Olapeju Ibekwe is a seasoned business leader, filmmaker, and sustainability professional with keen interests in women empowerment, youth development, access to quality education, and better healthcare.
With two decades of corporate experience, she has built expertise in brand and marketing communications, strategy formulation and execution, team management, process improvement, strategic partnerships, and business expansion.
She currently oversees all operations and initiatives at the Sterling One Foundation, a social change vehicle focused on tackling the root causes of poverty in Nigeria.
Sterling One Foundation is a vehicle for positive social impact across critical sectors in the Nigerian economy. Driven by the unique challenges facing millions of Africans, they are keen on contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), harnessing demographic dividends and improving the lives and livelihoods of people in under-served communities. Through their innovative programmes and integrated approach, they engage in stakeholder driven interventions that are geared towards socio-economic development, wealth creation, employability, sustainability and national development.
Under this non-profit, Olapeju works with and supports various non-profits across the African continent in capacity building, and amplifying impact within the Foundation’s key focus areas – healthcare, climate action, youth development and education, gender equality and women empowerment, and food security. Part of her work includes leveraging technology for alternative financing for social impact projects through Africa’s first free crowdfunding platform – Giving.ng. She also works with the private and public sectors on social impact initiatives, and spearheads coalition-building between the different sectors through the Africa Social Impact Summit.
Ibekwe sits on the board of the One Health Initiative where she helps shape impactful policies and initiatives for medical practitioners and everyday Nigerians seeking better healthcare.
As a movie producer, she uses her work within the media and creative space to raise awareness about gender issues, especially gender-based violence while actively supporting young girls through mentorship, providing business advisory for very early-stage entrepreneurs, and supporting climate action initiatives in coastal communities.
Olapeju enjoys using her platform to promote and encourage women to see beyond their challenges and be optimistic about their vision and aspirations. For her, women can break the “glass ceiling” and shatter stereotypes, and as such, pave the way for younger women to know that their dreams are valid.
Olapeju Ibekwe has received various awards in the social impact space, including the ‘Leadership Impact Award in Non-profit Management’ at the CSR Reporters Philanthropic Awards on ‘Social Impact and Sustainability Practices’, and was named in ‘Ventures Africa’s Top 20 Women of Impact in 2023.’
