Ndidi Nwuneli
TedGlobal: Role of Faith and Belief in Modern Africa
TedWomen: Future of the Food Ecosystem
Founder | LEAP Africa and Sahel Capital
Ndidi started her career as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company, working in Chicago, New York, and Johannesburg. She returned to Nigeria in 2000 to serve as the pioneer executive director of FATE Foundation, supporting young entrepreneurs to start and scale their businesses. In 2002, she established LEAP Africa to inspire, empower, and equip a new cadre of principled, disciplined, and dynamic young leaders in Africa. In the same year, she established NIA to support female university students in Nigeria to achieve their highest potential.
Over the past 14 years, Ndidi has focused exclusively on transforming the African agriculture and nutrition landscape. Through her work as the co-founder and the Executive Chair of Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition, she has partnered with a range of private and public sector organizations to implement ecosystem solutions in the African agriculture and food landscapes. As the co-founder of AACE Foods, which produces a range of packaged spices, seasonings, and cereals for local and international markets, Ndidi has propelled the growth of a catalytic business. As the founder of Nourishing Africa, a digital home for food and agriculture entrepreneurs operating on the African Continent, she is accelerating the growth of the ecosystem and supporting entrepreneurs in 34 African countries. Her latest start-up is Changing Narratives Africa committed to changing global mindsets about Africa by showcasing the Continent’s contributions to the global food ecosystem through the pioneering work of her dynamic people, their innovations, and products.
Ndidi serves on the boards of the Rockefeller Foundation, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), AGRA, Nigerian Breweries Plc. (Heineken), Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. India, the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum, Royal DSM Sustainability Board, Netherlands, and the African Philanthropy Forum. She previously served on the Boards of Nestle Nigeria Plc., Fairfax Africa, the World Vegetable Center and Cornerstone Insurance Plc.
Ndidi was recognized as a Young Global Leader and a Schwab Social Innovator by the World Economic Forum and received a National Honor from the Nigerian Government. She was listed as one of the 20 Power African Women by Forbes, on the 2019 100 Most Influential Africans List by New African Magazine and received the 2021 HBS Alumni Achievement Awards. She is a TED Global speaker.
Ndidi is the author of "Social Innovation in Africa: A Practical Guide for Scaling Impact," and "Food Entrepreneurs in Africa: Scaling Resilient Agriculture Businesses," both published by Routledge. She is also the author of “Working for God in the Marketplace.”
Ndidi holds an M.B.A. from the Harvard Business School and an undergraduate degree with honours from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. She was a Senior Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business & Government at the Harvard Kennedy School, an Eisenhower Fellow and an Aspen Institute New Voices Fellow. She is currently the McConnell Visiting Scholar at the Max Bell School of Public Policy at McGill University.
Podcast Contributions for Faith Driven Entrepreneur Africa
Adetayo Bamiduro and Chinedu Azodoh, co-founders of Metro Africa Express, join us to talk about the process of starting and scaling a business while staying devoted to their mission and faith.
Shady Hebeish joins us to share how God brought his family’s business out of a troubling time and to give us practical insight into how we can walk in step with the Spirit as we run our companies.
Robert Bayigamba joins the show to discuss how he has rebuilt his company and his faith after living through Rwanda’s tragic genocide.
In this episode, Tony George and Peter Ramzy share about Egypt’s ancient roots of Faith Driven Entrepreneurship and tell how the Community Egypt and Oasis Accelerator are equipping young people to transform the region.
Dr. Ngozi Onyia joins the show to share her powerful story of faith, restoration, and healing in the midst of incredible challenges like having her daughter pass, struggling to reach profitability, and serving COVID-19 patients when no one else would.
In this global Faith Driven Entrepreneur episode Alfa Demmellash, talks about the journey that brought her through Ethiopia, Rwanda, and Harvard and led her to championing entrepreneurs in underserved, urban areas.
Do sports have the power to unite a country? Business partners Maged Fawzy and Waseem Arsany think so. They join the show to share how their new 25-acre, $60 million sports facility will be a place for families and individuals to develop their minds, bodies, and hearts in New Cairo.
Don Larson joins the podcast to talk about the journey that brought him here, the value of investing in communities, and how Christian entrepreneurs can trust the Holy Spirit to guide them out of their comfort zones.
The old proverb says it takes a village to raise a child, but in this episode, Joram Mwinamo, Co-Founder and CEO of SNDBX International, shares how he is turning that village mentality into a scalable model for entrepreneurship.
Dr. Cosmas Maduka is a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist who began his entrepreneurial journey at the age of six, two years after the death of his father. Today, he is the founder and CEO of Coscharis Group, one of the largest businesses in Nigeria. Tune in to hear the inspiring story of how he went from selling bean cakes to BMWs.
Rev. Julian Kyula is an internationally accomplished business leader, serial FinTech entrepreneur, and the founding senior pastor of the Nairobi-based, Purpose Centre Church. From his unique vantage point, he speaks to the backdrop of history and education that has set the stage for kingdom businesses to grow in Africa and explains how the church can better support its entrepreneurs.
Magents is one of South Africa’s leading fashion brands, co-founded by Didier de Villiers in 1992. As the country was rediscovering itself as a nation, Didier saw clothing apparel as a creative platform for sharing the narrative of Africa. He joins us on Faith Driven Entrepreneur Africa to talk about expressing God’s heart on the runway.
Ted Pantone joins the show to talk about his diverse career working in multiple countries across Africa and to speak about the power of perseverance and faith in the midst of change.
Efosa Ojomo joins the show to talk about the idea of a “Prosperity Paradox” and to give us a vision for how innovation helps lift nations out of poverty.
Richard Okello has had a vision all his life to leave every community or situation better than he found it. This started as a teenager and continues today in his role as Co-founder and President of Sango Capital, an investment firm dedicated to bringing global investments to Africa.
Michael joins the show to talk about the value of developing local systems that empower all people to flourish and gives an overview of the exciting work happening in the MENA region.
Michelle Essomé joins Ndidi and Henry to discuss how investing has changed in Africa over the course of her decades-long career and to give listeners a sense of the opportunities on the continent today.
Phil Cunningham joins the show to talk about the power of excellent storytelling and why he thinks the African film industry can leave an impression on the big Hollywood studios.
Pioneer investor Okey Enelamah joins Ndidi and Henry to talk about the importance of enabling environments for success and the role Faith Driven Entrepreneurs can play in making this happen.
Segun joins the show to talk about how his faith drives him towards stewardship in all he does and why he decided to change his name after coming to the Lord.
Telkom Kenya CEO and former director of Kenya Vision 2030, Mugo Kibati joins the show to talk about why leaders in all spheres should prioritize values.
Marlon Parker sits down with Ndidi and Henry to talk about the role technology plays in empowering Africa’s next generation of leaders and how he aims to make hope contagious.
Kola Aina joins the show to talk about the makings of a good deal and share his vision for righteous capital.
Strive Masiyiwa joins Ndidi and Henry to talk about the value of cultivating a personal relationship with Christ through regular scripture reading, prayer, and fasting and how that kind of faith can empower us to go bravely into our individual spheres of influence.
Hosts, Ndidi and Henry, share their vision for how the Faith Driven Entrepreneur Africa podcast can change the narratives around this great continent.
Blog Contributions for Faith Driven Entrepreneur Africa
Ndidi is passionate that “we need to ensure that we have affordable food, that is available, and accessible, to the masses of people on our continent.”
Ayodeji Megbope joins us to talk about her humble beginnings and how God led her to where she is today.