufacturing (e.g., nails, steel accessories)? What capex, IRR thresholds, and input constraints (steel, power) govern that decision?

No, we are not.

What advice would you give to young African entrepreneurs looking to be like you?

My husband and I don’t have a college degree, but look at where we are today. By the grace of God, we are billionaires and living proof that education alone does not define your destiny. My advice to young African entrepreneurs is this: be hardworking and stay focused on your vision. Set clear goals, stay committed, and never allow anyone to intimidate you or convince you that you cannot become great. Carry integrity in everything you do. Believe in your dreams and work tirelessly towards them, because success responds to consistent effort. And above all, believe in God. Nothing is impossible when you pray and trust Him.