I have been privileged to work across over 20 countries including the United States and UK as a Gen Z. In many rooms I have been in, I was the youngest person.
So I can tell you, the greatest skill you need in your corner is not your certificate, but the ability to work across cultures and systems.
The fact that the 76-year old CEO in my workplace 3 streets away from the White House asked me to call him by his first name Damon doesn’t mean I should come back to Nigeria and call Dr. Oby Ezekwesili by her first name.
It’s lack of social intelligence. When you are in Rome, you behave like a Roman. Adapt quickly or be left behind.
This is a very good starting point. To make it practical for a complete beginner, here is exactly what to do.
Go to the company’s official website or NGX filings and download its last three audited annual reports. Write down these five numbers for each year.
1. Revenue. The total money made from sales.
2. Profit after tax. What remains after expenses and taxes.
3 Operating cash flow. The actual cash generated by the business.
4. Borrowings. The money the company owes lenders.
5. Dividend per share. What each shareholder received.
Compare the numbers across the three years. You want sales, profit and cash flow generally improving. You also want debt under control and dividends supported by the cash the business generates.
After that, check whether the share price is reasonable compared with the company’s earnings and similar businesses.
Three years will not tell you everything, but it gives you a far better basis for making an informed decision.