On Monday, October 16, 2023, FATE Foundation announced Amaka Nwaokolo as the first Director of The FATE Institute of FATE Foundation effective from September 2023. Amaka, who was a Senior Programs Manager and Head of The FATE Institute, has consistently demonstrated leadership, innovation, and excellence skills, propelling The FATE Institute to greater heights.

The FATE Institute is the research, new thinking, advocacy, and policy division of FATE Foundation that is committed to leading innovative thinking and creating platforms to enable idea exchange and problem-solving strategies to foster sustainable entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

Amaka brings to the role 15 years of professional work experience across private and social sectors with deep expertise in thought leadership, ecosystem mapping, and policy advocacy particularly within the small and growing business space and the entrepreneurship ecosystem. She has led the research, policy, and advocacy work of the Foundation over the last 8 years.  In her new role as Director of the FATE Institute of the FATE Foundation, she will lead and implement the strategy to enable innovative thinking and creating platforms that facilitate idea exchange and problem-solving around entrepreneurship nationally and regionally.

“The FATE Institute was created from the thorough lack of data around entrepreneurship in Nigeria. Little to nothing existed to help people in this space and more so, to drive strategic decision-making by policymakers and other stakeholders. This was a consistent problem that inspired and commenced our journey into research and policy. The FATE institute has since been headed by Amaka Nwaokolo, who has shown great dedication and commitment to the vision of the institute and today has been promoted to the position of Director and a Board member of FATE Foundation. I have full confidence in her ability to continue supporting the Foundation in its mission to empower Nigerian entrepreneurs to start, grow and scale their businesses. Hard work pays” Adenike Adeyemi, the Executive Director of FATE Foundation, said.

Amaka also represents the Institute’s advocacy efforts across critical stakeholder groups in Nigeria, such as the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), where she serves as the Co-Facilitator on the MSME Community of Practice and works with ecosystem stakeholders around Access to Funding, Capacity building and Business Support, Access to Markets, Policy & Regulation. Over the past 8 years, she has led the Institute to be a part of policy initiatives around Taxation, Buy-made-in-Nigeria campaign, Nigeria Startup Bill (2022) etc.

“I am honored to be selected as the Director The FATE Institute and join the esteemed Board of Directors of FATE Foundation. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to further contribute to our mission of driving innovation, research, and policies that foster entrepreneurship in Nigeria. Together with the dedicated team at The FATE Institute and FATE Foundation as a whole, I look forward to creating a lasting impact in the entrepreneurial landscape of our nation.” Amaka Nwaokolo, Director, The FATE Institute of FATE Foundation, said.

As a Director, Amaka will be joining the Board of FATE Foundation which Fola Adeola, OFR, MNi chairs with other Board Members including Adenike Adeyemi, Executive Director, FATE Foundation; Tokunbo Talabi, Secretary to the State Government, Ogun State; Juliet Ehimuan, Founder, Beyond Limits; Bolaji Agbede, Group Head, Human Resource, Access Bank Plc; Seni Sulyman, Venture Builder and Operator; Ibrahim Salau, Managing Director, Environmental Accord Ltd; Yinka Sanni, Chief Executive (West Africa), Standard Bank Group; Olusola Adeola, Executive Director, Designing Futures; and Seyi Bella, Partner, Banwo & Ighodalo.

FATE Foundation is Nigeria’s foremost enterprise development organisation that seeks to harness the strong entrepreneurial culture of Nigerians by providing aspiring entrepreneurs with business incubation, growth, and accelerator support required to fully explore their innovative potential, to start, grow and scale their businesses with the mission to foster wealth creation by promoting businesses and entrepreneurial development among Nigerians.

 

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