Tayo Ayeni (born 28 December 1962) is a Nigerian businessman with interests in automobile sales and real estates.

Background

Tayo Ayeni was born in Ibadan to the family of Chief Isaiah Sunday Ayeni and Mrs. Mojisola Alice. He hails from

Ilesa Ilesa () is an ancient town located in the Osun State, southwest Nigeria; it is also the name of a historic kingdom (also known as Ijesha) centred on that village. The state is ruled by a monarch bearing the title of the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ij ...

Osun State Osun State (; yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Ọ̀ṣun), occasionally known as the State of Osun by the state government, is a state in southwestern Nigeria; bounded to the east by Ekiti and Ondo states, to the north by Kwara State, to the south by Ogun S ...

, Nigeria. Tayo once described his father as a disciplinarian and his role model. “I was brought up in a polygamous home. It was quite interesting and educative. My father, Chief I.S. Ayeni, popularly known as ‘Baba 10 10’ of blessed memory was fully in charge of his household. He ensured we did family activities together.” Tayo Ayeni attended African Church Grammar School,

, and later moved to Ilesha Grammar School,

for his

A-level The A-Level (Advanced Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education, as well as a school leaving qualification offered by the educational bodies in the United Kingdom and the educational aut ...

. He proceeded to

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

where he studied

Electrical Engineering Electrical engineering is an engineering discipline concerned with the study, design, and application of equipment, devices, and systems which use electricity, electronics, and electromagnetism. It emerged as an identifiable occupation in the l ...

Career

Tayo Ayeni is the

Chairman The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

of Skymit Motors Limited. In an interview he granted Lanre Alfred, Society Editor of

ThisDay ''This Day'' is a Nigerian national newspaper. It is the flagship newspaper of Leaders & Company Ltd and was first published on 22 January 1995. It has its headquarters in Apapa, Lagos State. Founded by Nduka Obaigbena, the Chairman & Editor-i ...

Newspapers, he said he was privy to know about automobile business and European car dealership during his study days in

. Returning to Nigeria after his education, his intended to “revolutionalize the way (automobile) business was being done back home in Nigeria.” He then founded a company he called Skymit Motors Limited, which, according to him, is a contraction of ‘Sky is the limit.’ Information on its website shows that the automobile company was incorporated in 1986 as a Private Limited Company with an initial start-up capital of Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500,000.00), which has a yearly turnover level of five billion Naira today. Its sales are targeted towards “a selected group of Nigeria's corporate organizations and high-net-worth individuals who are in dire need of corporate, sleek but durable cars at affordable prices, packaged and tailored towards their financial status and personality.” Skymit became operation in January 1987 with only two cars; it now has offices/showrooms in

Ikeja Ikeja is the capital city of Lagos State in southwestern Nigeria. Its population, as of the 2006 census, is 313,196. Prior to the emergence of military rule in the early 1980s, Ikeja was a well planned, clean and quiet residential and commercia ...

and

Victoria Island (Lagos) Victoria Island (VI) is an affluent area that encompasses a former island of the same name neighbouring Lagos Island, Ikoyi and the Lekki Peninsula by the Lagos Lagoon. It is the main business and financial centre of Lagos State, Nigeria. Vi ...

. He is also the Chairman of Affordable Cars Limited, a low and medium car sales and service outfit, which is run by his younger brother. He also heads Space Ventures Ltd, which deals in photographic materials; he is chairman of Space Properties, a real estate firm; Moontrends Holdings, a project financing and management firm, and Limoserve among others.

Other interests

Tayo Ayeni is a known socialite. His 50th birthday generated publicity in the Nigerian media. He is a member of the Nigerian-Italian Alumni, Nigeria-South Africa Chambers of Commerce, Ikoyi Club, Lagos Country Club, Lagos Anglican Church Communion (Christian Friends Society), The Lagos Motor Boat Club, Aquamarine Boat Club and he is also a member of Lagos Jetski Club, Ikoyi.

Awards and honors

He has received several local and international awards in recognition of his entrepreneurship undertakings. These awards include: ‘Best Entrepreneurial CEO' - Ikeja City Award (four consecutive years) ‘Best Multi-Stock Showroom’ – On-Wheels Magazine (2006/2009) 'Auto Company of the Year' - Excellence Recognition Awards - (2008) ‘King of Luxury’ - Niteshift Coliseum 'Best Car Dealer of the Year' - LEAD AFRICA (2013) 'Outstanding CEO of the Year' - Ikeja City Award 'Lifetime Achievement Award' - LEAD AFRICA (2014) 'Most Outstanding CEO of the Year' - Pan African International Magazine (2018) amongst others.

Personal life

Tayo is married to Adetutu Ayeni, a trained lawyer and a director of Skymit Motors Limited. She is the Managing Director of Space Properties and a member of the advisory council of Grange School. “I met her while she was studying law at Lagos State University," Ayeni said. They are blessed with five children.

References

External links

Skymit Motors Limited website {{DEFAULTSORT:Ayeni, Tayo Living people 1962 births 20th-century Nigerian businesspeople 21st-century Nigerian businesspeople Yoruba businesspeople Businesspeople from Ibadan Nigerian socialites Nigerian company founders Nigerian real estate businesspeople Nigerian automobile salespeople