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Why We’re Attracted to Founders with Clear Direction for their Startup – Ifeoluwa Adepoju
Ifeoluwa Adepoju, a lawyer with over 6 years of legal experience. She is an LLM graduate of Business Law and currently heads the legal and compliance team at Future Africa. Ifeoluwa has worked with over 50 startups giving her current role in a VC firm and in her capacity in the tech ecosystem. In this interview with Ugo Onwuaso, she shares her experience assisting startups set up structures, scale and fund-raising processes. Excerpts:
Ifeoluwa Adepoju,
What actually led you to pick interest in startups?
I’ve always been drawn to startups because they’re like the underdogs with big dreams. Imagine this: a small group of people with a brilliant idea, working hard to turn it into something amazing. That kind of energy and determination is contagious.
Before I moved into the VC space, I have worked with many founders and their needs to get the right team, the right agreements, getting them ready to becoming investable, starts right from the formation of the company.
There’s this one startup I worked with early on. They had this revolutionary concept, and I got to be a part of their journey. We faced challenges together, including legal complexities, and celebrated victories.
Seeing them grow from a small idea to a successful venture was incredible, and it fueled my passion for helping startups thrive.
It’s like being part of a story where every small decision can make a huge impact. That’s why I love startups – they’re full of potential, surprises, and the thrill of making things happen.
A lot of startups struggle to raise funds. What do you think is responsible for this?
It is one thing to have a great idea; it is another to tell your story. The impact of storytelling is great when it comes to storytelling. One thing that makes each compelling story about how their product or service addresses a real market need is crucial in attracting investor interest.
Investors are not just looking at numbers; they want to be captivated by a story that resonates with the problem the startup aims to solve.
When startups can articulate their journey in a compelling way, it humanizes the business, making it relatable and memorable.
The power of storytelling lies in creating an emotional connection, helping investors understand not just what the startup does, but why it matters. a well-crafted narrative helps startups stand out in a crowded market. It differentiates them, making them more memorable amidst numerous pitches.
Successful fundraising often starts with a captivating story that leaves a lasting impression on potential investors, compelling them to be a part of the startup’s journey.
What are the things startup founders must bring to the table to convince VCs to make investment decisions?
Clear Vision and Mission: A well-defined vision and mission that communicates the startup’s purpose and long-term goals. VCs want to invest in founders who have a clear direction for their company.
Transparency and communication
Coachable founders and Capable Team: A skilled and dedicated team with relevant expertise. VCs invest not only in ideas but also in the people behind them and people who are teachable
Traction and Milestones: Demonstrable traction and achieved milestones, showcasing that the startup has made progress and has the potential for scalability. This could include user growth, revenue, partnerships, or product development milestones.
Market Understanding: In-depth knowledge of the target market, including a thorough understanding of competitors, potential challenges, and the overall industry. VCs want to see that founders have conducted comprehensive market research.
Effective Storytelling: The ability to tell a compelling story. Founders should be able to communicate their journey, challenges faced, and how they overcame them. Storytelling helps create an emotional connection with investors.
Scalability Plan:
There is ongoing debate as why VCs prefer to invest in a Deleware Corporation than an LLC. What is your take on that?
Registering a company in Delaware, whether as an LLC (Limited Liability Company) or a Corporation, is a popular choice for many businesses due to Delaware’s favourable business-friendly laws for startups.
LLCs are “pass-through entities,” meaning that profit (or loss) is passed through to the owners as income, and is taxable as such. VCs want no part of this as they are not investing solely to have any of the profits or losses of these businesses pass through to them.
Instead, VCs want to invest in C corporations, where the profit and loss are ascribed to the business and not the owners, allowing losses to be used to offset future revenues for tax purposes.
This does not mean that some VCs are not opened to taking on these risks and there are other options available to the VCs as well which I am writing on and should be published soon.
When is a startup due to have a board ?
It is never too early or late. What matters is having the right members who have the same goal and passion with you. You can wait till you become big and still not.
This year we have witnessed some startups shutting down business/operations. Some due to financial mismanagement, economic situations, lack of skills. But for you, do you think there are foundational challenges with startups, especially in Africa?
Beyond the personal mismanagement by founders, where fundraising is sometimes viewed as an opportunity for personal financial gain rather than contributing to the company’s overall objectives, I’ve identified additional critical factors.
One major concern is the regulatory environment, which often lacks the conducive conditions necessary for a thriving business in many African startup ecosystems.
Furthermore, the engagement of shareholders and venture capitalists (VCs) post-investment is crucial. The lack of follow-up by investors can pose a significant challenge.
This emphasizes the importance of a robust board that includes experienced mentors. With the right board members providing guidance and mentorship, startups stand a better chance of navigating challenges and achieving scalable growth.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
Lagos State has become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to establish a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Registry, a move aimed at strengthening climate governance, improving emissions accountability and accelerating the state’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Lagos State Greenhouse Gas Registry (LGHGR) was unveiled at the Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, at a ceremony attended by Prof. Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health, members of the State Executive Council, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, development partners, TPHG Technologies, the diplomatic and business communities, academics, civil society organisations and the media.
Describing the initiative as a landmark achievement in the state’s environmental sustainability drive, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, general manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), said the Registry marks a defining moment in Lagos’ climate action journey and reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to building a resilient, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable economy.
According to Ajayi, the digital platform will enable the state to accurately measure, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors, providing credible data to guide environmental policies and climate interventions.
He said the Registry would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, improve transparency and accountability, support national and international climate reporting obligations, unlock carbon market opportunities and boost investor confidence in Lagos’ environmental initiatives.
Ajayi also commended TPHG Technologies for providing the technical expertise that made the pioneering project possible.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Abayomi described the Registry as a major milestone that positions Lagos at the forefront of climate governance and emissions accountability in both Nigeria and Africa.
He noted that climate change has evolved into a significant public health and governance challenge, stressing that access to reliable emissions data would enable the state to formulate evidence-based policies, attract climate financing, strengthen resilience and accelerate its transition to a low-carbon economy.
Providing insights into the technical framework of the project, Dr. Mofoluso Fagbeja, lead consultant and chief executive officer, TPHG Technologies, explained that the Registry was developed from the greenhouse gas inventory jointly undertaken by LASEPA and TPHG Technologies in 2022, using 2019 as the baseline year for emissions assessment.
He said the platform is designed to close critical emissions data gaps, particularly within the industrial sector, while supporting effective climate policy implementation, emissions management and sustainable development.
Fagbeja also disclosed that the greenhouse gas inventory estimated that poor air quality contributes to about 35,000 premature deaths annually in Lagos, underscoring the urgent need for stronger emissions control measures and cleaner environmental practices.
In a goodwill message, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, minister of Environment, represented by Mrs. Adenaike Olunimpe Oludunni, federal controller of Environment in Lagos, commended Lagos State for pioneering the initiative, describing it as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s climate commitments.
He said the Registry aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and supports the Federal Government’s Energy Transition Plan, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to deeper collaboration with Lagos State on climate governance and environmental sustainability.
A recently released Henley Passport Index 2026, showed that Nigerian citizens can travel to at least 20 destinations outside the African continent where entry is allowed either visa-free, with a visa on arrival (VOA) at no extra cost, or via an e-visa.
This expanded access opens doors for Nigerian travellers to experience countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond with greater ease.
Below is a comprehensive guide to countries outside Africa which Nigerian passport holders can visit without a traditional visa.
Visa-Free Countries outside Africa for Nigerian Passport Holders:
Barbados
Cambodia – Visa on arrival
Comoros Islands – Visa on arrival
Cook Islands
Dominica
Fiji
Haiti
Iran – Visa on arrival
Kiribati
Lebanon
Maldives – Visa on arrival
Micronesia
Montserrat
Niue – Visa on arrival
Palau Islands – Visa on arrival
Samoa – Visa on arrival
St. Kitts and Nevis
Timor-Leste – Visa on arrival
Tuvalu
Vanuatuul
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