Amina Mohammed Speaks on Policy and Scaling Initiatives at ‘Reaching Millions with Impact’ Forum

On November 25th 2016, Paul Lehmann, the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, hosted a forum for social entrepreneurs, the private sector and the development community in Abuja. The theme of the event was “Reaching Millions with Impact,” which also serves the title of Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli’s latest book which was showcased at the event.

 

Amina Mohammed, Minister of the Environment and Ndidi Nwuneli, Founder LEAP Africa at a Forum on Reaching Millions with Impact, hosted by the Australian High Commission in Abuja

The keynote speaker for the Forum, Environment Minister Amina Mohammed, shared insights on scaling social impact in the public sector.

She spoke about her personal experiences shaping policy, launching and scaling initiatives through her roles in promoting Education for All, the MDGs and most recently her portfolio as the Minister for the Environment. She underscored the importance of collaborations, compromise and shared visions while attempting to scale impact. Minister Mohammed also stressed that social entrepreneurs who want to scale must partner with the public sector, given its size and reach in Nigeria.

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, the founder of LEAP Africa and co-founder of AACE Foods Processing & Distribution Ltd. and Sahel Capital, shared insights from her book. She underscored the urgent need to scale high-impact interventions in Nigeria, given the growing population and the critical food, housing, education, healthcare, sanitation, transportation and power gaps in the country.

Using case studies and data from her research on high-impact initiatives that are scaling in Africa, she stressed the importance of clear missions, visions, business models and the selection of appropriate pathways for scaling. She also provided practical tools for attracting and retaining talent, financing and instituting partnerships for scaling.

Other speakers at the Forum included Paul Lehmann, Christopher Thornley, Canadian Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Owens Wiwa, Country Director, Clinton Global Health Access, and Dr. Chichi Aniagolu-Okoye, ED of Girl Hub Nigeria.