Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli
Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli
Born	(1975-03-22) March 22, 1975 Enugu, Nigeria
Nationality	Nigerian, American
Occupation	Social Entrepreneur
Years active	25
Known for	LEAP Africa, AACE Food Processing & Distribution Ltd, Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition Ltd, and African Food Changemakers

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli (; born March 22, 1975) is a Nigerian business leader with expertise in African agriculture, nutrition, philanthropy, and social innovation. She assumed the role of CEO at the One Campaign in April 2024.

Early life and education

Born at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital in Enugu, Nigeria, Nwuneli is the daughter of Paul Obuekwe Okonkwo, a Nigerian professor specializing in pharmacology from Awka, Anambra, and Rina Okonkwo, an American professor of history from New York. Her parents met while studying at Cornell University in 1965 and dedicated their careers to enhancing education in Nigeria. Despite facing salary delays during Nigeria’s turbulent late-1990s under General Sani Abacha’s regime, they chose to remain in the country, instilling strong values of patriotism and service in their five children.

In 1997, she commenced studies at Harvard Business School (HBS), where she was awarded the Harvey Fellowship and the National Black MBA Association Graduate Scholarship for outstanding academic performance. While at HBS, she initiated and co-led the Annual African Business Conference, served as Vice President for Faculty and Student Affairs for the Africa Business Club, acted as International Liaison for the African American Student Union, and held the position of Publicity Chair for the Christian Association. She completed her MBA in 1999 at age 24.

Career

Nwuneli’s professional journey began during her junior year at The University of Pennsylvania when she worked as a Summer Business Analyst with McKinsey & Company in New York. In 1995, she secured a full-time position as a Business Analyst at McKinsey’s Chicago office and later worked out of Johannesburg. Her 1997 responsibilities included overseeing and training police officers across 25 South African Police Service Stations, efforts which contributed to higher conviction rates and lowered crime.

Work in Nigeria

In 1999, Ndidi acted as Lead Consultant for The Ford Foundation on initiatives involving Nigeria’s foremost microcredit organizations, COWAN and FADU. That same year, she returned to McKinsey consulting for consumer goods firms and leading U.S. retailers. In 2000, she left McKinsey to become executive director of the FATE Foundation, established by Nigerian entrepreneur Fola Adeola. She prioritized empowering women entrepreneurs as essential to Nigeria’s progress and emphasized education as vital for business advancement.

In 2002, she launched two nonprofit organizations: LEAP (Leadership, Effectiveness, Accountability, Professionalism) Africa and Ndu Ike Akunuba (NIA), both targeting female empowerment and youth leadership development in Southeastern Nigeria. LEAP Africa delivers training programs on leadership, ethics, and civic engagement and collaborates with partners such as the Ford Foundation, Citi Foundation, World Bank, UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Aspen Institute's Africa Leadership Initiative, Nokia, and the International Youth Foundation. Ndidi served as LEAP Africa’s CEO from 2002 until 2007 and continues to participate actively on its board. She has presented at forums including the UN Commission for Social Development, World Economic Forum, and Clinton Global Initiative.

Her strategic focus is on advancing West Africa’s agricultural sector into a major economic engine by cultivating its ecosystem.

On May 23, 2024, she attended a state dinner at the White House hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden honoring Kenyan President William Ruto.

Corporate governance

Nwuneli holds board memberships at LEAP Africa, AACE Foods, the Godrej Group, DSM Sustainability Advisory Board, AGRA, and Nigerian Breweries Plc. In 2023, she was named a Non-Executive Director of Stanbic IBTC.

Philanthropic organizations

Her past board roles include positions with APF, GAIN (Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition), and Fairfax Africa. Between 2011 and 2014, she contributed as a committee member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on New Models of Leadership. She joined the Rockefeller Foundation board in 2019 and was appointed to the Board of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group in 2021.

Honors and distinctions

• Recipient of the Harvard Business School Alumni Achievement Award, 2021
• Recognized as a Social Innovator by the Schwab Foundation, 2020
• Honored by the Global Fund for Women during their 25th Anniversary event, 2013
• Awarded the Leading Social Entrepreneur accolade by Harvard Business School Nigeria Business Club, 2013
• Featured in Forbes list of 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa, 2011
• Honored with the Excellence Award from Anambra State, 2011
• Recipient of Harvard Business School Africa Business Club Excellence Award, 2007
• Named Young Manager of the Year by THISDAY Newspapers, 2005
• Conferred with the National Honor – Member of the Federal Republic – by Nigeria’s President, 2004
• Selected as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in Davos, 2004
• Designated Global Leader of Tomorrow by World Economic Forum, Davos, 2002

Authorship and research contributions

• Author of Food Entrepreneurs in Africa: Scaling Resilient Agriculture Businesses, published in 2021
• Writer of Social Innovation In Africa: A Practical Guide for Scaling Impact, released in 2016
• Author of Working for God in the Marketplace, published in 2005

Published works

• Author of Food Entrepreneurs in Africa: Scaling Resilient Agriculture Businesses, 2021
• Writer of Social Innovation in Africa, 2016
• Editor of Passing the Baton, LEAP Africa, 2011
• Lead author for Building a Culture of Ethics: A Practical Guide for African Leaders in the Public, Private and Nonprofits Sectors, LEAP Africa, 2009
• Editor of Rage for Change: A Practical Guide for African Youth Who Desire to Make a Difference, LEAP Africa, 2008
• Editor and co-author of Get on Board: A Practical Guide to Establishing & Sustaining High-Impact Boards of Directors, Farafina, 2007
• Lead author of Defying the Odds: Case Studies of Nigerian Companies that Have Survived Generations, LEAP Africa, 2006
• Contributor of articles on leadership, management, and ethics featured in Journal of Convergence, Farafina, Business Day (Nigeria), The Guardian, and Business in Africa Magazine between 2003 and 2007