'How I got into the oil business' - Billionaire, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija

One of the world's richest black women, Mrs Folorunsho Alakija has opened up on how she got into the oil business that has made her a billionaire. Speaking during the Women Inspiration & Enterprise WIE event that held two weeks ago, the chairman of Famfa Oil & Gas, said she got into the business through perseverance and hard work
"It was not a planned thing at all. A friend actually contacted me that some people wanted to buy crude oil and she was wondering if I will be able to get them to make the purchase. I got an appointment with the Minister of Petroleum and he told me that it's not the way to go because there wasn't much profit in selling it and because it's a foreign company that Nigeria is imposed at selling its crude to international market. That it will be better to look at other things. I went back to my friend and told her what the Minister said. Then it seemed as if that door was shut but something else came up. I chose not to walk away so I went back to offer another service which was catering services. And yet again I was shut down. I did not give up, I just knew that something had to come out of it. I spoke again to some friends in the oil industry and I was told to ask to be able to supply transportation services for those who are purchasing crude within the country but I was shut down again by the minister.