35. Ubi Franklin, Nigerian – (Triple MG) Record Label
31 year old Ubi Franklin is the former manager of popular Nigerian musician Inyanya the kukere master and also the CEO of Made Men Music Group (Triple MG) Record Label. He recently opened a rooftop restaurant, “The Tilt Terrace”, in addition to his chains of businesses in the entertainment industry.
36. Banke Kuku, Nigerian – Banke Kuke Textiles
Banke Kuku is founder and CEO of Banke Kuku Textiles, a company she started in 2011. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Banke moved to the United Kingdom at age eight, giving her the opportunity to cross-pollinate traditional African and Western culture to create unique, luxurious fabrics for the interior and fashion industries. Anointed by leading commentators as the ‘Queen of Colour’, Banke promotes African tradition and culture through her exquisite textiles sold in the major capitals of the world and supports and promotes local textile mills in Nigeria. Her interiors range can be been found in major retailers like Selfridges London, and her fashion fabric designs have graced the catwalks of London, Paris and New York.
37. Ngozi Opara, Nigerian – Heat Free Hair
Heat Free Hair is the story of a woman entrepreneur with a passion for natural hair combined with the entrepreneurial drive to start a business providing natural hair extensions, plus a movement to educate and inform women on how to care for their natural hair. Ngozi Opara is the founder of Heat Free Hair, the first manufacturer of Virgin Hair exclusively created to blend with African American textured, kinky, and curly hair. The company provides hair extensions in the form of wefted hair, clip-in extensions, and wigs. The Heat Free Hair Movement expands beyond the company’s products and focuses on the education of the natural hair community through seminars and instructional videos, as well as events for natural women to network with other women alike.
38. Leslie Okoye, Nigerian – Cookie Skin
A personal mission to find a simplified skin care regime for women of African descent, led to entrepreneur Leslie Okoye launching her own line of holistic skincare products specifically created for women of colour. Today, her company, L’Okoye Cosmetics Inc. and her CookieSkin specialist skincare range are providing a way for women to build confidence in their skin and to create flawless complexions. L’Okoye Cosmetics develops and distributes quality skin care products for women of colour, selling and distributing worldwide to online and physical stores, supermarkets and spas. The company aims to redefine the meaning of beauty amongst men and women of African descent by making holistic skincare that doesn’t perpetuate the idea that beauty is based on skin colour. Instead, through its quality skin care products, L’Okoye Cosmetics aims to empower, build confidence and increase self-love in women of color through its brands, campaigns and seminars.
39. Adenike Akinsemolu, Nigerian – The Green Campus Initiative
Like many parts of Africa, Nigeria has a number of environmental challenges that need to be addressed by innovative thinking and action. The Green Campus Initiative is entrepreneur Adenike Akinsemolu’s solution to the challenge of getting young people in the country thinking green and becoming eco-conscious citizens. The Green Campus Initiative (GCI) tackles the challenges of climate change and environmental sustainability through innovative academic research, results-based green initiatives, and building a generation of environmentally conscious, socially conscious student leaders. It was established to educate, engage and enlighten young people to live green, as well as equip them with the vital tools to positively transform their communities, nation and generation. The programs encourage students to use bicycles and other means of sustainable transportation, conserve energy and water, utilize renewable energy, dispose of their waste properly, become social entrepreneurs through the development of vocational skills, and become eco-conscious citizens.
40. Ifeanyi Aniagoh, Nigerian – ifeadinmesi
Ifeanyi Aniagoh, 34, is the founder of ifeadinmesi – the first pan-igbo blog in the Nigeria. The young entrepreneur and youth advocate was last year nominated for the africa future awards. A philanthropist with vision who had propelled youths in his community to a greater achievements. He owned also nekaa, an agro – based e-farm platform. This innovation has been hailed as the first of its kind in Nigeria where the dwindling economy had forced the government to try diversifying. His contribution and pedigree have led to him being appointed as the senior special assistant on social media to the government in his state due to his positive stunts in social media. It goes without saying, he is a young African with many attributes.
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