You’re always closest to what you build
Work is where life is, my orientation for 2026
I regret not moving to Nigeria.
For the last four years, I worked on building a “city” (digital special economic zone) in Nigeria. Back in 2021, I pushed this tweet into the void then fell asleep on the plane. I woke up to friends’ texts saying my tweet went viral.
Only that I didn’t move there.
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During dinner at RSVP, a restaurant on Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria, I asked E (the Founding Investor on the project):
“Why do you stay in Lagos?”
He could live anywhere in the world: in the rolling hills of Napa, in Silicon Valley, or by the beauty of Cinque Terre. E has seen success co-founding two unicorns in Africa and arguably has all the options.
I’m always plagued/privileged with the question, where do I want to live? I love the bike lanes of Copenhagen, the energy of New York, and the sensuality of Rio.
Lagos.
It does not have trees or parks. Dumplings are so rare there that they are sold by number of pieces instead of by batches (at $4 each, a meal would be $48, as opposed to $12 in NY or $2 in China). Traffic can take up half a day when a small crash on a single lane road along the Lekki-Epe Expressway causes a conflict (and when that happens, you get to buy water from a truck next to you that’s also not moving any time soon).
Lagos doesn’t have a lot of what a lot of places offer. And when you have that choice, when you can japa, why Lagos? By the way, japa means to escape from Nigeria to seek a better life abroad, often to the UK or Germany; it is the definition of success and sometimes the ultimate goal in Nigeria.
E didn’t pause to think. He simply said:
“You’re always closest to what you build.”
Four years later, this line echoes in my head.
—
For E, life means building for Nigeria. He chooses to stay because he continues to, and will always, build for Nigeria.
One can choose to optimize for life or for work. To optimize for life can mean seeking a better quality of life in London, and in my case, meeting a diversity of perspectives, and, to be really honest, dating and finding a partner in NYC. To optimize for work means, well, staying close to what you build, even if there are no trees, fancy gyms, a world of restaurant options; even if it means chaos and endless things breaking.
I considered moving to Nigeria, but “life” reasons kept me in New York. I feared not finding dates in Nigeria (they marry early). There are no sidewalks and whenever I take a 15min walk, I get stares from hundreds sitting by the side of the street. I think I was aging faster under the scorching heat.
The work in Nigeria was my life’s work, but all of the above “life” reasons kept me in New York.
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You’re always closest to what you build.
It took me a while to understand this line. The days I was on the ground in Nigeria fueled the greatest relationships and learnings: Meetings at the Central Bank of Nigeria (Nigeria’s version of Federal Reserve) and side conversations with colleagues like “It’s a status symbol to have gotten a proper Nigerian babe. And I must send my girlfriend money on a monthly basis to show I care” were only possible in person. I could better empathize with naijas after experiencing what it’s like spending time in Lagos; I speak about VI, Banana Island, and Makoko with familiarity because I was there, and that I, too, ate amala and pepper soup. Being physically present builds trust.
Every time I considered moving to Nigeria, the team and E were excited. And perhaps when I didn’t, a tiny bit of trust was broken.
I’m not sure if I could’ve pushed the project further had I been there, but I definitely could’ve learned to be more Nigerian o.
Looking back, the life reasons no longer feel as valid—I could find an exercise routine anywhere, plus I did not find a partner.
Work is where life is.
Remote work meant I could optimize for life. But maybe that’s a trap. Life feels the most fulfilled when life and work feeds into one another and when I truly blend work life and life’s work.
Being close to what I build becomes my North Star for 2026. Whatever the next steps in life will be, I know where they will be.
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After parting with the Nigeria project, I didn’t wait when I sensed where the next opportunity was.
Hello from Shenzhen,
Instead of sitting in the comfort of my apartment in NYC, I’ll base myself for a few months in the unfamiliar.
It’s both a continuation and divergence from the work in Nigeria: a continuation in the learnings on city building and special economic zones, a divergence in the plethora of opportunities I sense in China along with East/West economic development: What enables the Belt and Road initiative? How did the likes of Luckin Coffee and DJI grow the way they did? Is there a way to bridge the knowledge gap? The only way to find out is to be physically close to that ecosystem.
You’re always closest to what you build.
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In the meantime, I’m working with my friend Cam to interview those on the ground (China’s entrepreneurial ecosystem) and tell the story of China.
If you know any friends in Shenzhen, Shanghai (or anywhere in China) whom I should meet, do let me know and would appreciate an intro :)
X: @cocobliu / cococoliu@gmail.com
Lagos is love. A while back, I wrote about my Nigeria experience here.
Thank you Luqman and the rest of the team for the amazing four years. Thank you E for every inspiring conversation.
Thank you friends from Essay Club and Write of Passage for the edits and feedback: Rik van den berge, Cam Houser (Cam Houser), and Matthew Beebe (Matthew Beebe).
Nice essay Coco. It seems like being given the choice to not be where our work is has trade offs that are sometimes hard to articulate, but many are starting to realise.
I love hearing about all your travels and projects! Love this line too: "Being physically present builds trust." Nothing really matches being face to face in real life. Looking forward to reading more. :)