Meet the friends who left two of the world’s biggest chemical companies to build one in Africa—raising nearly $3 million and growing 1,400% in four years

Two childhood friends, Taiwo Ilesanmi and Gbenga Akanmu, went from growing up on the same street to working at global chemical giants Dow Chemical and BASF, before building Alliance Chemicals Global. In four years, the company has grown revenue by 1,400% and now supplies manufacturers across industries, as the founders move into local chemical manufacturing.