Have you ever had those nights when your body is tired but your mind is wide awake, buzzing with thoughts about everything from work emails to what you said in that conversation three weeks ago? 

You’ll just be on your bed tossing and turning, watching the clock, wishing your brain would just allow you to sleep and stop overthinking.

If you’re in this situation, here are ways to help shut off your brain and finally get some decent sleep.

1) Write down your thoughts

Journalling might just be what your brain needs in order to relax. This is especially if your mind is racing with to-do lists or random worries. Just scribble them down in a notebook before trying to sleep. Think of it as emptying your mental bin. 

ALSO READ: What happens to your brain when you don’t get enough sleep

2) Try putting away your phone

We’re all guilty of scrolling through social media for hours when trying to sleep. But this only makes it worse because the blue light from your phone suppresses melatonin (the sleep hormone), and the constant stimulation keeps your brain in overdrive.

Try putting your phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ at least 30 minutes before bed, and actually leave it across the room if you must.

3) Try breathing exercises

Simple breathing exercises can do wonders if you’re trying to get some sleep. Try the 4-7-8 technique where you breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7, and exhale for 8. It’s calming, helps slow your heart rate, and distracts your mind from spiralling thoughts.

4) Avoid caffeine or energy drinks hours before bedtime

Sometimes, the reason you’re still wide awake is that coffee you drank earlier in the day. Caffeine stays in your system for hours, and if you’re sensitive to it, you’ll be tossing and turning all night. The same goes for energy drinks. Try herbal teas like chamomile or peppermint in the evening instead.

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EXPLORE: 10 reasons you are always tired no matter how much sleep you get

5) Try meditation 

Meditating can also help you fall asleep. This is even easier with some meditation apps and videos on YouTube that are made to lull you to sleep. Think of them as bedtime stories for grown-ups. They help you shift focus from your thoughts to something peaceful and dreamy.

6) Your sleep space also matters 

Your room doesn’t have to be all perfect, but a messy, noisy, or uncomfortable sleep space can keep your mind restless. Make sure your mattress is comfy, your room is dark and cool, and you don’t have distractions lying around.

7) Try not to force it

Ironically, trying too hard to fall asleep can make it worse. If you’re lying there for more than 20–30 minutes, get up and do something low-energy like reading or listening to calming music. Avoid screens though, so your brain eases into sleep naturally.

Which of these tips worked for you? 

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Over the last few years, Trendupp Africa has steadily built an undeniable reputation as the go-to platform and home for Influencers and Content Creators in Africa. The platform has been set as the stage for the movers and shakers of the digital space.

Trendupp Africa has done more than just observe the creator economy; it has consistently shaped it, and is now taking things a step further with the launch of Trendupp Africa Magazine—the first-ever print and digital magazine dedicated solely to Influencers and Content Creators on the continent.

The debut edition of the Trendupp Africa Magazine is everything the creator community has been waiting for; as the magazine dives deep into the world of African creators—unpacking trends, telling powerful origin stories, highlighting breakout stars, and featuring core insights from industry leaders and stakeholders. In this first edition, readers have explored the inspiring profiles of some of Africa’s most impactful digital voices.

It’s a showcase that reflects the spirit of a new generation of creatives who are redefining storytelling, influencing culture, and building community across the continent through content. The inaugural issue also offers brand and tech insights relevant to creators, monetization opportunities, and strategies for staying ahead in an ever-evolving digital landscape. 

At Trendupp Africa, with audacious initiatives like the Trendupp Awards, TrenduppX and now Trendupp Africa Magazine, We are proud to continually invest in the creators economy while championing the culture of African creatives” says Tiwalola Olanubi, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Trendupp Africa Magazine.

One of the standout cover features of the inaugural edition is “Record Breakers,” a bold celebration of trendsetters who redefined limits in the year 2024. Beyond the headline-makers, the magazine also spotlights emerging voices across the continent; for their originality and promise among other elements. For brands looking to understand how to own the digital space organically, Trendupp Africa Magazine breaks down real collaborations and what makes the Creator Economy grow bigger. 

This isn’t just a collector’s item though. Trendupp Africa Magazine is already crossing borders with a distribution footprint reaching up to 5,000 key touchpoints across Africa, including business hubs, airports, hotels, media lounges, and co-working spaces. Given the wide spread of distribution, brands are beginning to pay close attention; with more and more companies jostling for placement in the next editions—securing advertising slots, native placements, and features.

This is also a testament to the prolific effectiveness of Influencer Marketing in Africa. Corporate businesses now understand where attention is going, and they want to be in the same room as the creators who are shaping tomorrow’s audience. 

“Influencers and content creators are shaping how brands connect with consumers, and how global audiences perceive Africa. They deserve to be documented, celebrated, and studied. This magazine does all of that—and more.” – Says Chisom Winifred (Editor of the Trendupp Africa Magazine)

Another exciting asset of Trendupp Africa is Trendupp Awards—Africa’s pioneer award for influencers and content creators. Now four editions strong, Trendupp Awards has become one of the most respected events in Africa’s digital community, recognizing and rewarding creators across multiple categories—from niche storytellers to mega influencers.

The awards have spotlighted talents who’ve gone on to achieve even greater heights and have cemented Trendupp Africa’s reputation as a platform that truly understands the creator ecosystem. Through the Trendupp Awards, thousands of nominations and votes have poured in from across the continent, showing just how powerful the creator community has become.

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The awards have built bridges across industries—connecting creators with brands, platforms, and each other—and fostering a culture of excellence, impact, and collaboration. With the launch of Trendupp Africa Magazine, it’s clear that the mission has not changed.

Trendupp Africa is doubling down on its commitment to build, amplify, and celebrate the people who power the digital space. 

Visit www.trendupp.com/magazine to get access to the digital copy of the magazine. 

For media inquiries, interviews, or partnership opportunities, please contact: info@trendupp.com | 08163613526

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There are currently 22 billionaires in Africa but the richest of them all is a Nigerian.

According to Forbes, Aliko Dangote of Nigeria tops the list as the richest man in Africa (2025) for the 14th year in a row with an estimated net worth of $23.9 billion, up from $13.9 billion a year ago. This is largely attributed to the valuation of his oil refinery project. Globally, he ranks as the 86th richest person.

Aliko’s story isn’t the classic grass-to-grace tale we usually love. He was born with a silver spoon, one of the finest. But instead of coasting on privilege, he maximised every advantage life handed him. It wasn’t lemons he was given, it was gold, and he built an empire with it.

ALSO READ: How Elon Musk became the richest man in the world (2025)

How It All Started

Aliko Dangote was born on April 10, 1957, in Kano, Nigeria to a wealthy family of traders and it was in fact a $500,000 loan from his uncle that helped Dangote establish a trading firm in Lagos, focusing on importing commodities like sugar, rice, and cement. Political connections helped the young entrepreneur win “exclusive import rights in sugar, cement, and rice,” said a State Department cable unearthed by WikiLeaks.

In the late 1990s, when Nigeria’s rulers began promoting domestic industry, Dangote capitalised on the change, securing tax incentives to build a sugar mill, flour refinery and cement factory. The cement business has been especially lucrative, generating gross margins of over 60% most years. Before the opening of the refinery, publicly traded Dangote Cement, of which Dangote owns 86%, accounted for the largest piece of his fortune.

The Oil Refinery

Aliko Dangote broke the government’s oil monopoly by building the largest petroleum refinery in Africa. He began this journey in 2013 and after 11 years and $23 billion in investment, the Dangote Refinery finally began operating in 2024. The refinery is located on a sprawling 6,200-acre campus in Nigeria’s Lekki Free Zone about an hour outside Lagos. He paid over $100 million to Nigeria’s government to acquire land in that location.

The Dangote Refinery will be the seventh-largest refinery in the world by production and the biggest in Africa. Dangote, speaking about his decision to embark on the project, said:

It was the biggest risk of my life…If this didn’t work, I was dead.

Well, he didn’t die and has been smiling to the back ever since. The refinery processed around 350,000 barrels of crude per day (b/d) in the second half of 2024. In January, it processed 500,000 b/d and at full capacity, a whopping 650,000 b/d!

ALSO READ: Top 3 richest families in Nigeria

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Dangote believes that his latest project is “a pivotal step in ensuring that Africa has the capacity to refine its own crude oil, thereby creating wealth and prosperity for its vast population.” Dangote says the refinery is part of a larger mission: He wants to make Nigeria, one of the world’s largest producers of crude, into a producer of refined petroleum products to allow it to compete with European refineries and supply gasoline to Nigerians.

The Dangote Business Empire

The Dangote Group has grown into a conglomerate with interests spanning cement manufacturing, haulage, sugar refining, salt processing, and foodstuffs, including pasta, sugar, salt, flour and wheat. Dangote Cement, in particular, stands out as Africa’s largest cement producer, operating in ten countries and producing over 48 million metric tons annually. This dominance in the cement industry has been a significant contributor to Dangote’s wealth.

Among his holdings are:

• Dangote Industries Ltd.

• Dangote-Bail Nigeria, Ltd.

• Dangote Cement PLC

• Benue Cement Company PLC

• Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

• Dangote Flour Mills PLC

• Nascon Allied Industries PLC.

In addition to its holdings in Nigeria, the Dangote Group has operations in several other African countries.

Marriage and Children

While Dangote maintains a relatively private personal life, it’s known that he has been married and divorced. He is a father to three daughters—Halima, Fatimah, and Mariya—who have been involved in various capacities within the Dangote Group.

Political Connections

Dangote’s business success has occasionally been accompanied by scrutiny over his close ties with Nigerian political figures. Reports have suggested that his relationships with successive governments have facilitated favourable business conditions, including exclusive import rights and tax incentives.

While some view these connections as strategic business manoeuvring, others have criticised them as indicative of crony capitalism. Nonetheless, Dangote’s contributions to the Nigerian economy, including substantial tax payments and employment generation, are widely acknowledged.

In 2008, Dangote made his debut on Forbes magazine’s annual list of billionaires in the world. In 2011, when Forbes launched its annual list of the 40 richest people in Africa, Dangote landed the top spot. Since then, he has routinely ranked on both lists as well as in other, similar measures of wealth in Africa and in the world.

ALSO READ: Top 10 richest people in the world (2025)