By Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes
At 65, Nigeria stands at a threshold, not of potential, but of accountability. This is not the time to revisit inclusion as a concept. It’s time to talk about transformation. And transformation requires capital, not just money, but intentional investment in people, ideas, and systems that shift the ground beneath us.
As a female capital allocator in private equity, I’ve witnessed first-hand how capital, when applied with clarity and conscience, can unlock dormant value across sectors. But beyond financial returns, what we need now is catalytic capital investment that dares to build the Nigeria we’ve talked about for decades.
Private equity in Nigeria isn’t just about backing businesses, it’s about backing builders, empowering founders who are solving real problems, and funding innovation that refuses to ask for permission. This is where the next 65 years must begin.
And as a woman in private equity, I’m proud to be part of a movement that isn’t waiting to be included. We’re shaping the future with intentional capital and unapologetic ambition. The narrative is shifting, from inclusion to influence, from access to authority, from waiting to leading. And in this shift, lies Nigeria’s greatest possibility.
This is how we drive change, not just for Nigeria @65, but for the Nigeria we want at 100.
Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes is the Founder and CEO of Aruwa Capital Management, one of the few women owned and managed, growth equity and gender lens funds in Africa. She has over 15 years of investment banking and private equity experience in developed and emerging markets from global institutions such as J.P. Morgan.
In 2023, Adesuwa won the 2X Global Woman Fund Manager of the Year award and was recognised as one of the 150 Eko Aspire Women by the Lagos State Governor and recognised as one of the 100 Laureates by Institut Choiseul (2021-2024) under the age of 40 shaping Africa’s future. Adesuwa is also the only female in Nigeria to raise over $10 million in a first institutional fund. Aruwa Capital has $55m in assets under management and growing, deploying capital into critical sectors such as healthcare, agri-processing financial inclusion, and renewable energy. She is married with children and enjoys travelling, tennis, and cooking.
