Folorunso Alakija’s new interest

Folorunso Alakija, successful Nigerian female entrepreneur, is one of the two black female billionaires featured on the 2017 FORBES list of the World’s billionaires.

The 66-year-old business magnate has championed the causes of women in Nigeria from her work with widows and orphans through the Rose of Sharon Foundation (RoSF), which she uses as a medium to empower thousands of impoverished women and their children through a number of initiatives designed to give them a better standard of living.

Her organisation, Famfa Oil, one of the largest indigenous oil companies in Africa, has built schools, science labs, roads as well as provided scholarships to thousands of young students all over Nigeria. Her philanthropy work continues this year with the launch of the women empowerment platform, Flourish Africa.

Flourish Africa is the first platform of its kind designed to create an impact in the lives of women in Africa by providing the tools they need to fulfill their God-given potential. Through a series of conferences, workshops and mentorship programmes, the platform hopes to bring women from all walks of life together to share in their unique experiences and become who God has destined for them to be.

The first Flourish Africa conference was an exclusive invitation-only event that took place at the Renaissance Hotel, Ikeja. The event was hosted by Forbes Africa Head of Digital Media and Partnerships and West Africa Correspondent, Peace Hyde.

Folorunso Alakija, Ibukun Awosika, Senator Daisy Danjuma, Abimbola Fashola, Juliet Ehimuan Chiazor, Uche Pedro, Ayo Mogbepe and many more were present to speak to over 300 participants selected from over 2,000 applications.