Sijibomi Ogundele: From Market Stalls to Luxury Real Estate Mogul

Sijibomi Ogundele, CEO of Sujimoto Group, has emerged as a leading figure in Nigeria’s luxury real estate industry. Graduating with a Bachelor of Laws in 2018, Ogundele has since leveraged his entrepreneurial spirit and diverse experiences to revolutionize the luxury real estate sector. His construct from humble beginnings in Lagos to becoming a prominent business leader is a story of resilience, innovation, and unyielding ambition.

Growing up, Ogundele was deeply influenced by his mother’s entrepreneurial activities in the bustling Oke-Arin market. Assisting her and other traders as a wheelbarrow pusher, he developed a keen business acumen at a young age. By the age of eight, he had already started a bike rental business, which quickly expanded to six bikes. These early experiences instilled in him a strong work ethic and a passion for business that would later define his career.

Ogundele’s interest in real estate was sparked during his time in South France in 1998, where he brokered deals in project management and financing. His first major break came in 2011 when he remodeled and sold an apartment in Paris for more than double its purchase price. This success fueled his ambition to make a mark in the real estate industry. In 2014, he returned to Nigeria with a mission to redefine luxury living. The Sujimoto Group, founded in 2013 in partnership with Saudi real estate magnate Yazeed Alrahji, quickly became synonymous with luxury and innovation.

Under Ogundele’s leadership, Sujimoto Group has expanded its footprint with offices in Lagos, Abuja, Accra, Riyadh, Dubai, Madrid, and Paris. The firm is renowned for its opulent projects and has attracted a clientele that includes billionaires, multinational companies, and celebrities like Afropop star Davido. Beyond his business achievements, Ogundele is also known for his philanthropy, including gifting a luxury apartment to a bread-seller turned model and supporting underprivileged Nigerians. His journey from the streets of Agege to the pinnacle of luxury real estate epitomizes the transformative power of vision, hard work, and a relentless drive to succeed.