The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Group, Sijibomi Ogundele, has been named among Nigeria’s Top 100 Trailblazers by Daily Times Nigeria as part of activities marking the newspaper’s 100th anniversary.
The recognition celebrates individuals whose contributions have influenced Nigeria’s business, entrepreneurship and national development.
Daily Times, established in 1926, is marking a century of reporting on the country’s political, economic and social development.
Ogundele, who founded Sujimoto in 2013, is known for his involvement in luxury real estate development, with projects including Medici in Ikoyi, GiulianoBySujimoto and LucreziaBySujimoto in Banana Island, Lagos.
According to the company, its founder has faced significant financial challenges amid rising construction costs, inflation and other economic pressures affecting the property sector.
Sujimoto said it undertook a balance-sheet restructuring and repaid more than ?40 billion in debts to creditors and private lenders, while completing and handing over some developments, including Lucrezia, to homeowners.
Speaking on the recognition, Ogundele expressed appreciation to the management of Daily Times, describing the honour as particularly meaningful because it came from a newspaper with a long history of documenting Nigeria’s development.
He also commended the newspaper’s patron, Fidelis Anosike, for the initiative recognising Nigerians making contributions across different sectors.
Ogundele said his inclusion on the list was both humbling and motivating, adding that the recognition would encourage him to pursue greater ambitions and create lasting value.
He stressed that the honour should serve as a motivation to take on greater responsibilities, promote innovation and create opportunities beyond personal achievements.
Since establishing Sujimoto, Ogundele has focused on luxury residential and hospitality developments, targeting high-end property markets in Lagos.
The company’s corporate profile states that he has more than 12 years of experience in construction and real estate, with over ?45 billion in real estate transactions recorded during his career.
Sujimoto said it was now pursuing its next major project, Isabella de’ Medici, a proposed 49-storey luxury hospitality tower in Lagos, which it said was designed to advance its ambitions in high-end property development.
Ogundele said he remained committed to pushing boundaries and encouraging ambitious ideas, describing his approach as the ‘Spirit of Possibility.’
He added: ‘1+1 is still 11. It is already too late to fail.’