Ms. Thelma Ekiyor has over 21 years’ experience working in the development sector, as an Impact Investor, donor, philanthropic advisor, and social entrepreneur. She has experience working in 22 African countries.
She has pioneered, founded, and led several organisations and initiatives focused on impact investing and women’s economic empowerment.
In 2020, Ms. Ekiyor was listed as one of the 50 most influential women in the development sector in Africa.
In August 2021, the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, USA named Ms. Ekiyor as one of the top 10 “Black Women Give Back” global Honourees.
Ms. Ekiyor is currently the Managing Partner SME.NG – Nigeria’s Impact Investment Platform, which has set up two impact funds for women entrepreneurs. She is the Co- Founder/Chairperson of Afrigrants Resources and served as its pioneering CEO.
At Afrigrants, she led the establishment of “Market Women’s Quick Cash” – A financial inclusion solution to provide micro-loans to women in disadvantaged communities, impacting 3000 women in northern and southern states in Nigeria
She also led the conceptualization of “The Ebi Fund” – an impact fund for women entrepreneurs.
Ms. Ekiyor is the Founder & Co-Convener of The Funding Space – a mentoring and access to finance platform for social entrepreneurs in Africa, established in 2017.
Prior to establishing Afrigrants, Ms. Ekiyor was the pioneer CEO of TY Danjuma Foundation, setting up and building the Foundation to become a Leader in Nigeria and Africa.
Ms. Ekiyor is the Founder & Co-Convener of The Funding Space – a mentoring and access to finance platform for social entrepreneurs in Africa, established in 2017.
Prior to establishing Afrigrants, Ms. Ekiyor was the pioneer CEO of TY Danjuma Foundation, setting up and building the Foundation to become a Leader in Nigeria and Africa.
Before that, she served as the Pioneering Executive Director of the West African Civil Society Institute (WACSI), which was established by the George Soros Foundation’s Open Society Institute for West Africa.
She also served as the first female Director of the West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), working in war torn countries in West Africa providing developmental and humanitarian support.
Ms. Ekiyor holds an MBA (Entrepreneurship & Innovation) from Imperial College London, UK; a Law Degree (LLB Honours) from University of Buckingham UK, and she is a Stanford University (USA), Fellow. She also hold Senior Executive Education Certificates from the Imperial College and the African Institute for International Development respectively.
Ms. Ekiyor served as Strategic Policy Adviser to UN Women Nigeria (2017- 2019).
She is currently a Board Member on ALL ON, the renewable energy impact fund in West Africa established by Shell plc.
She is a Member of the first National Advisory Board on Impact Investing in Nigeria, and also on the Advisory Board of The WISE Fund (USA).
She is also the current Chairman of Black Philanthropy Africa – A global community for philanthropists of colour.
Ms. Ekiyor has received several awards and citations for her contributions to women’s economic empowerment and philanthropy in Africa