At just 27, Abdul-Qawiyy Hammed has defied Nigeria’s economic hurdles to build ThePhnyxWatches, a luxury men’s watch brand and a footprint stretching from Dubai to Europe and North America.
His journey, from selling airtime as a child in Ibadan to coaching multimillion-dollar entrepreneurs, epitomizes resilience, strategic brilliance, and the unyielding spirit of Africa’s new generation of business leaders.
The early struggles
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Born to educators in Oyo state, Hammed’s life took a sharp turn at eight when his parents divorced. Thrust into the role of family breadwinner, he started selling airtime with just N2,000. By 13, he had saved N40,000 to invest in his mother’s clothing business, a move that unknowingly planted the seeds of his entrepreneurial destiny.
The breakthrough
At 19, Hammed hit his first million-dollar milestone through eCommerce, a feat that propelled him to Dubai by 21. There, he scaled multiple ventures, including ThePhnyxWatches, a brand inspired by the phoenix’s symbolism of rebirth.
Today, the company caters to celebrities like Patoranking and high-net-worth individuals across Europe, the Middle East, and North America, merging luxury with a narrative of overcoming adversity.
The challenges
Hammed’s success hasn’t been without backlash. He has faced public criticism and skepticism, a common theme for Nigerian innovators who achieve global recognition before local acclaim.
“A prophet is never truly honored in his hometown until he leaves, wins, and returns as a king,” he often remarks, a sentiment that reflects Nigeria’s complicated relationship with rising local talent.
Beyond business: advocacy and legacy building
Personal tragedies, including his mother’s suicide and grandmother’s death from breast cancer, fuel Hammed’s advocacy for mental health awareness and cancer prevention. He is also a vocal proponent of generational wealth, designing financial blueprints to ensure his future children each attain $161 million by age 21.
Although he now resides in Dubai, Abdul-Qawiyy continues to invest in Africa and mentor young Nigerian founders. His strategic consulting services, priced as high as $250,000 per client, attract global entrepreneurs — yet his message remains clear and accessible.
“Bet on yourself. Don’t wait for permission. And don’t try to be understood by those still committed to misunderstanding you.”
Abdul-Qawiyy Hammed represents a bold and principled new wave of Nigerian excellence — a generation building not just wealth, but dynasties that will echo for generations to come.
