In this episode of Afropolitan Podcast, we sit with Tracy Nwapa, Nigerian entrepreneur, interior designer, and founder of Slice Lagos, as she opens up about building culture, losing everything, and starting again in Lagos.
From dominating Lagos nightlife during Detty December to navigating betrayal, co-founder conflict, and walking away from a business she built from the ground up, Tracy shares the unfiltered realities of hospitality, ownership, and resilience in Nigeria.
We explore how Tracy went from media and broadcast journalism to interior design, restaurants, and nightlife, why hospitality is one of the hardest businesses in Lagos, and what it truly takes to build experiences that people remember.
This conversation goes beyond nightlife.
It’s about purpose, feminine leadership in male-dominated industries, building with integrity in broken systems, and why Nigeria still feels like home despite the chaos.
If you’re an entrepreneur, creative, builder, or part of the African diaspora thinking about coming back home, this episode will challenge how you think about success, ownership, and resilience.
Welcome to The Afropolitan Podcast where African stories are told with honesty, depth, and pride.
Tracy Nwapa
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/tray_ciee/
Slice Lagos – https://www.instagram.com/slicelagos/
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00:00 Why Hospitality in Lagos Looks Easy (But Is Actually Brutal)
02:20 How to Anticipate Guest Needs in Lagos’ Nightlife Scene
05:10 How I Became the Unofficial Mayor of Lagos’ Detty December
07:45 Building Energy, Not Just a Beautiful Space: The Secret to Nightlife Success
10:15 The Discipline & Routine Behind Running a 24/7 Nightlife Business
13:05 Why Lagos Hospitality Is Still a Male-Dominated Industry
15:30 How Failure Led Me to My True Purpose in Business
18:10 How I Handled Early Criticism & Online Dragging for Slice Lagos
21:00 The Hard Lessons I Learned Building a Business in Lagos
24:10 Women in Leadership: Why Representation Matters in Hospitality
26:40 Advice for Diaspora Africans Moving Back to Nigeria
30:05 Why You CAN’T Run a Lagos Business Remotely (And What to Do Instead)
33:00 Family, Identity, and Why I Chose Nigeria Over Abroad
36:10 How to Succeed in Interior Design as a Business in Nigeria
40:00 How I Closed Billion-Naira Projects & High-Value Clients
43:30 Space Management: My Design Philosophy for Luxury Interiors
47:15 Co-Founder Conflict: Why I Walked Away From My Own Business
51:00 Betrayal, Rage, and How I Reclaimed My Creative Control
55:10 Fundraising Outside of Tech: How I Structured My Investors
59:30 How I Retained Ownership While Raising Capital
01:03 Building CUSP: The Vision Behind Lagos’ Most Exclusive Dining Experience
01:07 FOMO: The Future of Lagos Nightlife & Tech-Driven Experiences
01:12 Experience Design: Merging Tech, Culture, and Entertainment
01:16 How to Build a Team for Longevity & a Smooth Exit Strategy
01:19 Retirement & Legacy: My Plan for the Next Phase of My Career
01:22 Rapid Fire Questions: Personal Insights & Untold Stories
01:27 Who Should Be on Afropolitan Next? My Dream Guests
Learn the strategies behind tech and crypto within the African diaspora. We demystify the pathways to limitless value creation within these emerging technologies and the communities around them.
