HOW WE MADE IT IN AFRICA – VOLUME 2

Abiola Seriki-Ayeni

Special Advisor, Quality Assurance, Monitoring and Evaluation, Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC)

Chapter: Leading with Passion and Purpose

Abiola Seriki-Ayeni is redefining what bold, visionary leadership looks like in the public sector. Her chapter is a front-row seat into education reform in Lagos state, where big dreams meet bureaucratic complexity. With strategy, empathy, and unshakeable purpose, she shows us how trust and long-term thinking can transform an entire system.

Adetola Akinola

CEO, Glitz Group of Companies

Chapter: Pioneering Excellence in Nigeria's Event Industry

Adetola Akinola shares how she turned Glitz Event Centre into a standard in Nigeria's booming events industry after leaving the banking sector, where she worked for over 15 years. From navigating economic shocks to diversifying her way through uncertainty, she shares her story on calculated risk, resilience, and reinventing yourself when comfort is no longer enough.

Akintunde Marinho

CEO, Utopia Media Group

Chapter: Blueprints of Boldness: The Rise of Utopia Media

Akintunde, a pan-African media force, shares how he rose, fell, and rose again after losing 90% of his clients. His story is an unfiltered look at what it takes to build something from scratch and recover stronger.

Bada Akintunde-Johnson

Country Manager, Paramount Africa

Chapter: Championing Africa's Potential

Bada shares how he is shaping culture and telling authentic African stories through media. As the mind behind MTV Base and BET Africa's growth, he explores how to lead creatively in a commercial world. This chapter will challenge everything you think you know about branding on the continent.

Banke Meshida-Lawal

Founder, BM|Pro

Chapter: The Art of Makeup and Mastery

She took brushes and pigments and built an empire. Banke Meshida-Lawal turned BM|Pro into a household name across Africa's beauty industry—and she did it with consistency, excellence, and a fierce love for craft. Her chapter is about mastery, discipline, and building trust one flawless face at a time.

Banky Wellington

Musician, Entrepreneur

Chapter: From Dorm Room Dreams to Industry Stardom

Banky W opens up about turning heartbreak into a hustle and using fame for a purpose. From global music stages to Nigeria's National Assembly race, he shares the mindset behind staying relevant while making an impact.

Bolanle Ibitola

CEO, USK Ventures

Chapter: From Startup Struggles to Sector Success

Bolanle Ibitola is the CEO you call when you're done playing small. From failing fast to scaling smart, her journey through Nigeria's industrial sector is a story of stubborn grit and strategy. She shares how she turned hard knocks into hard-earned wins and why building teams that think, move, and win together is her greatest secret weapon.

Chima Anyanso

Chairman, Caades Group

Chapter: Navigating Challenges and Crafting Success in Oil and Gas

In one of Nigeria's most cutthroat industries, Chima carved his lane with insight, risk-taking, and mentorship. His story shows how to stay agile in a rigid space and how youth is not a limitation—it's leverage. You'll want to highlight every page of this one.

Chukwuka Monye

Managing Partner, Ciuci Consulting

Chapter: The Renaissance CEO

Chukwuka is building a legacy of service through business. This chapter explores the power of multi-dimensional leadership in Africa. If you're looking to build influence with impact, start here.

Dozie Okafor

Managing Director, PHD Nigeria

Chapter: Navigating Leadership and Innovation

Dozie inherited a legacy, but he reinvented it. In this story, he breaks down how to lead a modern marketing agency with empathy, data, and boldness. His insights on innovation, clarity, and growth are pure gold.

Emile Kinuma

Co-founder, Pivot Access

Chapter: Navigating Challenges and Seizing Opportunities

Emile's journey through Rwanda's fintech space shows how timing, regulation, and the right mindset can turn roadblocks into runways. He shares how regulation became an opportunity, not a barrier. A must-read for innovators navigating Africa's digital transformation.

Ernest Kayinamura

CEO, HEXAKOMB

Chapter: From Vision to Reality

Ernest Kayinamura didn't wait for perfect conditions—he built HEXAKOMB in the middle of uncertainty. His story is all about lean growth, clarity in chaos, and serving with purpose. Ernest reminds us that strategy, heart, and vision still matter.

Fade Ogunro

CEO, Fade Agency

Chapter: Empowering Africa's Workforce

In this chapter, Fade tells us about raising money, breaking norms, and building tech for the informal workforce. It's honest, bold, and painfully familiar to anyone building against the odds.

Ferdy Turasenga

Founder, ARED Group

Chapter: Lighting Up Africa

Born in a refugee camp, but now powering rural Africa through solar innovation through his tech startup, ARED. This chapter is a stirring reminder that the best solutions don't come from boardrooms, they rise from lived experience.

Folawe Omikunle

Founding CEO, Teach for Nigeria

Chapter: Empowering Through Education

Changing education in Nigeria isn't for the faint of heart, but Folawe Omikunle is doing it brick by brick. As CEO of Teach for Nigeria, she's nurturing a new generation of change-makers, one classroom at a time. This chapter reveals how patience, systems, and soul are powering one of the most important equity movements on the continent.

Gbemi Elekula

Founder & Creative Director, Dreamhome & Human X

Chapter: Crafting Dreams into Reality: The Inspirational Journey of Gbemi Elekula

Gbemi's story takes you through her leaving the banking halls to beautifully styled homes and into the heart of social impact. As the founder of Dreamhome and Human X, she masterfully blends creative entrepreneurship with advocacy. Her chapter is rich with lessons on reinvention, resilience, and building for purpose, leaving you both inspired and challenged to do more with what you have.

Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi

Founder, Gbemisoke Shoes

Chapter: Rising to the Occasion: The Inspirational Journey of Gbemi Olateru Olagbegi

Gbemi shared how a chance encounter led to a thriving media career and how a personal frustration with shoe sizes turned into a global business. Her chapter shares the story of trusting your gut, staying professional, and creating for underserved markets. You'll walk away thinking differently about every opportunity in front of you.

Ife Ibitokun

Founder & CEO, BizNurture Financial Services

Chapter: Empowering Dreams, Nurturing Businesses

Ife's chapter is a masterclass in purpose-driven finance. She shares how she moved from a structured banking career into building BizNurture—an SME-focused finance company that disbursed over ₦2 billion. She shared insights for anyone building systems that scale and serve.

Ighiwiyisi Jacobs

Founder & Creative Director, Hermosa Boda

Chapter: The Art of Design and Dedication

As the founder of Hermosa Boda, Ighiwiyisi Jacobs built a brand known for one-of-a-kind installations that are meticulous. Her story is a masterclass in following your creative spark, obsessing over detail, and leading a lean, high-performing team. For any creative or founder chasing excellence, this is for you.

Jude Abaga (MI)

Rapper, Entrepreneur & Former CEO, Chocolate City Music

Chapter: From Lyrics to Leadership

From Jos to becoming Africa's hip-hop statesman, Jude Abaga aka MI, takes us behind the music into his evolution as a business leader. As the CEO of Chocolate City, he navigated the pressures of creativity and commerce. His chapter is about reinvention, using structure to elevate talent, and the mindset shift from performer to platform builder.