Esther Okoloeze, a Nigerian social entrepreneur and student of Vera Alex Coaching Company, is establishing a creative hub for African Christian writers, aiming to address gaps in income opportunities for faith-based storytellers.
With a degree in Theatre Arts and over 10 years of experience in writing, Okoloeze is using her expertise to create structured pathways for young writers to build sustainable careers. “There’s a gap in decent work opportunities for creatives, especially those who fuse faith and African identity,” she said in an interview.
In April 2025, she led a three-month fellowship which trained more than 30 African Christian writers. The programme, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), equipped participants with tools to write commercially viable stories rooted in faith and culture.
“There’s a hunger for wholesome, well-written stories that reflect Christian values and African realities,” Okoloeze said. “We’re building a space where writers don’t have to choose between their faith and their career.”
Her journey began with a secondary school journal and shifted towards mentorship and enterprise after a failed post-university film audition. “Finance has always been the biggest hurdle,” she said. “I’ve had to wear many hats. But I’ve learned to embrace imperfection, just like software versions, we launch, learn, and upgrade.”
Okoloeze credits much of her progress to mentorship and Coaching from Vera Alex, founder of Vera Alex Coaching Company, which supports African change-makers and entrepreneurs “Esther is a quiet force,” Alex said. “She represents what our membership stands for, excellence, impact, and resilience.”
Okoloeze’s next phase is to expand her fellowship to reach between 50 and 150 creatives annually, building her platform as a structured hub for African Christian storytelling.
