Exploring the sustainability of servant leadership in a Covid -19 era: a critical analysis of the Nigerian autocratic entrepreneurial ecosystem

The rapid growth of Entrepreneurship in Nigeria since 1999 is indicative of the fact that it plays an integral role in the development of the Nigerian economy. New ventures, start up, innovation, systems thinking and human centered design now serve as pillars for the Nigerian entrepreneur in a competitive business world. However, inadequate attention is given as to how leadership can play a pivotal role in ensuring that these enterprises remain a going concern. This paper explores existing leadership practise in the Nigerian entrepreneurial ecosystem and investigates if servant leadership could ever be applicable. This paper recognizes the significance of bringing into the discourse the context of the culture dimension in identifying leadership possibilities in this Sub-Saharan growing economy. In critically evaluating the servant leadership theory, the study advocates that a new development in understanding this theory in relation to the Nigerian entrepreneur is to explore the Ubuntu leadership philosophy.