LEAP Africa, AACE Food Processing & Distribution Ltd, Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition Ltd, and African Food Changemakers
Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli (//ⓘ; born 22 March 1975) is a Nigerianentrepreneur, an expert on African agriculture and nutrition, philanthropy, and social innovation.[1] Since April 2, 2024, she has been serving as the CEO of the One Campaign.[2]
Early life and education
Nwuneli was born on March 22, 1975, at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu, Nigeria to a Nigerian professor of Pharmacology—Paul Obuekwe Okonkwo[3] and an American professor of History—Rina Okonkwo.[4]
Her father, who is from Awka, Anambra and her mother who is originally from New York, met at Cornell University in 1965.[5] Her parents were educators by profession. They taught and mentored students with the goal of improving the Nigerian Education System. In an interview with the National Mirror Nwuneli explains, “I was born the third of five children. My parents[....]exposed my siblings and I to the concept of patriotism and service from very young ages....during the dark years of the late General Sani Abacha years, when many professors fled outside the country, my parents stuck it out, going for many months without salaries. Even with these challenges, holidays in our home were devoted to giving to others; trips to orphanages and other charity organizations formed a critical part of our socialization".[6]
By 1997, she was enrolled at Harvard Business School (HBS). While there, she received both the Harvey Fellowship[7] and the National Black MBA Association Graduate Scholarship, both recognizing her academic accomplishments. Her extracurricular activities at Harvard include founding and co-chairing the Annual African Business Conference;[8][9] Vice President of Faculty and Student Affairs for the Africa Business Club;[10] International Liaison for the African American Student Union;[11] and Publicity Chair for the Christian Association. She graduated with her MBA at 24 in 1999.[12]
Career
Ndidi's career began in her junior year at The University of Pennsylvania when she held a Summer Business Analyst position with McKinsey & Company in New York. In 1995, she was offered a full-time position at McKinsey as a Business Analyst working out of Chicago, Illinois. She also worked for McKinsey in their office in Johannesburg, South Africa.[13] Her work with McKinsey in 1997 led to the management and training of police officers across 25 South African Police Service Stations, as well as an increase in criminal convictions and a reduction in crime rates.[14]
Work in Nigeria
In 1999, Ndidi worked as the Lead Consultant for The Ford Foundation on a project focusing on Nigeria's largest microcredit institutions, COWAN and FADU.[15] That year, she rejoined McKinsey and served on client service teams, consulting for consumer goods companies and large American retailers. In 2000, she resigned from her position at McKinsey and returned to Nigeria to serve as the executive director for the FATE Foundation (founded by Nigerian Businessman, Fola Adeola).[16] In an interview with HBS African America Alumni Association about engaging female entrepreneurs, she explains: "Nigeria has some of the most entrepreneurial people in the world but access to financing, networks, and growth remain a challenge[...] I believe empowering women to start and grow their businesses is critical to Nigeria's development, but educating women is the real silver bullet."[17]
In 2002, she founded two nonprofits, LEAP (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, Professionalism) Africa and Ndu Ike Akunuba (NIA), Igbo words which translate in English to Life, Strength, and Wealth.[18] NIA's focus is on female empowerment—inspiring university students in Southeastern Nigeria to live full and meaningful lives.[19] LEAP Africa is a youth-focused leadership development nonprofit organization.[20] LEAP provides training on leadership, ethics and civics.[21] As the founder of the organization, she has been invited to speak at the UN Commission for Social Development, the World Economic Forum and the Clinton Global Initiative.
LEAP has worked in partnership with the Ford Foundation, Citi Foundation,[22]World Bank, United States Government, UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, ALI (Aspen Institute's Africa Leadership Initiative),[23]Nokia, and the International Youth Foundation.[24] Ndidi served as LEAP Africa's founder and chief executive officer from 2002 to 2007 and is still an active Board Member in the organization.[25]
Ndidi's goal is to turn West Africa's food to its new gold by engaging the agricultural landscape and building its ecosystem[26]
In 2023, Nwuneli was appointed as the Non-Executive director of Stanbic IBTC[30]
Non-profit organizations
In the past, Nwuneli served on the board of APF, GAIN - Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition), and Fairfax Africa and participated in the World Economic Forum as a committee member on the Global Agenda Council on New Models of Leadership from 2011 to 2014.[31]
Lead Author, Building a Culture of Ethics: A Practical Guide for African Leaders in the Public, Private and Nonprofits Sectors, LEAP Africa; 2009[45]
Editor, Rage for Change: A Practical Guide for African youth who Desire to Make a Difference, LEAP Africa; 2008[46]
Editor/Co-Author, Get on Board: A Practical Guide to Establishing & Sustaining High-Impact Boards of Directors, Farafina; 2007[47]
Lead Author, Defying the Odds: Case Studies of Nigerian Companies that have Survived Generations, LEAP Africa, 2006[48]
Articles on leadership, management and ethics: Under the Tree of Talking (Funded by the British Council), Journal of Convergence, Farafina, Business Day, the Guardian and Business in Africa Magazine; 2003-2007
