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📸 Thelma Ekiyor Founded by Thelma Osadebey (pictured, right) in 2023, the Breathe Women’s Mental Health Foundation is an endeavour that supports women in Nigeria with the state of their mental well-being by offering active, long term solutions to overcome depression and maintain good mental health.  In support of Ms. Osadebey’s new venture, her mentor, Thelma Ekiyor (pictured, left) says: “Mental health continues to be a taboo in Nigeria and across Africa. Women, regardless of class or status, suffer in silence and are unable to confidentially find help and resources.”That is why I am extremely proud of my Mentee and…

(L-R): Jeremy Awori (CEO, Ecobank Group) and Magalie Gauze-Sanga (Founder, Koree) Magalie Gauze-Sanga (founder/ CEO, Koree) was, on October 6, 2023 crowned winner of the 6th Ecobank Fintech Challenge, which took place on October 6 in Lomé, Togo. The Cameroonian took home the $50,000 first prize for the Koree (pronounced “cowrie”) app, which enables consumers create a loyalty card that can be used as a digital wallet when change is not available at a store checkout. Loyalty cards can be created in three seconds by scanning the store QR code or by adding their ID manually. Cashbacks can also be…

Showing up all across the world, Margo Jordan (Founder of Enrich.ly) continues to pave the way for improvements in youth self-esteem through her company. Hailed for revolutionising the approach to youth mental health using gamified platforms to build self-esteem, Enrich.ly last month won the Venture Atlanta Conference pitch competition, receiving a $500,000 investment prize. Says Margo: “I am so proud of my team for joining me in tackling the issue of unhealthy self esteem in children. Together, we will ensure that we are truly making the world a better place with the power of healthy self-esteem!” Margo is a proud…

Along with Tony Elumelu, Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF), Somachi Chris-Asoluka recently led a small group to receive and host a European Commission team: Jutta Urpilainen (Commissioner for International Partnerships); Kadri Simson (Commissioner for Energy); and other senior leaders from the EU. The meeting, which was held in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), reflected on how a TEF-EU partnership would further strengthen EU-Africa relations and build on the transformative approach of the US$100m TEF Entrepreneurship Programme. In 2021, a TEF-EU partnership empowered 2,500 young African women entrepreneurs, disbursing €20 million in…

📸 Neto Ikpeme on LinkedIn Dr. Neto Ikpeme, Founder & CEO of WellaHealth Technologies, had a great run last week, which included attending Africa Microfinance Week (Lome, Togo), and winning an innovation prize for WellaHealth solutions that provide care for common conditions like Malaria and Typhoid for just $1 a month. He says: “[I] got the chance to speak, exhibit and meet with several fascinating microfinance institutions across Africa, my non-existent French notwithstanding. We’re excited to expand our solutions to more African countries on the back of the phenomenal work being done in the Microfinance industry. Microinsurance and microfinance are…

Under its Fidelity International Trade and Creative Connect (FITCC) platform, Fidelity Bank is hosting an exhibition in Houston, where entrepreneurs coming all the way from Nigeria get to showcase their products and connect with the world. 🎥 HookedByLade on IG Lade (Founder, HookedByLade) was definitely a bright spot on Day 01 of the event, displaying her renown crochet hand-crafted bags, made with eco-friendly yarns. She says: “Are you in Houston-Texas? Hurry now to pick up your Hookedbylade handbag with exciting discounts, and get the chance to win another bag!😃” Lade’s bags are renown for being uniquely hancrafted from eco-friendly material…

🎥 @FunkeBucknor IG Founder of Zaphaire Events, Funke Bucknor-Obruthe, needs no introduction. And on October 13, 2023, her knack for producing the most exquisite events was again on full display at the obsequies for Dolapo Balogun, mother of Afrobeat star, Wizkid Ayo Balogun. Event planning and execution can be a very expensive and untidy process because the relevant information is fragmented, difficult to assemble, and the “database” is often a pile of raw contacts. But Ms. Bucknor-Obruthe counters this, and has gained a reputation for careful thinking and planning that deliver breathtaking beauty and cost-effectiveness at the same time. Qatar…

HerVest – pioneers of inclusive finance for the African woman – have achieved a historical milestone by becoming the first African start-up to feature in Google’s #WeArePlay campaign. 🎥 Solape Akinpelu Every month, over 2.5 billion people visit Google Play to discover millions of apps and games. Behind each of these apps is an entrepreneur (or two… or three) with a unique story to tell. No matter how different their backgrounds are, these creators all have one thing in common — the passion to turn an idea into a growing business. #WeArePlay celebrates and shares their stories. Says HerVest co-founder & CEO, Solape…

Brand Strategist, Chinelo Okoye, is Founder of Crena, an AI-success suite for African freelancers and creatives, which merges lead generation, eLearning, CRM, and payments to make gig-searching smoother and far more result-oriented. Says Chinelo: “Imagine this: A system that finds job opportunities for you. It’s like having someone who knows what you’re good at and gets you the best jobs. It figures out what clients need and connects you with them—even when you’re asleep.”But there’s more. When you start getting 10-50 job offers every day, Crena makes sure you’re ready. With lots of tools and courses, you’re not just meeting…

Networking—creating a fabric of personal contacts who will provide support, feedback, insight, resources, and information—is simultaneously one of the most self-evident and one of the most dreaded developmental challenges that aspiring leaders must address. Typically, managers rise through the ranks by dint of a strong command of the technical elements of their jobs and a laser focus on accomplishing their teams’ objectives. When challenged to move beyond their functional specialties and address strategic issues facing the overall business, many managers do not immediately grasp that this will involve relational—not analytical—tasks. Nor do they easily grasp that exchanges and interactions with…