meet your host & speakers

Oyin Johnson-Awoniyi is a commercial lawyer and trusted counsel for high-growth tech companies navigating complex product, regulatory, and scaling challenges. With a First-Class law degree, a Cambridge LLM, and dual qualification in England & Wales and Nigeria, she has spent over a decade advising on $90M+ M&A transactions, supervising 150+ contracts annually across 12 countries, and embedding legal thinking into go-to-market strategy.

Currently Associate General Counsel at ALX Africa, she leads legal, compliance, and governance functions. Beyond the law, Oyin co-founded Vester.AI (an AI-powered investment platform) and serves as an operational advisor to early-stage founders and investors across Africa. She’s a mentor to university applicants, a startup judge for African Business Heroes, and an active leader in the Nigerian tech and legal ecosystem.

Oyin also performs spoken word and produces music—a practice that mirrors her approach to law: bringing clarity, humanity, and conviction to complex problems. Whether closing an M&A deal or stepping on stage, Oyin believes transformation is proven through tangible outcomes and the willingness to lift others as you rise.

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli is the President/CEO of the ONE Campaign. Ndidi started her career at McKinsey & Company and returned to Nigeria in 2000 to serve as the Executive Director of the FATE Foundation.

She is the founder of LEAP Africa and African Food Changemakers. She is also the co-founder of Sahel Consulting Agriculture Nutrition Ltd. and AACE Foods Processing & Distribution Ltd.

Ndidi serves on the boards of the Rockefeller Foundation, Chanel Foundation, Stanbic IBTC Group, the Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum, the Bridgespan Group, and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data. She has also joined the International Finance Corporation’s Women LEAD Africa Alliance. Ndidi is an alumna of Harvard Business School and the University of Pennsylvania.

Ashanti Kunene is an art activist, slam poet, published writer, TEDx speaker, and the founder of Learning 2 Unlearn, a decolonial strategic narratives consultancy cultivating leadership coherence in the context of the polycrisis. She also serves as the Transforming Wealth Lab co-lead for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Mariam A. Abdrabu is a Virtual Assistant, community builder, and the Founder of Meem English Community. Her work focuses on empowering individuals to access better career opportunities through language, technology, and remote work skills.

Mariam’s journey began with years of volunteer leadership in community initiatives, most notably with Resala Charity Organization, where she contributed as both a graphic designer and a team leader. These experiences shaped her passion for education, social impact, and building supportive learning environments.

Today, she works in the tech and digital business ecosystem, supporting international teams with marketing operations, workflows, communication systems, and growth-focused initiatives. Alongside her professional work, Mariam founded Meem English Community, an initiative dedicated to helping people improve their English in practical, confidence-building ways that prepare them for global opportunities.

Through her work, Mariam advocates for accessible education, continuous learning, and empowering individuals, especially young professionals, to participate in the global digital economy.

Philile Prosperity Ngubane is the founder of The Office Ship, a business support
company that helps entrepreneurs and growing businesses manage their daily
operations through reliable executive administration, customer support, and business
assistance.

She started The Office Ship in 2020 and officially registered the company in May
2023. In July 2024, Philile stepped fully into entrepreneurship after leaving formal
employment to focus on building and growing the business. Today, she works with a
team of 3 outsourced professionals and 3 Interns dedicated to helping businesses
stay organised, communicate effectively, and operate smoothly.

Philile is passionate about continuous learning and professional growth. She is part
of the ALX community, where she completed the Virtual Assistant Certificate and
the AI Career Essentials (AICE) Certificate. Through this journey, she continues to
strengthen her skills in technology, operations, and modern business support.
Known for her vibrant and energetic personality, Philile brings warmth and
enthusiasm to everything she does. She is friendly, expressive, and naturally
connects with people.

Philile’s vision is to build The Office Ship into a trusted partner for businesses that
need dependable operational support, allowing founders and leaders to focus on
growth while their day-to-day administration is professionally managed.

Valentine Muriuki grew up in Central Kenya, just below Mt. Kenya, where she dreamed of building a career in finance. After earning a Bachelor’s degree in Finance, she spent several years working in sales and marketing in Nairobi while supporting her young family. Her curiosity about technology eventually led her to the ALX Salesforce programme, where she discovered a new career path.

Today, Valentine is a Salesforce Administrator working with a U.S.-based financial company, where she helps organizations streamline operations and improve efficiency. Her work focuses on automating processes, strengthening data management, and improving user adoption across teams. By collaborating closely with stakeholders, she bridges business needs with technical solutions to deliver practical, value-driven outcomes.