Meet the Changemakers

Ony is a seasoned General Manager with a proven track record of driving commercial success in the global packaged consumer food industry. With leadership experience at General Mills, Danone North America, Target, and Campbell’s, Ony brings deep functional expertise across supply chain, marketing, and organizational leadership. 

As an educator and entrepreneur, Ony is dedicated to advancing Africa’s economic development and building sustainable food systems. He lectures on the Africa Business Landscape course at Washington University’s Olin Business School and co-founded ventures including Food Basket, an Afro-centric packaged foods and retail company, and Premier Brand Advisory, an integrated marketing and supply chain advisory firm. Ony has also built and led impactful organizations, including the Olin Africa Business Club at WashU, Danone’s Black Employee Group, and the Twin Cities Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. 

He is passionate about driving systemic change in Africa’s food systems and contributing to global food security through innovation, entrepreneurship, and governance. Ony holds a B.S. in Manufacturing Operations Management from the University of Minnesota and an MBA in Marketing from WashU Olin Business School. 

Odinakachi “Kachi” Nwachukwu is a development leader, agribusiness professional, and enterprise growth strategist with over a decade of experience designing and delivering high-impact initiatives across agriculture, international trade, public sector reform, and economic development. Throughout her career, Kachi has worked with government institutions, development partners, private sector actors, and civil society organisations to drive sustainable and inclusive outcomes. Her expertise spans program management, enterprise development, monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL), policy analysis, stakeholder engagement, and strategic partnerships.

At African Food Changemakers (AFC), Kachi oversees the Programs and Membership portfolios, ensuring that more than 9,000 agribusinesses, many of them women-led enterprises, are connected to capital, markets, and trade opportunities. She plays a pivotal role in designing and implementing programs that equip agri-SMEs with the knowledge, networks, and opportunities required to scale sustainably and compete in regional and global markets.

She has championed AFC’s Building Resilience Against Climate and Environmental Shocks (BRACE) program, supporting over 3,000 agribusinesses to adopt climate-resilient practices
While embedding robust monitoring and learning frameworks. Before joining AFC, Kachi managed the UK Government-funded Policy Development Facility
(PDF) Bridge Programme, where she facilitated national policy dialogues that secured commitments for inclusive trade reforms and supported over 250 MSMEs to access new markets She also contributed to the Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE) program, engaging smallholder farmers across cassava, aquaculture, palm oil, and poultry value chains, while coordinating high-level advocacy efforts.
Kachi’s academic journey reflects her commitment to excellence and continuous learning. She earned a Master’s degree in Financial Management from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK, and a Bachelor’s degree in Education Accountancy from Abia State University, Nigeria. More recently, she completed a Program in Public Leadership and Policy at the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG), equipping her with advanced skills in governance and policy engagement.

Complementing her academic achievements, Kachi holds globally recognised professional certifications, including Project Management Professional (PMP®) and Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA) from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, UK. This unique blend of financial discipline, strategic thinking, and systems leadership underpins her work in advancing enterprise growth and institutional strengthening. Driven by a vision of an Africa where empowered entrepreneurs, thriving agribusinesses, and effective institutions work together to create lasting prosperity, Kachi continues to shape programs and partnerships that accelerate inclusive and sustainable development across the continent.

Ebere Okoh is an impact-driven program and business development leader with over 15 years of experience designing and scaling initiatives that empower youth, women-led enterprises, and agribusinesses across Africa. As Associate Manager of Membership at African Food Changemakers, she oversees one of the continent’s largest agrifood enterprise networks, connecting more than 10,000 businesses across 50 countries.

At AFC, she engages directly with community members to understand their successes and challenges, and develops initiatives that equip enterprises with knowledge, tools, and techniques to overcome barriers and thrive. She leads pioneering initiatives such as the monthly Agribusiness Clinic and the Agribusiness Finance Readiness Initiative (AFRI), while leveraging partnerships to foster business collaborations and expand access to markets.

Previously, as Senior Reintegration Officer at the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Ebere designed concepts and implemented projects on vocational training and development for Niger Delta beneficiaries aspiring to careers in agriculture, maritime, and aviation. Her work supported large-scale reintegration efforts, empowering thousands of individuals with practical skills and pathways to sustainable livelihoods. She has also held leadership roles in program design, business development, research, and capacity building with organisations such as the Dave Omokaro Foundation, Alneeda Resources Ltd, and Star Sapphire Consulting.

A Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants, she holds an MBA in Human Resources Management from Nasarawa State University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management from Obafemi Awolowo University, and a B.Sc. in Economics from the University of Abuja.

Passionate about enterprise growth and sustainability, Ebere is a sought-after facilitator and speaker, known for delivering practical, results-driven insights that help entrepreneurs build resilient, scalable businesses.

Celina Adanna Imafidor is a Program Associate Manager with over 10 years of progressive experience designing and scaling high-impact agribusiness across Africa. Currently serving at African Food Changemakers (AFC), she leads and manages a portfolio of programmes that sit at the intersection of export readiness, agri-food value chain development, gender inclusion, and pan-African economic growth.

Celina serves as Programme Lead for the Scaling Export Program (SEP), AFC’s flagship export development initiative funded by the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank). SEP is a structured six-week programme designed to equip African agribusiness SMEs with the knowledge, tools, market linkages, and institutional connections required to enter, compete in, and scale within regional and international export markets. As Programme Lead, Celina is responsible for end-to-end programme delivery: curriculum coordination, participant engagement across multiple African countries, mentor and expert management, cohort tracking, MEL systems, and funder reporting directly to Afreximbank.

Under her leadership, the Scaling Export Program has delivered measurable, independently documented outcomes. SEP has directly contributed to the creation of 768 new jobs, demonstrating its role not only as a capacity-building intervention but as a direct driver of employment and economic value across African agri-food value chains.

In addition to SEP, Celina manages AFC’s Building Resilience Against Climate and Environmental Shocks (BRACE) programme, which graduated 3,506 agribusiness owners across Nigeria, Kenya, Malawi, and Cameroon, exceeding its target by 17%. 61% reported increased profits, and over 4,399 new jobs were created across BRACE and SEP combined. She also leads the Leading African Women in Food Fellowship (LAWFF), a pan-African women’s leadership sponsorship programme that has engaged over 1,154 nominations across 17 countries in 2025 alone, with 100% of fellows describing the programme as life-changing. Together, these programmes demonstrate her proven capacity to manage multi-programme, multi-country portfolios at the scale and rigour that institutional funders require.

A trained researcher and policy practitioner, Celina previously served as a Researcher contributing to projects on governance, behavioural insights for public policy, and gender. She holds an MBA in Human Resource Management from Ahmadu Bello University, is completing a PhD in Public Policy and Governance at Nasarawa State University (expected 2027) and holds

certifications in Social Analysis and Action (Care USA), Gender and Social Policy (PIC), and Humanitarian Project Management, among others.

Celina Imafidor’s combination of programme management experience, GESI expertise, cross-country stakeholder engagement capability, and institutional credibility with development finance partners makes her an exceptionally strong contributor to any initiative seeking to expand African SMEs.

Bushirah is a strategic program delivery professional and capacity-building specialist with a proven track record of designing and executing high-impact interventions across Africa's agribusiness and food systems sector. With over four years of experience, she has led transformative programs that strengthen export readiness, build resilience, and expand market access for agripreneurs across the continent.

As Program Officer at African Food Changemakers, Bushirah designs and delivers capacity-building programs that have reached over 3,500 participants across 25 African countries. She designed and led the Scaling Export Program, funded by Afreximbank, training 635 agripreneurs across 25 African countries through the full project management cycle. Building on this experience, she conceptualised and now leads the Open Export Series, a monthly knowledge-sharing platform that connects African exporters with industry practitioners and equips them with practical export strategies and direct access to market expertise. She also designed concept for the inaugural Jollof War: Shutdown of Flavours for the CANEX team at the African Export-Import Bank, a concept that has since become a permanent feature of CANEX events.

Bushirah has also supported the design and implementation of the Leading African Women in Food Fellowship and the Building Resilience Against Climate and Environmental Shocks (BRACE) Program. Her expertise spans program design and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, impact assessment, stakeholder management, research, and strategic partnerships. She has worked closely with international, governmental, and private institutions to expand enterprise access to policy-level resources and global markets.

This ability to navigate complex, multi-stakeholder systems traces back to the start of her career. Early roles within Nigeria's trade and logistics ecosystem, at the Nigerian Port Authority and a steel manufacturing and logistics firm, gave her firsthand exposure to compliance, documentation, and the operational discipline that underpins how goods move across borders.

Bushirah holds a Bachelor's degree in History and International Studies from the University of Ilorin and is currently completing an MBA with a specialisation in Sustainability at Nexford University. Bushirah remains committed to building African enterprises' access to knowledge, markets, and opportunity, and to strengthening the systems that drive Africa's economic transformation.

Indagiju Anna Mambula is a communications professional passionate about storytelling, digital engagement, and programme design that drives impact across the non-profit and development sectors. With a background in sustainable development, she crafts compelling narratives that amplify organisational impact, foster community engagement, and advance advocacy.

At African Food Changemakers, Anna leads brand strategy and communications, ensuring that the organisation's initiatives reach the right audiences, inspire action, and communicate measurable impact. Her expertise extends beyond communications into programme design and implementation, where she supports the structuring of impactful initiatives that empower African agripreneurs and changemakers.

Before stepping into communications, Anna served as a Programme Officer at African Food Changemakers and earlier as a Programme Manager at FAME Foundation, where she led humanitarian programmes supporting internally displaced women and girls in northeastern Nigeria, including projects funded by the French Development Agency, U.S. Embassy, and Laureus Sports for Good.

Anna holds a BSc in Human Anatomy from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and is currently completing a Master's in Sustainable Development Studies at the University of Abuja.

Nosa Obano is an Agricultural Economics professional, membership strategist, and community engagement specialist with over five years of experience driving stakeholder engagement, partnership development, and ecosystem growth within Africa's agrifood sector. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ibadan. He has built a strong track record of designing and implementing initiatives that strengthen professional networks and create value for agrifood entrepreneurs and organizations across the continent. 

In his current role as the Membership Officer at African Food Changemakers (AFC), Nosa leads strategies for membership growth, engagement, and retention for a vibrant community of over 9,000 agrifood professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers, and ecosystem enablers across more than 50 African countries. He has spearheaded impactful initiatives that foster knowledge exchange, strategic collaboration, business growth, and meaningful connections among stakeholders across Africa's food systems.

Beyond membership engagement, Nosa plays a complementary role in supporting the implementation and success of key AFC programs and initiatives, including the Scaling Export Program (SEP) and the Building Resilience Against Climate and Environmental Shocks Program (BRACE). Through strategic member mobilization, participant recruitment, stakeholder coordination, and engagement management, he contributes to expanding program reach, strengthening participant experiences, and driving meaningful outcomes for agrifood entrepreneurs across Africa Nosa combines expertise in stakeholder management, community building, digital engagement, data analytics, and insights-driven decision-making to enhance member experiences and support organizational growth.

His professional credentials include certification as a Project Management Professional, from Practical and Professional Management Signatures (PPMS), alongside certifications in Digital Marketing and Data Analytics, reflecting his commitment to continuous learning and excellence. Passionate about sustainable food systems and inclusive economic development, Nosa is dedicated to connecting people, ideas, and opportunities that accelerate innovation and transformation within Africa's agrifood landscape.

Ogheneruona Ekure is a Chartered Accountant and Certified Analyst with five years of progressive experience, two post-graduation and three as a working undergraduate, with a proven commitment to financial excellence. He is dedicated to improving financial systems and practices and positively impacting the landscape of Accounting and Finance.

He has built an early but substantive career across multiple industries, gaining hands-on experience from working with diverse companies in the hospitality, finance, agribusiness and NGO sectors, complemented by financial consultation services. His experience spans both national and international engagements, through which he has continuously sharpened his professional values, deepened his technical expertise and raised the quality of service he offers.

He led a financial turnaround strategy for a restaurant in his early career, developing the financial reporting and operating systems that resulted in over 50% debt reduction within eight months. He has independently valued four firms across different sectors, producing rigorous firm valuation reports for informed decision-making.

He currently serves as the Accountant of African Food Changemakers, an NGO in Nigeria, where he continues to strengthen the financial reporting systems, improve operational transparency, and deliver clear, structured financial reports and frameworks for Management and Board-level presentations.

He holds a BSc (Honours) in Accounting from the University of Benin, and he is an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) and an Associate Accounting Technician (AAT) from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He further holds a Financial Modeling and Valuation Analyst (FMVA) certification from the Corporate Finance Institute (CFI) and a Data Analyst certification from ALX Africa, equipping him with a combination of both accounting discipline and analytical capabilities.

Ogheneruona Ekure is driven by a genuine love for his field. He remains relentless in his pursuit of growth, knowledge, excellence, and the next level of professional achievement.