Blog
Jan 12

After 10 years in the US, I felt the need to return to Nigeria

Mohammed Mijindadi, General Electric Sales & Market Development Director for Sub-Saharan Africa, returned to Nigeria after 10 years abroad. Below is his homecomer story.

I moved to Philadelphia in the United States in 2001, at a time when Nigeria was facing increasing instability in its education sector, and obtained a degree in civil engineering from Temple University.

As a minority, I had to work four times as hard to keep up with or get ahead of my peers but that in itself was a great challenge that really pushed me to continue to succeed.

After graduating from Temple University, I received an MBA from Penn State and then joined General Electric (GE) in the company’s Experienced Commercial Leadership Program (ECLP).

After spending 10 years in the US, I felt the need to return home. America is very different from Nigeria, and I missed the family-structured communities of my home country. When the opportunity arose to execute a large rail project in Nigeria, I raised my hand for the job. Even though I was an ECLP with less than two years’ experience, GE gave me a chance.

I have found my return home inspiring and am delighted to bring my expertise to my home country and make a lasting impact on Nigeria’s infrastructure. I am amazed by how the people of Nigeria continue to thrive amidst uncertainty. There is a contagious hunger to constantly adapt and develop strategy to meet the ever changing needs of the region.

I hope my peers from the US will consider returning to Nigeria to make a lasting business impact. I’m able to interact with the most senior executives and government officials, while having a real, measurable impact on the lives of millions of people.

Source: General Electric