“Leverage, Not Pressure”: Cosmos Maduka Shares Rare Insight on Wealth and Debt

Popular businessman Dr. Cosmos Maduka has shared a striking perspective on wealth, debt, and financial strategy, highlighting that some of the richest individuals and nations are also among the biggest debtors.

Speaking during a recent engagement, Maduka referenced Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, as Nigeria’s “number one debtor,” using the example to explain how smart credit utilization can drive massive economic growth.

“The number one debtor in Nigeria is Aliko Dangote. He’s the wealthiest man in Africa. The number one debtor in the world is the United States of America and you call them the richest in the world. As you admire all of those things, it’s all credit. So you should leverage on loan, but you have to have a good structure that will support that loan,” Maduka said.

He emphasized that individuals should leverage loans wisely, cautioning that borrowed funds should not exceed 20% of one’s income if sustainability is the goal.

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The remarks have triggered a wave of reactions online, with many Nigerians debating the ethics, risks, and benefits of running businesses on credit.

One user, @ifegadimma, criticized the pressures that come with credit: “They stress themselves out trying to make sales to repay those loans, and their claims about being successful entrepreneurs seem like a complete joke to me.”

Others echoed similar concerns. @THE_CRAFT3R said: “Imagine going to the bank to take a loan of N1,000. It just goes to show how deeply the country has fallen behind.”

Another, @_Ekezie, commented: “Only people who build real wealth like this can write a book and speak at seminars. The rest are either motivational speakers or political looters who can’t defend their wealth.”

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