Ogunronbi Abdulquadri: From JAMB Prep to Full-Time Founder

Some businesses start with a big idea. Others start with a simple need. Ogunronbi Abdulquadri started his with a question: how do I fund my university education?

Abdulquadri is a recent graduate of Estate Management, University of Lagos, and the founder of Cognoscente Prints, a printing business offering shirt printing, flyers, brochures, signages, and a wide range of printing solutions. Beyond that, the story behind the business goes back further than university and all the way to the period between secondary school and his first JAMB attempt.

The Beginning of Abdulquadri’s Entrepreneurial Journey 

Eager to have something that could support him through his studies, he began learning the printing trade immediately after secondary school. What started as a practical decision quickly became a genuine passion. He noticed that printing work existed everywhere: every environment, every community, every occasion. It was also a skill with no expiry date. Unlike many careers that come with age limits or mandatory retirement, printing was something he could keep practicing and perfecting indefinitely. That realization made him fall in love with it.

The Challenges with being a Student Entrepreneur

Balancing the business with academic life was not always smooth. Deadlines clashed with lectures, and there were times he had to choose one over the other. He leaned on colleagues who could cover for him when classes called, but missed lectures were sometimes unavoidable. It took discipline to navigate both worlds without letting either collapse.

That Moment that defined Abdulquadri

The moment his mindset truly shifted came during his industrial training. Practicing estate management meant working within a firm, under restrictions, with limited autonomy. Abdulduadri quickly realized that kind of structure was not for him. His printing business, despite demanding long hours and sometimes running Monday through Sunday, gave him something a corporate role could not. That was freedom. The ability to take a break when he needed one, on his own terms, made every late night worth it.

Beyond the freedom of being your own boss, running the business has also taught him lessons that go beyond printing. Difficult customers are part of the job, and he has learned that patience almost always wins. Reacting with anger risks losing not just a client but every referral that client might have sent. He has also learned the hard way that the printing business can generate significant profit but the same way it builds, it can sink you into debt if you are not careful. His advice: follow customer instructions strictly, document everything, and save every chat and message as proof.

For students thinking about starting a business, his message is honest: it will cost you some of the typical student experience. Parties, hangouts, and leisure will sometimes have to wait. But the sacrifices, he insists, pay off in ways that matter far longer than those moments ever would.