Eleanya Urum Eke, founder and CEO of Risevest, has extended his growing footprint in youth development and education in Nigeria with new support for Chess in Slums Africa, a non-profit organisation founded by Tunde Onakoya, using chess to empower children in underserved communities.
The move is part of an ongoing support of Chess in Slums by the Nigerian tech founder, going back to the early campaigns on Oshodi under bridge, and this new support reinforces his support of organizations that are building the cognitive tools in our youth required for long-term success.
Chess in Slums Africa has gained international recognition for its innovative approach to education, using chess as a tool to teach critical thinking, and decision-making among children who often lack access to formal educational support systems.
By introducing young people to structured thinking and strategy at an early stage, the initiative helps bridge a critical gap in Nigeria’s development ecosystem: the ability to think independently, anticipate outcomes, and navigate complexity.
“Through chess, we teach critical thinking, patience, and discipline, and his insights on delayed gratification and purposeful living brought those values to life in a powerful way. When leaders like Eke Urum show up for communities like ours, it sends a powerful message that children in underserved communities are not problems to be managed, but talents to be developed.
“This is how we build not just better chess players, but a generation of thinkers, innovators, and nation-builders,” Tunde Onakoya said.
For Eleanya Eke, this aligns closely with a broader philosophy around human capital development.
“Chess teaches something most systems in Nigeria don’t: how to think before you move. What Chess in Slums Africa is doing is rewiring how young people approach problems, trade-offs, and consequence. Those are the same skills that build companies, solve problems, and shape economies.
If we can scale that kind of thinking, then we’re not just developing talent, we’re building a generation that can outthink the limitations around them.”
Eke’s support for Chess in Slums Africa signals a deeper evolution in how private sector leaders are approaching social impact in Nigeria.
While traditional interventions have focused on access, such as funding education or providing infrastructure, this approach prioritises how young people think, not just what they have access to.
The emphasis on strategy, patience, and foresight mirrors the same competencies required in entrepreneurship, technology, and leadership.
This latest initiative builds on a series of recent interventions by the Risevest CEO. In 2025, Eleanya Eke and Risevest Co-founder Bosun Olanrewaju invested N6.1 million in a solar power system for the Postgraduate School at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), addressing energy challenges that hinder research productivity.
In addition, through the Rumexx Foundation, Eke has supported youth-focused initiatives such as the Aba Olympiad, which identifies and nurtures young talent across Nigeria, particularly in underserved regions.
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