February 2011 brought drought and famine to Somalia, but for Najiib Abdullahi, it also created an opportunity that would change his life and impact his country in ways he couldn’t have imagined then.
A scholarship from the Turkish government arrived just when hope seemed to be dimming, taking the young Najiib to the historic city of Istanbul. Türkiye provided more than education; it gave him the inspiration to dream of changing Somalia through coffee.
"When I arrived in Türkiye, Somalia was going through a crisis," Najiib recounts to TRT Afrika. "The Turkish government wanted to support Somalia not just through aid, but by helping build a better future. We knew our mission: return and rebuild our nation. I dreamt of changing Somalia too, but didn't know where to begin."
Years later, as the rich aroma of roasted coffee beans wafts in the morning air along bustling Mogadishu streets lined with cafés, Najiib's journey from student to entrepreneur mirrors his country's own transformation. This scene would have been unthinkable when he first left for Istanbul.
Classroom to inspiration
Najiib’s education in Istanbul was part of Türkiye's ambitious two-decade engagement with Africa, which has produced over 15,000 scholarships since 1992 and agreements with 20 African nations.
By 2024, some 60,000 African students were studying in Türkiye through scholarship programmes run by the Yunus Emre Institute, the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), and the Turkish Maarif Foundation.
After mastering Turkish, Najiib enrolled for a course in business management at Istanbul's Haliç University.
But his real education would be in the city's countless coffeehouses, where he witnessed something that would reshape his understanding of what business could be.
"The greatest lesson Türkiye taught me was how to dream," he says. "I saw how hardworking Turkish people valued craftsmanship. Coffee was more than a drink – it was a culture, a meeting place, a source of productivity. I studied how small coffee brands grew into global names."
In those bustling Istanbul cafés, surrounded by the energy of entrepreneurs and students, Najiib began envisioning something audacious. He wanted to revive Somalia's dormant coffee heritage while weaving in everything he had learnt about Turkish hospitality and business culture.
Building from nothing
When Najiib returned to Mogadishu in 2017, his vision collided with harsh reality. "I had no resources, no money, only a dream," he recalls.
He started with what he could manage: a small bakery. Every loaf sold was an investment in his larger goal. The bakery's modest success became the foundation for Beydan Coffee's first shop, which opened in February 2019 on what was then a quiet, unremarkable street.
"It was a tough location to transform," Najiib tells TRT Afrika. "But today that street is lined with coffee shops inspired by Beydan, becoming somewhat Mogadishu's equivalent of Istanbul’s vibrant Istiklal Avenue."
The transformation didn't happen overnight. Somalis are traditionally tea drinkers, and convincing them to embrace coffee culture required both patience and innovation.
But Najiib had studied his market carefully. "Coffee isn't new to us; just that it's been reawakened," he explains. "The youth have embraced it rapidly."
Beydan's approach was deliberately different. The modern aesthetic, branded cups, co-working spaces, and Somali-inspired design created something Mogadishu had never seen before. "A coffee shop isn't just for coffee," Najiib says. "It's a social space, a community centre. Young people need places to work, connect, and dream."
Beyond bottom lines
What sets Beydan apart isn't just its coffee; it's Najiib's commitment to building something larger than profit. The company has created 250 jobs and established comprehensive training programmes for baristas and chefs, with 99% of staff being Somali nationals.
"We brought professionals from abroad to train local talent and empowered women in a male-dominated industry," says Najiib. "We have female baristas, managers and HR personnel thriving in the environment we created."
In 2024 alone, Beydan trained 60 baristas, half of them women, according to Somalia's ministry of commerce.
Somalia Magazine named Najiib Abdullahi among the '‘‘25 Somalis of the Year’’ in 2024, recognising him as one of the top five most impactful figures in the business sector for pioneering Mogadishu's first dedicated coffee shop brand, which now boasts six locations across the capital.
"We have taken staff to Kenya and Ethiopia to tour farms and attend trainings," says Najiib. "Last month, we visited Kenyan farms."
Beydan is also a company that embraced Somalia's digital future early, implementing a cashless payment system that aligned with the country's rapidly digitising economy.
Mobile payments rose 20% in 2024, according to the Central Bank of Somalia, and Beydan's tech-forward approach has inspired both franchises and independent cafés across the city.
Turkish bond endures
Even as Beydan has grown into a distinctly Somali success story, its Turkish roots remain strong. "We source equipment and production and other processing materials from Türkiye," Najiib tells TRT Afrika. "There's mutual exchange; we support each other."
This ongoing partnership reflects the broader relationship between the two countries, built on education, trade, and infrastructure investments that have grown steadily since 2011. For Najiib, it's proof that international cooperation can create lasting value.
Beydan was adjudged “Best Business” at the 2022 Somalia International Awards and “Best Coffee Shop” at the 2023 Mogadishu Coffee Festival.
Continental vision
Najiib's ambitions stretch far beyond Mogadishu's streets. "Coffee originated in Africa, but we lack a globally recognised African brand," he says. "That's our vision: a brand representing Africa's coffee and hospitality."
With trademarks pending in Kenya and ongoing conversations with US investors in Minnesota's large Somali community, Beydan is primed for expansion across Africa and beyond. "I believe a Somali brand can succeed worldwide," says Najiib.
His optimism isn't unfounded. Somalia's fundamentals are improving steadily. "Security is improving, our population is growing," he explains. "Somalia is open for investment; whoever comes early will benefit."
The data supports his outlook. In 2024, Somalia's GDP grew 3.7%, according to the African Development Bank.
To aspiring entrepreneurs watching from the sidelines, Najiib's advice is characteristically direct. "Start small. You can change your neighbourhood, city, and country. Small steps spark transformation," he says.
Model for future
Beydan Coffee represents more than a business success story.
"The economic partnership between our countries is visible in people like me," says Najiib. "Beydan is a testament to what's possible when education creates opportunity."
In post-conflict settings – from Rwanda to Ethiopia – similar stories of entrepreneurial renaissance have emerged. Still, few have captured the imagination quite like Beydan's blend of Turkish inspiration and Somali determination.
