Ada Osakwe is transforming Africa’s agricultural sector. Through Agrolay Ventures, she invests in agribusiness startups and empowers smallholder farmers. She also promotes sustainable, locally sourced food through Nuli Foods.
Africa holds 60% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, yet spends nearly $100 billion annually on food imports. Despite smallholder farmers producing a large share of the continent’s food, less than 5% of bank lending goes to agriculture. This results in persistent funding gaps, limited market access, and unfair pricing that hinder growth.
Ada Osakwe is tackling these challenges through Agrolay Ventures. She invests in agribusiness startups and connects small farmers to markets, proving that agriculture can be profitable while reducing Africa’s reliance on food imports.
Turning agriculture into big business
Born on September 2, 1981, in Lagos, Nigeria, Osakwe holds a First-Class degree in Economics from the University of Hull (England), a Master’s in Economics and Finance from the University of Warwick (England), and an MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University (USA).
Her career started in finance at BNP Paribas, followed by a role as Senior Investment Officer at the African Development Bank (AfDB) and later as vice President at Kuramo Capital. But she wanted more than moving monies; she wanted to change lives.
As Senior Investment Adviser to Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Osakwe was pivotal in launching the $100 million FAFIN fund to finance Nigerian agribusinesses. This experience revealed how underfunded and undervalued Africa’s food system was and inspired her to do more.
Building businesses and changing lives
In 2015, Ada Osakwe founded Agrolay Ventures, an angel investment firm supporting early-stage African companies in food and technology. Agrolay backs entrepreneurs transforming ecosystems, focusing on women-owned businesses and sustainable wealth creation, investing between $10,000 and $200,000.
The firm’s portfolio includes high-growth companies Reel Fruit and African Courier Express, which have had successful exits and delivered strong financial returns.
In the same year, Osakwe also built Nuli Foods, a farm-to-table restaurant chain that sources from over 500 Nigerian smallholder farmers. The brand supplies healthy food to thousands of Nigerians daily, driving market access and fair pricing for local farmers.
Impact beyond profits
Ada Osakwe empowers young agripreneurs through Generation Africa and AfDB’s Youth Advisory Group to groom the next generation of agricultural leaders. Her work has earned her several accolades, including Forbes Africa Businesswoman of the Year (2021), Forbes Top 100 Africans (2016–2020), Forbes 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa (2014), and Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum (2016).
