Meet the transformational leader, who has spent over two decades skilling and equipping Africans!

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” Maya Angelou.

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For a long time, thrivingAfrican women in the diaspora have not received their flowers.

But seriously, when was the last time you received flowers for being the present version of yourself?

The successes and stories of thriving African women in the diaspora who have transformed the lives of millions on the African continent and had Impactful contribution towards their communities in the diaspora and in Africa deserve more honor than we really give them.

Simi Nwogugu is one such phenomenal individual.

She has continuously and consistently contributed impactfully towards the betterment of the lives of Africans, women and children, the diasporic community and the youth alike.

Simi's impactful journey is a story of strong dedication and determination. Originally from Nigeria, she studied at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts, gaining a global outlook in various areas in organizational work. After working at Goldman Sachs, she switched gears to enhance her skills, earning a professional certificate in Organizational and Executive Coaching from New York University. She first got involved with JA while working at Goldman Sachs in New York City. Committed to creating a lasting impact, at just 24, Simi left her well-paying job in the private sector to return to Nigeria in 1999 to kick-start JA operations there. While getting her MBA at Harvard Business School in 2002, she continued to contribute as a board member for JA Nigeria, smoothly integrating Harvard's programs into JA's initiatives and returned as Executive Director in 2016before later becoming the CEO in 2020.

Inspiration and Influence

On the 21st of last month, Avance Media, a comprehensive Pan-African Public Relations and Ranking firm, unveiled its fifth annual edition of the 100 Most Influential African Women list for the year 2023. This prestigious compilation celebrates the outstanding leadership of women luminaries across 31 countries on the continent. Notably among these esteemed honorees was Simi Nwogugu.

Chosen for their remarkable contributions to diverse sectors within Africa, the 2023 edition spotlighted 20business leaders, 24 diplomats, 6 advocates for climate change, and 21 leaders in Civil Society Organizations (CSO) & Philanthropy. Additionally, the list recognized individuals in pivotal categories such as governance, media, sports, and entertainment.

Emphasizing the intent behind the compilation, Prince Akpah, the Founder of Avance Media, highlighted the aim to showcase women leading impactful initiatives across the African landscape, serving as inspirational figures for the generations to come. He underscores their selection as a tribute to their exceptional achievements, positioning them as exemplary pioneers among Africa’s female leaders.

Transforming Education in Africa

Last year in Accra Ghana,06.07.2023 In recognition for her effort and relentless pursuit of change creation towards the transformation of African education, Simi Nwogugu, the CEO of Junior Achievement (JA) Africa won the prestigious Africa Education Medal founded in 2022 by T4 Education and HP in collaboration with Microsoft.

She has served and played a pivotal role in the transformation of thousands of lives while at JA.

But this journey started way earlier. Whilst working at Goldman Sachs in New York City, Simi was fascinated by the work of the organization, and she even quit her decent-paying job aged 24to carry JA to Nigeria in which it impacts more than 100,000 youths every year. Against the same backdrop, she rose to head JA’s operations in Africa as CEO to the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated JA Worldwide.

Simi through JA has been able to devote 25 years of leadership towards achieving some of its major goals in delivering hands-on skills, financial literacy, entrepreneurship and management of earnings of the youth to secure better livelihoods. This strategy aimed at equipping the youths with skills to enable them to thrive in areas of business and general management as well as social responsibility who make up about 37% of the workforce, with over 80% of these being below the age of 25 will better prepare the young workforce for the decade in which they will contribute to about 25% of the world’s youth population.

“I am so honored to receive this accolade, but it is not just about me. This award is for all the fantastic staff at JA Africa, and for all the inspirational young people they have worked with, helping to pave the way to a brighter future for our continent’s young. I want to thank T4 Education, HP and Microsoft for giving these people hope that together we can make a difference." Simi mentioned after receiving the Africa Education Medal. 

Epitomizing Excellence

Meet Simi the epitome of achievement, at the helm of the executive committee of the Harvard Business School Alumni Association of Nigeria (HBSAN) as its President. Harvard Business School's African American Alumni Association has honored her with multiple accolades, notably the Bert King Award for Social Impact. Currently, Simi holds the distinguished position of a fellow in the Aspen Institute's Africa Leadership Initiative for West Africa (ALIWA). Here, she passionately pursues her mission to embolden and provide essential tools for 10 million African girls, envisioning the creation of flourishing African communities by the year2050.