African Marketplace is about giving our entrepreneurs a global voice and market presence – Ibukun Awosika

Ibukun Awosika is a businesswoman and author. She is the first female chairperson of First Bank of Nigeria. Awosika, who doesn’t want to be successful alone but to multiply success in others, is the founder of the Ibukun Awosika Leadership Academy (IALA) & African Marketplace, Dubai. In this interview with Daniel Obi, she gives her perspective on Africa’s evolving trade and enterprise landscape, with a focus on SMEs, innovation, and regional collaboration. She also throws more light on the Dubai initiative. Excerpts

What inspired the African Marketplace Dubai initiative?

African Marketplace Dubai was born out of decades of observation, frustration, and ultimately, hope. I have walked alongside so many brilliant African and Caribbean entrepreneurs whose products, services and ideas could rival any global standard, yet they remain unseen and unsupported; not because they lack quality, but because they lack economies of scale, sustainable access to the global market and the right visibility. African Marketplace is a bold response to this critical need. I wanted to create a platform that aggregates a well-curated selection of such African businesses with export-ready products of international standards, fostering economic transformation, accelerating intra-African trade and driving job creation for our continent’s teeming youth population.

However, beyond commerce, one key objective of African Marketplace is to change the perception of African excellence and redefine the narrative of the ‘Africa story’ through our culturally rich product, innovation and craftsmanship. Dubai, being a global hub for trade, culture, and innovation, offered the ideal backdrop for this vision. But more than the location, it’s the heart behind the Marketplace that makes it different. It’s a call to action, a declaration that we are not waiting to be invited to global conversations. We’re building our own tables, and we’re inviting the world to come see who we truly are.

Again, why Dubai? What does the city offer that aligns with your marketplace philosophy?

Dubai is a gateway city, a global crossroads for trade, tourism, and business with unparalleled trade infrastructure and footfall. By choosing Dubai, we are not just exporting our products and services; we are exporting our excellence to one of the world’s most strategic trade stages. The city gives us neutral ground and high visibility, positioning African and Caribbean entrepreneurs to be seen, respected and engaged in powerful ways. We are planting a flag that says, We belong here. We are global players.

How does African Marketplace Dubai 2025 aim to change global perceptions of African businesses and showcase African excellence?

For far too long, the global narrative around Africa has been one-dimensional, defined by need rather than by capacity, and aid rather than trade. African Marketplace Dubai 2025 is a deliberate response to that. African Marketplace is a visual declaration that we are creators of value, not just consumers of aid. It’s about giving our entrepreneurs a global voice and market presence. When buyers, investors, and stakeholders see the quality and innovation on display, they will begin to engage with us on new terms of dignity, excellence, and mutual value. That’s the shift we are catalysing.

Our businesses are not defined by charity or survival; they are defined by creativity, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. Through this platform, we are leading with quality. We are placing premium, export-ready products in front of discerning international buyers, not with apology, but with pride.

“From high-end fashion to cutting-edge tech, from agricultural innovation to cultural artistry, we are telling the full story of who we are and what we bring.”

From high-end fashion to cutting-edge tech, from agricultural innovation to cultural artistry, we are telling the full story of who we are and what we bring. The goal is not to impress but to correct. To shift the lens from aid to trade, from scarcity to abundance, from raw potential to refined performance. This is African excellence delivered without compromise, without dilution and without the need for permission.

Have you formed any key partnerships with governments, trade agencies, or logistics companies in Africa and the Caribbean states for support of this initiative?

Yes, we are currently in conversations with a number of strategic partners, including government bodies, trade agencies and logistics companies. While these conversations are still ongoing, the feedback and interest thus far have been very positive. We’re optimistic these partnerships will significantly contribute to the overall success of this initiative.

How do you envision the African Marketplace contributing to a more inclusive and prosperous future for African and Caribbean economies and diaspora communities?

African Marketplace will reconnect continents, generations, cultures and commerce. Africa and the Caribbean have operated in fragmented silos, despite our shared histories and complementary strengths. This platform brings us together not just to trade goods, but to trade wisdom, stories, strategy, and solidarity. Inclusion, for us, is not ticking boxes; it’s creating a new model of prosperity that centres our people and empowers them to lead in the global economy.

I see the African Marketplace as a seed that will grow into a continent-wide mindset shift. When our entrepreneurs succeed globally, they hire locally. When diaspora communities see themselves reflected in global trade spaces, they invest more intentionally. When African and Caribbean businesses collaborate, we move from isolated progress to collective impact. This is how we build a future where opportunity isn’t limited to geography, but it is extended by vision, connection, and intentional platforms like AMP.

How does this project tie into your broader vision for African women and business?

At the core of everything I do, whether in business, leadership, or advocacy, is a deep conviction that women are powerful agents of transformation. I’ve seen it time and again: when a woman rises, she doesn’t rise alone; she brings her family, her community and often an entire ecosystem along with her. My broader vision has always been about unlocking that potential, creating structures where women are not just participating but leading with confidence and competence. For too long, African women have been boxed into small narratives: traders, side hustlers, support roles. But the truth is, they are visionaries, builders, and innovators, capable of thriving at the highest levels of global enterprise.

African Marketplace was designed with intentional inclusivity at its heart. This platform showcases products and elevates the people behind them. We’ve made a deliberate effort to ensure women-led businesses are not only present but also positioned for visibility, connection, and growth. I want African women to see themselves as rightful players in global trade, decision-makers, exporters, and job creators. The Marketplace gives them a seat at the table, where their ideas, businesses and brilliance can be seen, heard and invested in on a global stage.

How would the platform ensure the authentic representation and inclusion of African and Caribbean products?

Authenticity is the foundation of the entire African Marketplace initiative. We are deeply intentional about what we curate and how we present it. This is not about putting African and Caribbean products on display for the sake of visibility; it’s about showcasing the full richness, depth, and excellence of our cultures in a way that honours their origins. From fashion to food, from wellness to technology, every product that makes it into the Marketplace is evaluated and well vetted for market readiness, cultural integrity and global competitiveness. We are committed to ensuring that what we put forward is premium in quality, dignified in presentation, and reflective of the brilliance that exists across our continent.

To do this well, we are collaborating with cultural custodians, industry experts, and local partners who understand the nuance and history behind what we’re showcasing. We’re not interested in watered-down representations—we’re building a platform that allows the world to engage with our products as they are: innovative, rooted, and world-class. Whether it’s the weave of indigenous loom fabric, the ingredients in a spice blend, or the design of a tech solution, we are making sure that everything reflects the true spirit of its origin. This approach ensures that the African and Caribbean narrative is not lost in translation but celebrated in its most authentic and compelling form.

How many businesses and entrepreneurs are you hoping to connect or transform through the platform?

We are targeting over 200 export-ready SME brands.

What is your long-term vision for Africa Marketplace Dubai, and how do you plan to expand its global reach?

This inaugural edition in November 2025 will lay a foundation for a second edition in November 2026 as proof of concept, paving the way for our long-term vision of a permanent African marketplace in Dubai where authentic and culturally rich African and Caribbean products will be available all year round. Additionally, we will continue to host these exhibitions annually to attract new and innovative brands. The ultimate goal is sustainability, where African and Caribbean businesses thrive consistently in global markets.

What kind of impact do you expect this platform to have on the visibility, valuation, and viability of export-ready African and Caribbean businesses?

Visibility is the first step; when the world sees you, it begins to value you. But we are going beyond awareness to valuation. Through strategic buyer connections, investment matchmaking, and business development support, we are equipping businesses not just to be seen but to be scaled. Viability, in this sense, means long-term competitiveness—and that is our goal.

From your perspective, what are the biggest systemic barriers young and emerging African entrepreneurs face in scaling globally, and how can platforms like African Marketplace help dismantle them?

One of the greatest systemic challenges young and emerging African entrepreneurs face is access—access to capital, access to the right networks, access to mentorship, and critically, access to global markets. Many of these young innovators have the drive, the ideas, and the resilience, but they are often trying to build within fragmented ecosystems that do not fully support their growth. They are navigating regulatory red tape, underdeveloped infrastructure, and limited visibility on the global stage. Even the most brilliant ideas can stall without the right scaffolding to support scale. These barriers are logistical as well as deeply structural. And if we do not address them intentionally, we risk leaving behind a generation of builders whose only limitation isn’t capacity, but opportunity.

This is where platforms like the African Marketplace become both enabling and catalytic, taking local, export-ready products and services to global relevance. We are creating a space where young entrepreneurs can connect directly with buyers, investors, and collaborators who would otherwise be out of reach.

We are curating a vibrant ecosystem that enables growth beyond borders!

What would you say is your biggest legacy in corporate Nigeria so far?

If I’m remembered for anything, I hope it is for being a door-opener, for showing that excellence, character, and faith are not mutually exclusive in business. Whether it was leading as the first female Chairperson of First Bank or championing inclusion in boardrooms, I hope my legacy is that I made space for others.

What do you want to be remembered for?

I want to be remembered as a woman who walked with God, served with integrity and built with purpose. A woman who opened doors, tore down barriers and helped others rise. Legacy, to me, is not in monuments—it’s in lives changed. If generations after me can walk taller, dream bigger and believe deeper because of something I did or stood for, then I’ve done my part. My end game in life is to “Die Empty”.

What drives your passion for entrepreneurship and empowering others?

Entrepreneurship to me is more than a means of livelihood; it is a vehicle of liberation. It gives people a sense of purpose and dignity and can potentially rewrite the story of entire communities. I’ve seen what happens when individuals, especially women, are given the tools to build. They don’t just earn; they empower. They educate their children, support others, and contribute meaningfully to society. That ripple effect is what keeps me going. It’s never just about the business; it’s about what the business enables.

My own entrepreneurial journey, from building The Chair Centre to sitting on a number of esteemed corporate boards, has taught me that true empowerment happens when people believe that their dreams are valid and that they are equipped to pursue them. That’s why I’m passionate about mentorship and about policy-level interventions that remove barriers. I don’t want to be successful alone. I want to multiply success in others. When I see someone I once mentored leading their own team or breaking barriers in their industry, that’s when I know the work is truly worth it.

Looking back, what core values shaped the woman you are today?

Looking back, I can confidently say that my life and leadership have been anchored on a few non-negotiable values. These are principles that were forged in me over the years through experience, conviction, and faith. They stem from the principles I was raised with, the leanings and convictions I’ve embraced throughout my journey, and the consistent guidance of my faith and belief system. These values have shaped the woman I’ve become, every decision I’ve made, every business I’ve built, and every life I’ve touched. They are:

Integrity: Integrity is the bedrock of my entire journey. I’ve always believed that it is possible to succeed without cutting corners. Cutting corners was never an option, and that conviction has sustained me across decades of leadership. I’ve built my life and businesses on doing what is right, not what is easy.

Purpose and Value Creation: I didn’t go into business primarily to make profit. I went in to solve problems and create lasting value. Purpose gives meaning to the work and keeps you grounded through every season.

Self-Awareness and Excellence: Knowing who I am has helped me lead authentically and serve effectively. But self-awareness must be paired with excellence. If I say yes to anything, I give it my best.

Courage and Risk-Taking: Boldness has defined my journey. I’ve stepped into rooms and roles where I didn’t feel ready, but I moved forward with faith and determination. You can’t build anything meaningful without courage.

People and Community: I’ve always valued people. You don’t succeed alone. Whether mentoring, building teams, or leading organisations, I believe in empowering others and creating space for everyone to thrive.