Published on 18/09/2025
Ugandan business magnate Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia turned heads in London this week, not only as a prominent participant at the UK-Africa Business Summit 2025 but also through a chance encounter that reconnected him to his modest roots.
On his way to The Royal Horseguards Hotel and One Whitehall Place, the billionaire stepped into a London taxi driven by Alex, a Ugandan from Gulu. The ride brought back vivid memories of Sudhir’s own early life in Britain, where he once drove taxis to save up USD 25,000, money that became the seed capital for his first businesses back home.
As the journey unfolded, Sudhir recounted his early struggles to Alex, describing the long hours and perseverance that paved the way for what would become the Ruparelia Group, one of East Africa’s largest business empires.
The two reportedly exchanged contacts, with Sudhir extending an invitation for lunch during Alex’s next trip to Uganda and offering him a tour of one of his hotels. “It was a warm, nostalgic moment,” a source at the scene revealed. “He was visibly happy, reflecting on his early hustle.”
Later, Sudhir joined fellow Ugandan delegates, including Col. Edith Nakalema, at the 15th edition of the UK-Africa Business Summit under the theme “Forging Investment Partnerships for Growth.” The annual gathering is widely regarded as a premier platform for strengthening UK-Africa trade and investment links.
For Sudhir, however, the summit meant more than boardroom discussions. It symbolised a return to the city where his entrepreneurial path began. His “taxi-to-tycoon” journey perfectly reflected the summit’s spirit: transforming humble beginnings into engines of prosperity.
Walking into the venue this time as one of Africa’s most influential investors, Sudhir epitomised the resilience and vision that the forum seeks to promote.
