Business strategist and finance expert, Tunde Ogunje, has called on Nigerian startups and entrepreneurs to prioritise building internal structures over chasing funding.

Ogunje made this call during the official launch of his new book recently titled Beyond Access to Capital: Vital Business Knowledge for Entrepreneurs, Business Managers, and Startup Incubators, held in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Ogunje said many startups in Nigeria collapse not because they lack capital, but because they lack structure, strategic discipline, and proper business management systems.

“This book is not an attempt to undervalue the role of adequate financing in business success, but to emphasise that having access to finance is no guarantee of success. This book is experiential.

It’s an account of what I observed that led businesses to either succeed or fail.”

The author, who has over two decades of experience across finance, capital markets, and economic development both in Nigeria and abroad, said the book is drawn from real-world experiences and case studies of businesses that succeeded and those that failed.

In Beyond Access to Capital, Ogunje challenges the popular belief that funding guarantees success, arguing instead that long-term profitability is rooted in sound operations, marketing, and financial management.

According to him, “Startups must realise that funding is only a tool; it’s not the foundation. Without structure, even N100 m can disappear without results. Structure is what sustains a business, especially during tough times.”

He added that the book is not just for entrepreneurs but also for business managers, investors, accelerators, and incubators who want to understand what truly makes a business investable and scalable.

The launch event was attended by industry professionals, startup founders, corporate executives, and members of the business community, who commended the book’s fresh approach to addressing the root causes of business failure in Nigeria.