Full Name Toyosi Akerele Website www.toyosi.ng Nationality Nigerian Name Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji | Other names Toyosi Akerele Role Social entrepreneur Occupation Social Entrepreneur | |
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Born Nigeria Known for The 20 Youngest Power Women In Africa 2014 | ||
Toyosi Akerele Ogunsiji ,(born Oluwatoyosi Akerele, 8 November 1983) is a Nigerian, Populist Social Entrepreneur and Human Development Expert with over 8 years on - the field experience. She is from Lagos State, Nigeria. She was named by Forbes as one "The 20 Youngest Power Women In Africa 2014". In 2014, she was also nominated for the MTV Africa Music Awards 2014. She is a Social entrepreneur and Founder of RISE NETWORKS, a Nigeria-based private and public sector funded Youth Interest social enterprise. She is married to Korede Ogunsiji
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Education
Oluwatoyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji was born on 8 November 1983 to the Family of James Ayodele & Felicia Mopelola Akerele. She attended Ebun Oluwa Nursery and Primary School, Oregun Lagos from where she headed to Lagos State Model College Kankon Badagry, Lagos for her Junior Secondary Education from 1994 to 1996. She then went to Egbado College (now Yewa College) from 1998 till June 2000 for her Senior Secondary Education where she remarkably graduated as the best Student in the Essay Competition organised by the Aionian Group of Schools in Ogun State. She obtained a Second Class Upper Degree in Civil Law from the University of Jos in April 2007.
- She holds a Strategic Management at Executive Level from Cambridge University’s Judge Business School.
- She obtained a Certificate in Youth Inclusive Financial Services from University of New Hampshire, Durham, USA.
- She holds a Certificate in Media Enterprise from the School of Media and Communication, Pan African University.
- She has Executive Masters’ Certificate in Project Management from The Project Management College, UK.
- She studied Digital Marketing Strategy at the UK Institute of Digital Marketing.
- She is also an alumnus of the United States Government International Visitor Leadership Program.
- She studied Civil Law from the University of Jos, in Nigeria.
Work
Toyosi spent most of her growing years shaping Nigerian Communities and Youth is a devoted Mentor to hundreds of Young People in Public and Private Sector Led initiatives in addition to Tertiary Institutions across Africa. Her values and ideals are evident in the ground breaking successes of many of the beneficiaries of her efforts and are attributable to an unflinching commitment to the value re-orientation, financial empowerment and Job Creation for the successor Generation of Africa. She is a respected advisor, content expert and commentator on issues of Entrepreneurship, Education and Governance and a problem solver highly skilled in attracting and sustaining Return on Investment in Business Ventures and a strong communicator with ability to present messages and influence diverse audiences.
She has, along with a growing and highly professional Board and Team, conceptualized and designed effective programs to deepen the links and learning opportunities for Young people in knowledge acquisition, access to Jobs through skills development and Nation Building. RISE Networks’ National Youth Forum, the longest standing Pan Nigerian, Campus Wide Youth Empowerment Program has attracted hundreds of thousands of students and Young Professionals in hundreds of communities in Nigerian States in the last 8 years described in 2012 by US First Lady, Michelle Obama as the largest Youth Conference in Nigeria in a Live Televised Address ahead of her Official Visit to Africa to launch the Young African Women Leaders Forum
She is the Founder and CEO of Rise Networks. Rise Networks is a Nigeria-based private and public sector funded Youth Interest social enterprise with a primary focus on wholesome youth and education development. The organization focuses on creating intellectual development and capacity building programs for young Nigerians between 16 and 30.
Entrepreneurship and Business
With a depth of versatility and huge expanse of certified knowledge and practical experience in Human Resource, Media, Digital Marketing, Enterprise Risk and Project Management, she is also a Business savvy Executive with vested interests in a world class Printing Firm with state of the art equipments and topnotch staff strength. She founded, Nigeria’s foremost online Print Store that delivers 24 hours Printing Service at low cost to Small Businesses via the Internet as well as the fastest growing online community for Nigerian Students,.
Awards and Recognition
In 2007, she was selected as one of 101 Young African Leaders by the African Business Forum, Toyosi is an alumnus of the Prestigious International Visitor Leadership Program of the United States Government, a recipient of numerous awards including Recognition by Crans Montana Forum in Europe as a New Leader of Tomorrow, This Day Awards for Nigeria’s Women of Distinction, Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 of Success Digest Entrepreneurial Awards, The 2011 Excellence Awards of the School of Media and Communication, Pan African University, The 2008 Future Africa Awards Best Use of Advocacy Category and the Nigerian Youth Leadership Awards jointly organized by Leap Africa, International Youth Foundation and NOKIA. She is also one of the honorees' of the Top 100 Young Leaders’ Recognition at the Nigeria’s Centenary Celebrations by the Federal Government. In 2013, she was honored by the Federal Government as one of the Best 100 Young Nigerians in one of the events to mark Nigeria's 100th anniversary as a union. Other awards and nominations include the Just U Award, Dynamix Awards and the Green Yaggy Achievement Award. She has also being honoured by 234 GIVE, a Social Initiative that encourages Nigerians to donate to the adopted Charities and improve livelihoods for the less privileged. In May 2010, Toyosi was selected for the Nigeria Leadership Initiative's Future Leaders Fellowship. NLI is a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.