Introduction
Rapid population growth across Africa poses major challenges for the provision of food, housing, education, healthcare, energy, transportation, water, and sanitation. Social innovators and entrepreneurs in Africa are leading the charge to address Africa’s mounting challenges by developing and deploying new solutions to tackle serious social problems, where the value created accrues primarily to society. Despite their early successes, most interventions reach hundreds and even thousands, but struggle to achieve impact at the necessary scale by reaching millions of people across the continent.
Encouraged by the emergence and early impact of social innovators on the African Continent, but frustrated by the slow pace of large scale change, this book is focused on filling the knowledge gap among aspiring and emerging social innovators. It lays out the required building blocks for achieving scale at impact. It also explores the steps for attracting and retaining talent and financing and forming strategic partnerships with the private, public, and
non-profit sectors to foster scaling.About the Author
Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli is a serial social entrepreneur based in Nigeria. She is the founder of LEAP Africa, co-founder of AACE Foods, director at Sahel Capital and the African Philanthropy Forum. She has 20 years of experience in international and entrepreneurship development.
Ndidi started her career as a management consultant with McKinsey & Company, working in their Chicago, New York and Johannesburg Offices. She returned to Nigeria to serve as the pioneer executive director of the FATE Foundation, a leading entrepreneurship development organization in 2000. She established LEAP Africa and NIA in 2002 and 2003 respectively. LEAP is a leading leadership development organization that has worked in 26 states across Nigeria providing leadership training, and coaching to over 50,000 entrepreneurs, youth, teachers and the public sector. LEAP has also pioneered curriculum and published eleven books on succession, ethics, governance and management. NIA empowers female university students in the Southeastern Nigeria to achieve their highest potential.
Ndidi holds an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and a BsC with honors from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Ndidi was recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and received a National Honor – Member of the Federal Republic from the Nigerian Government. She serves on numerous international and local boards including Nestle Nigeria Plc., Cornerstone Insurance Plc., Nigerian Breweries Plc. and DSM Plc.
Reviews
“This is a brilliant book ... with relevance for Africa and far beyond.”
– Johannes F. Linn, Brookings Institution, USA and Emerging Markets Forum
“A highly readable and useful primer for those seeking to scale high-impact entrepreneurial ventures in a highly diverse African context ... an important contribution.”
– Pamela Hartigan, Skoll Centre for Social Entrepreneurship, Saïd Business School, University
of Oxford, UK
“Funders, governments, social innovators and civil society have much to learn from this book.”
– Kole Shettima, MacArthur Foundation, Nigeria
“A comprehensive review of the frameworks of thinking, the key pieces of the puzzle, and, through a rich journey of interviews, unpacks insights into some fascinating cases on the continent.”
– François Bonnici, University of Cape Town, South Africa
“An excellent handbook both for the perplexed and the curious... as practical as it is
inspirational.”
– Calestous Juma, Harvard Kennedy School, USASpeaking Engagements
Ndidi Nwuneli will be speaking at the following locations over the upcoming weeks and months:
25th November 2016 - 11 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Abuja, Nigeria
18th November 2016 - 17:00 – 19:00 GMT, SOAS, University of London, Room S209 Paul Wembley Wing, London
17th November 2016 - 16:00 - 17:00 GMT, Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa. LSE, London
17th November 2016 12 - 1:00 p.m. SAID Business School, Oxford https://ndidi.eventbrite.com
4th October, 2016 - 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Ford Foundation Office of West Africa, Lagos Nigeria
22nd September 2016 - Michigan State University, Michigan
21st September 2016 - Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Boston
20th September 2016 - Columbia Business School, New York City
18th August 2016 - Bertha Center for Social Innovation, University of Cape Town, South Africa
16th August 2016 - Nova Pioneer School, Midrand South Africa
Contact the Author
nnwuneli@
leapafrica.org twitter: @
ndidinwuneli
