5,000 Phone Contacts, Yet No Connection: How Valuable Is Your Network?

By Timi Olubiyi, PhD

There is a popular saying that your network is your net worth. It sounds attractive, but it is only partly true. The real question is not how many people you know, how many contacts are stored on your phone, or how many followers you have on social media.

You may have 5,000 contacts, belong to numerous WhatsApp groups, and have thousands of social media followers, yet still possess a weak network. This may sound uncomfortable, but it is true. The more important questions are: How valuable is your network, and how valuable are you to the people within it? Many people confuse social activity with strategic networking. They attend weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, alumni gatherings, religious events, and countless celebrations. There is nothing wrong with these activities.

We have a vibrant social culture in Nigeria. Weddings, birthdays, burials, naming ceremonies, and celebrations, popularly called owambe, are important parts of our social fabric. They strengthen family bonds, friendships, and community relationships. However, there must be balance.

Imagine attending twenty social events in one year as a professional or academic but no serious professional conference, industry summit, investment forum, policy dialogue, research seminar, or intellectual gathering. Your social life may grow while your professional world remains unchanged. You may become more visible at parties without becoming more relevant in your profession.

If your calendar is full of celebrations but empty of spaces where ideas, knowledge, opportunities, and partnerships are exchanged, you may be socially active but professionally stagnant. Your network should not only entertain you; it should expand you. Attend events where people are discussing where the world is going; you will pick up ideas too. Attend industry conferences, trade exhibitions, professional association meetings, entrepreneurship programmes, investment forums, policy dialogues, international conferences, research seminars, leadership programmes, and technology summits. These gatherings expose you to new ideas, emerging opportunities, changing market conditions, and people outside your usual circle.

You do not have to attend every event because not every gathering deserves your time or money. Be selective. Examine the quality of the speakers, participants, organisers, themes, and expected outcomes. A quality event is not necessarily the most expensive one; it is one that places you in a serious environment where relevant ideas are exchanged, and meaningful relationships can begin. International exposure is also increasingly important.

Sometimes, one thoughtful conversation at a conference can produce a collaboration that changes the trajectory of your career. A brief discussion may lead to a research partnership, mentorship relationship, speaking invitation, business opportunity, investment connection, publishing project, or introduction to someone you would never have met within your familiar circle. However, attending an event is not enough.

Can someone confidently say, “I know the right person for this,” and mention your name? If people cannot explain what you do or why someone should contact you, your networking efforts may not be producing enough professional clarity. The strongest networks are also diverse. If everyone around you works in the same sector, lives in the same location, attended similar schools, and shares the same worldview, your network may be comfortable but limited. A lecturer should know entrepreneurs. An entrepreneur should know policymakers. A banker should understand technology founders. A researcher should engage industry practitioners. A public servant should interact with innovators and community leaders. A Nigerian professional should build relationships beyond Nigeria.

Opportunities often emerge at the intersection of different networks because diverse connections expose you to information, markets, perspectives, and possibilities that may never circulate within your immediate environment. As your aspirations grow, your network must also grow. You cannot aspire to international business partnerships, research collaborations, investment opportunities, or global leadership positions if virtually everyone around you operates within the same professional, social, and geographical circle.

Your network should progressively include people who know things you do not know, operate in markets you have never entered, understand industries you are trying to penetrate, and possess experiences different from yours. Some of the most valuable people in your network may never live in your city or even in your country. Distance does not prevent meaningful professional relationships when there is mutual respect, consistent communication, and shared value. Another important lesson is to stop networking only when you need help.

Some people disappear for years and suddenly reappear when they need recommendation letters, jobs, contracts, money, or introductions. That is not relationship-building; it is emergency networking. Strong relationships are built before they are required. Congratulate people when they achieve something. Share useful information. Recommend their work. Check on them sincerely. Connect them to relevant opportunities and offer support whenever you can.

Another angle and most importantly, do not only look for valuable people; become valuable yourself. One of the biggest mistakes people make in networking is approaching relationships solely from the perspective of extraction: Who can help me? Who can introduce me? Who can give me a contract? Who can recommend me? Who can connect me? Who can employ me? Who can fund my idea? These questions are understandable, but sustainable networking begins with a more important question: What value do I bring to the relationship? People naturally gravitate towards value. If you want intelligent people around you, continue learning. If you want successful entrepreneurs in your circle, understand business. If you want global researchers to collaborate with you, produce credible research. If you want investors to take your calls, develop serious and viable opportunities. If you want executives to remember you, become known for solving problems. If you want influential people to recommend you, give them something credible to recommend.

Valuable people are usually busy, selective, and protective of their time. Your title alone may not attract them, but competence, integrity, reliability, and demonstrated value can. Networking is therefore not merely about collecting contacts; it is about reciprocity and creating mutually beneficial relationships over time. Ultimately, your network often reflects the value you consistently demonstrate. Attend better events, engage in meaningful conversations, follow up intentionally, widen your circle beyond familiar boundaries, and continue improving what you bring to every relationship. The question is not only whether you know valuable people. The deeper question is whether valuable people know you, trust you, remember what you do, and can confidently refer you when an opportunity arises. Good luck!

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Dr Timi Olubiyi is an expert in Entrepreneurship and Business Management, holding a PhD in Business Administration from Babcock University in Nigeria. He is a prolific investment coach, author, columnist, and seasoned scholar with good international networks. Additionally, he is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI) and a registered capital market operator with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). He can be reached through his Twitter handle @drtimiolubiyi and via email at [email protected] for any questions, feedback, or comments. The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author, Dr Timi Olubiyi, and do not necessarily reflect the views of others.