In the dynamic landscape of Nigeria's business world, a remarkable wave of change is being ushered in by the tenacity and ingenuity of young female entrepreneurs. These trailblazers are breaking barriers, defying societal norms, and making a profound impact on the country's economic and social fabric. In this article, we delve into the inspiring stories of these visionary women who are not only shaping their own destinies but also contributing to the transformation of Nigeria's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Below is the list of Inspiring Young Female Entrepreneurs in Nigeria:
1.Ore Runsewe
First on our list of young female entrepreneurs in Nigeria is Ore Runsewe. Ore is the founder of Arami Essentials, a brand that provides natural beauty products in Lagos. After moving to Nigeria from the UK, she found it difficult to access essential beauty products, which led her to start Arami Essentials. She built her business from scratch, first using Instagram as her only platform before expanding to other social media platforms and then setting up a website.
2. Bidemi Akande
A graduate of law from a university in the UK, Bidemi moved back to Nigeria to do an internship just before law school. While on the job, she stumbled across the opportunity to do some styling gigs due to her impeccable dress sense. After some time, knowing that her interests were more drawn to media, she decided to make a career change. She registered her public relations company named “LSF PR”, and the rest, as they say, is history.
3. Onyeka Ugwu
Onyeka is the brains behind “Hello Perfect Clinic”, a Lagos medical aesthetics and laser clinic. She is a licensed medical aesthetician and senior laser technician trained in Texas. She has been in business for about five years now and, in this time, has been able to build an enviable track record providing stellar results in the health and skincare industry.
4. Fisayo Longe
The owner and creative director of Kai Collective began her rise to fame when she started a fashion, lifestyle and travel blog and then became a fashion influencer. Not long after, she launched her hugely successful fashion brand, KAI Collective. Apart from designing, she also pioneers an initiative that caters to young entrepreneurs looking to follow in her footsteps by creating their brands from scratch.
5. Andrea Dumebi Iyamah
Renowned swimwear, ready-to-wear and bridal wear designer ‘Andrea Iyamahm is no newbie in the Nigerian industry. Known for her interesting use of fabrics, distinct cut and eccentricity, her brand happens to be leading on a large scale across the world. She leaves no room for error, causing her outfits to stand out in all situations. A true fashion entrepreneur to the core is the best way to describe this powerhouse.
6. Jumoke Dada
Inspirational is an excellent way to portray what Jumoke, the CEO of “Taiilo”, is doing in the furniture industry. While an undergraduate in the Department of Architecture from Unilag, she had the opportunity to do her internship with an architectural and planning company, where her skills were instrumental during the rebuilding of the Central Bank. Afterwards, she worked with a furniture company, where she realised that there was a need to improve and diversify with regard to the presentation of furniture. She went ahead and filled the vacuum.
7. Maya Famodu
Considered an innovator in the venture capital business, Maya is the founder of “Ingressive Capital”, an organisation that helps companies expand in Africa. She specifically came to Nigeria from the US to provide backing for startups with potential. She also established a non-profit for her firm to give micro-scholarships, tech training, and talent placements for youths across the continent.
8. Ozinna Anumudu
A graduate in economics from the United States, fashion and branding wasn’t that much of a surprise for Ozinna to make a priority because it reflected effortlessly in everything she did. To that end, she established “ozinna.com”, where she curates and stocks her favourite Nigerian fashion pieces. Also, a founder for a brand management company called “The Style Concierge”, she remains a force to reckon with in the fashion and lifestyle industry.
9. Temi Giwa Tubosun
Temi Giwa Tubosun is Nigerian-American health professional. She is the founder of “LifeBank”, a company working to improve blood transfusion across the country and the delivery of essential products to hospitals.
10. Yasmin Belo Osagie
Being a daughter to Nigerian billionaire Hakeem Belo-Osagie certainly does come with its perks. However, Yasmin is not one to sit back and relax, which is why she partnered with Afua Osei on the “She leads Africa” initiative, which has helped nurture fellow female entrepreneurs with support from numerous companies.
11. Esther Omikunle
Esther Omikunle is a young tech entrepreneur who is currently making waves in the tech industry. The Tech Product Manager is also an author, lifestyle blogger, podcaster, and WIMBIZ Associate. Esther, the techie is actively involved in content creation, social entrepreneurship and software development.
Esther Omikunle is a Computer Engineering graduate from Obafemi Awolowo University. She currently resides in Lagos, Nigeria. She currently works as a Technical Product Manager at Cowrywise, a popular FinTech company. She is a graduate of the Basic Leadership and Entrepreneurship Course received from the Leading Ladies Business Institute.
12. Blessing Abeng
Blessing Abeng is a branding and communications expert. She was born on October 16 1994 in Jos, Nigeria. She studied biochemistry at Covenant University and later proceeded to Orange Academy to study branding. She started with writing business plans for people and subsequently moved to study branding before launching a full-time career in branding and communications.
She has done branding and communications in several capacities including as the co-founder and CMO of Disha, a tech company that was acquired by Flutterwave, and then currently as the co-founder and Director of Communications of Ingressive for Good, which is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to increasing the earning power of African youths.
Olamide Orekunrin-Brown is a medical doctor, a trainee pilot, founder of Flying Doctors Nigeria (FDN). She is also into medical emergency service that specializes in air ambulances, medical evacuation, medico-logistics services, remote site medical solution services, medical infrastructural development, and medical training services.
She founded FDN in 2009, and currently has the largest network of ground and air ambulances (both fixed and rotary wing aircraft) in West Africa. It is strategically located in major Nigerian cities like Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, and others.
14. Odunayo Eweniyi
Odunayo Eweniyi is a Nigerian business executive and activist. She is the Co-founder and Chief Operations Officer PiggyVest and co founder of Feminist Coalition.
She graduated from Covenant University in 2013 with a first-class degree in Computer Engineering. Odun started out to launch Push CV with Somto Ifezue and Joshua Chibueze after her graduation in 2013. Two years later, the trio went on to start PiggyVest in 2016.
The 28-year-old Odunayo Eweniyi is the Co-founder & Chief Operations Officer of PiggyVest, the largest digital savings and investment platform in Nigeria.
She previously co-founded pushcv.com, one of the largest job sites in Africa with the largest database of pre-screened candidates. She has experience in Business Analysis and Operations. She’s an award-winning fintech entrepreneur who is working for diversity equity and inclusion in fintech and technology as a whole.
15. Omolola Salako
Omolola Salako is an Oncologist, Founder, CEO, and a Lecturer. She founded the Oncopadi Digital Cancer Clinic, Sebeccly Cancer Care, and Co-founded Pearl Oncology Clinic. She got devoted to helping Nigerians beat the fight against Cancer when she lost her sister to advanced kidney cancer.
Cancer Care and management services are made available for individuals due to the contribution that Omolola has made to ensure the establishment of centers for such services.
Apart from being a medical professional, she also works as a lecturer and researcher at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. One of Omolola’s most inspiring achievements is winning the AstellasC3 Grand Prize.
