Kemi Adeosun, former minister of finance, has advised Christians to prioritise sound business strategies, saying prayer alone does not guarantee success in business.
Speaking as a keynote speaker at The Platform, a civic dialogue organised by Covenant Nation on Friday, Adeosun said entrepreneurs must understand market realities.
“Angels do not bring customers. Marketing brings customers,” she said.
Adeosun said she had prayed extensively over past businesses but still experienced failure.
“I’ve prayed all kinds of prayers for business… lying on the floor, calling forth customers — it didn’t bring customers. The business still failed,” she said.
She said she has owned nine businesses, with six failing, two breaking even, and one still struggling.
Adeosun said failure is part of the entrepreneurial journey and should not be spiritualised.
“Every single failure, I learned something — what to do and what not to do,” she said.
She warned against assuming that a “God idea” guarantees success.
“Having a Good idea does not exempt you from the market,” she said.
“You will face competition — fair and unfair — and the consequences of your decisions.”
Adeosun urged entrepreneurs to validate their ideas using practical methods rather than relying solely on spiritual conviction.
She added that resilience and learning are critical to building sustainable businesses.
