Written By: Bakare Zainab

Samuel is 23, wears a gold chain, and calls himself the CEO of a digital branding agency in Lagos. His Instagram bio says “Branding guru. CEO. Visionary.” His page? A mosaic of motivational quotes, business reels, and the occasional coffee-shop aesthetic. It looks polished, professional and promising.

But scroll past the social media posts and the motivational quotes, and you would find a very different story.

There are neither stable clients nor real income. Just a small team of friends working from their bedrooms, all trying to look like they’ve already made it — while quietly panicking that they haven’t.

Samuel isn't alone. He is part of a wave sweeping across Africa, where “CEO” is no longer a title earned, but a lifestyle well curated.

Photo Credit: The Youth Cafe

The CEO Fever: A New Badge of Honour

In the last decade, there has been a surge in entrepreneurship enthusiasm amongst youths in Africa. It is the same familiar narrative — “Don't wait for the government to provide jobs. Provide jobs for yourself and others”. Suddenly, everyone is a boss, a CEO, like a badge of honour. From hair bosses, jewelry brands, tech bros, it is no longer about the business or what service it aims to offer, but rather, it is about survival strategy, a social currency.

In 2025, a report by Starblink shows there is a 72.2% growth increase in startups in Africa with Southern Africa leading with about 24.9% increase. This increase, however, can be traced to the unemployment rates on the continent — four countries in Southern Africa are the countries with the highest unemployment rates in 2025.

It is evident that this shift is largely influenced by the lack of traditional job opportunities, social media influence, global motivational startup stories and most importantly, the glorified hustle culture. 

Suddenly, “9-5” is no longer the goal — it is settling for less. A startup is the new success route even if it means owning something that exists in just your name

Photo Credit: Sunway Echo Media

Hustle Culture is Romantic Until It Isn’t

“Sleep is for the weak”, “Rest is a trap”, “If you’re not grinding, you’re not growing.” That is the gospel of hustle culture. But beneath it lies a quieter, more dangerous truth — burnout.

For many young Africans trying to build something from nothing, the pressure isn’t just professional, it’s deeply personal. You're not just fighting for success; you're fighting to prove you're not a failure.

Anxiety is masked as ambition while depression is well hidden behind aesthetics. Loans are now taken to impress, not to scale and isolation dressed up as discipline.

You're told to “grind in silence and let your success make the noise.” But what happens when the silence is all you have and the noise is not forthcoming?

In a report published by Flourish Ventures in 2024, it was revealed that 86% of startups founders in Africa struggle with mental health issues — 60% deal with anxiety, 58% report stress, 52% suffer burnouts and 20% face depression. This statistics serves as a reflection of the real mental issues faced by the youths.

Branding First, Business Later

It has never been easier to look like a CEO. All you need is a Canva logo, a few quotes from Steve Jobs, and one well-lit studio picture and a certificate from the Corporate Affairs Commission.

But the ease of appearing successful has made it harder to actually build something solid. Now, many young entrepreneurs are more focused more on appearance of the business rather than outcomes, faking wins, building “businesses” that only exist on social media and pretending to have it all figured out when they don't. 

This brings us to the question: Is business a problem solving platform or is it an avenue to buy Cybertruck? Because, the current entrepreneurs space in Africa looks less about problem-solving and more about performance. A theatre of success, where everyone’s acting — and no one dares forget their lines.

Entrepreneurship or Economic Desperation?

However, as much as the entrepreneurial space is being glorified more than it should in Africa, most young Africans didn’t choose entrepreneurship because it was trendy — they chose it because the system gave them no other choice.

In a continent where jobs are scarce, entrepreneurship isn’t a luxury — it’s a lifeline. But starting a business with no access to funding or mentorship, reliable electricity and exorbitant data prices, many end up stuck in a cycle of hustle — busy but broke.

And while governments use the “youth-led startup boom” as a badge of pride, the deeper issues — economic instability, poor education, zero safety nets — remain untouched.

Photo Credit: Pinterest

Not All Hustles Are Created Equal

The CEO dream isn’t distributed equally. For women, the road is twice as hard. They are expected to raise a family and a business at the same time. They, sometimes, get to face assaults and harassment in the business space.

When they succeed, they are celebrated less — they suddenly have a sugar daddy somewhere or a big male sponsor behind the scenes. They suddenly do not hustle as much as their male counterparts do.

For the working class, it’s even worse. There are no rich uncles for capital, no connections and no margin for error. While some have the privilege to “fail forward,” others are simply trying not to drown.

The Instagram Illusion

Social media has built a glittering stage for success. One where a rented office becomes a startup and few sales becomes a “sold out”. A birthday photoshoot is captioned “CEO at 25”. But the illusion has real consequences:

• Young people chasing timelines that don’t exist

• Founders burning out before they even break even

• Failure being seen as personal, not systemic

Because in this hyper-curated world, to slow down is to fall behind — even if you’re running on empty.

Time to Reimagine the Dream

Let’s be clear — entrepreneurship is powerful. It drives innovation, creates jobs, and builds communities. But it shouldn’t come at the cost of mental health, honesty, or dignity. 

To build better, we must normalize not being a founder. The obsession with having your names in a business startup is bad. Not everyone is cut out for entrepreneurship and it is totally fine. 

True success often comes from genuine problem-solving like Chem Fresh, a multi-million rand South African company owned by Edward Moshole, that solves the problem of detergent quality and availability, producing thousands of detergents every month.

We must also offer real business education — beyond the quotes and reels. Education that really teaches and enlightens the youths on the dynamics of business — how to solve a problem and earn. 

Funding and mentorship for people without “connections” is essential. And above all, hustle should not be glorified. That is turning survival into spectacle and it is not okay.

The Final Word: CEO is Not a Personality

The letters “CEO” may look good on your LinkedIn, but they can’t carry the weight of an entire generation's frustration.

Young Africans deserve more than motivational quotes and startup kits. They deserve choices — real ones. The freedom to build, rest, explore, or say this isn’t for me without shame.

Because until we stop worshipping hustle and start valuing health, impact, and truth — we’ll keep watching brilliant minds burn out behind business pages and bios that say “CEO,” but feel like a lie.

Written By: Bakare Zainab