- November 5, 2024
- Posted by: Kusumi
- Category: Articles
Aruwa Capital Digest
A summary of the latest news across our ecosystem
Welcome to the fourth edition of the Aruwa Capital Digest! We’re excited to share the latest developments, highlights, and insights from Aruwa Capital in the month of October.
1. Voices of Influence (Speaking Engagements)
Aruwa Capital at FCDO Women’s Week Celebration
Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes was invited to join a distinguished panel alongside Mrs Ibukun Awosika at the FCDO Women’s Network Women’s Week, hosted by Deputy British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Gill Lever. The panel discussed the topic “The Prospects of Women in Leadership and Entrepreneurship,” and explored key challenges women face in leadership and access to capital.
Aruwa Capital at the HFN & PVAC Healthcare Pitch Day
Our founder, Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes was invited as a guest judge at the Funding Opportunity Pitch Day, hosted by the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria (HFN) and the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC). This event brought together innovators from across Nigeria’s healthcare sector to showcase transformative business proposals aimed at advancing healthcare delivery nationwide.
Aruwa Capital at the Elevate Africa Conference
Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes represented Aruwa Capital at the inaugural Elevate Africa Conference held in Abuja. Hosted by The Olu of Warri Kingdom, Ogiámè Atuwatse III, The Olu of Warri, and The Queen Consort of Warri Kingdom, Olori Atuwatse III, the event provided a platform for influential leaders to discuss key strategies for enhancing African trade through regional cooperation. Adesuwa moderated an all-female panel titled “Strengthening Regional Partnerships and Collaboration,” highlighting Africa’s vast potential for growth and development.
2. Beyond Our Walls (External Events)
Aruwa Capital at the Launch of the 2024 PWRA NGX-30 Board Gender Diversity Scorecard
Aruwa Capital proudly sponsored PWR Advisory’s launch of the 2024 PWRA NGX-30 Board Gender Diversity Scorecard, highlighting advancements in gender representation within Nigeria’s leading companies. Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes represented Aruwa Capital, supporting this tool that reveals 29.7% of NGX-30 board seats are now held by women, yet underlining that much work remains.
Read scorecard here- https://pwradvisory.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/The-2024-PWRA-NGX-30-Board-Gender-Diversity-Scorecard-1.pdf
Aruwa Capital’s visit to the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI)
While in Abuja, Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes, visited the Ministry of Finance Incorporated (MOFI) office, where she engaged with the Chief Investment Officer and other members of the MOFI team in discussions to explore opportunities for meaningful collaboration across critical sectors of the Nigerian economy. This engagement reflects Aruwa Capital’s commitment to forging impactful partnerships that align with our mission to support underrepresented and high-potential sectors in Nigeria.
Aruwa Capital at the 30th Nigerian Economic Summit
Aruwa Capital attended the 30th Nigerian Economic Summit (#NES30), hosted by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), marking our participation since becoming NESG members. The 3-day milestone event focused on “Collaborative Action for Growth, Competitiveness, and Stability.” Our founder, Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes, represented Aruwa Capital as we connected with key stakeholders across sectors to address Nigeria’s most critical challenges and explore shared pathways to sustainable growth. As part of this event, our Founder was also able to meet with Jamie Dimon during his visit to Africa, visiting Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa.
3. Portfolio News
Agroeknor:
Agroeknor Spingboard Project – https://vimeo.com/1024656293
https://meaningful.business/mb100-2024/
Koolboks:
https://www.gogla.org/putting-solar-to-work-solar-powered-refrigeration/
Omniretail:
https://techcabal.com/2024/10/21/omniretail-acquires-payment-provider-traction/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSJEYkPUh-M
Fairmoney:
https://www.netguru.com/clients/fairmoney-mobile-banking-staff-augmentation
4. Birthday Cheers
Happy Birthday Ayo!
We’re thrilled to celebrate one special birthday at Aruwa Capital
Ayooluwa Aseweje, Investment Analyst at Aruwa Capital celebrated his birthday in the month of October. His dedication and commitment play a crucial role in driving positive change within our team. Here’s to a year of continued achievements and growth, Ayo.
5. On the Horizon (Upcoming Events)
The Psychology of investing with Barclays Private Bank
Our founder, Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes, will be speaking at The Psychology of Investing panel discussion hosted by Barclays Private Bank on Wednesday, 6th November. Joining a lineup of industry experts on the keynote panel, Adesuwa will share insights into the behavioural dynamics shaping investment strategies today.
Women in Philantrophy and Impact Africa (WIPIA) Reception
Our Founder, Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes was invited for an exclusive reception hosted by the Women in Philanthropy and Impact Africa (WIPIA) which would be on the 10th of November alongside the 7th Annual Convening on Impact Investors during the West Africa Deal Summit 2024.
The Second West African Deal Summit by Impact Investors Foundation
Aruwa Capital will be sponsoring and speaking at the 2nd West Africa Deal Summit taking place in Lagos from November 12-13, 2024. This summit will bring together leading impact investment stakeholders from across West Africa to explore actions for deepening catalytic capital and we are proud to sponsor such an impactful event. As part of the summit’s programme, Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes has been invited to speak at the event and also present the finalists and announce the winner in the Impact Investor category at the Annual Dinner and Awards on November 13th following Aruwa Capital’s win as the Impact Investor of the Year in 2023.
Africa Prosperity Summit by Ventures Platform
Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes will be speaking at the Africa Prosperity Summit themed Funding the Next Billion: Africa’s VC Investment Landscape in a Post-ZIRP Era” on November 15, 2024, at the Civic Centre in Lagos. This three-day event hosted by Ventures platform brings together over 150 investors, venture fund managers, and ecosystem players focused on advancing Africa’s economic growth. Adesuwa will participate in the panel discussion on “Gender Lens Investing,” highlighting the benefits of investing in women-led businesses.
12th Annual Private Equity Africa (PEA) Awards Gala
The prestigious Private Equity Africa (PEA) Awards, celebrating excellence across private equity, venture capital, infrastructure, and credit, will take place November 19th, 2024 at the Royal Lancaster London Hotel. This year, Aruwa Capital has been awarded as one of the recipients in the PEA Decade Award for Leadership achievements in the industry and has also been shortlisted for several awards, including the PE/VC Deal Award and the Portfolio Company Award. Our founder, Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes, who has also been nominated for the People’s Choice Award, will proudly represent us at the gala with members of the team. We look forward to bringing our awards home and celebrating with the industry’s best at this distinguished event.
Mentor Matchup Challenge 6.0
We’re excited to share that our Founder, Adesuwa Okunbo Rhodes, will be speaking at the Mentor Matchup Challenge 6.0 hosted by 234Finance on December 4th, 2024. Adesuwa will join the Local Production Panel to discuss strategies for strengthening Nigeria’s supply chains, improving efficiency, and reducing import dependency to enhance local industry resilience. We look forward to gaining insights from this event and fostering new ideas for sustainable growth in Nigeria’s production sector.
6. Looking Forward (H2 outlook)
Aruwa Capital Fund II Final Close
Aruwa Capital Fund II is steadily advancing, and we remain laser-focused on securing a final close in the coming months, driven by our commitment to impactful change and robust financial returns. Each investment reflects our mission to unlock potential, champion gender equity, and drive sustainable growth across diverse sectors. We’re excited to welcome partners who share our vision for a thriving, inclusive African economy, please reach out—we’d love to connect and discuss more about our journey ahead.
Thank You for Joining Us!
We appreciate your support and engagement, stay tuned for more exciting developments as we continue to drive positive change and foster sustainable growth on the continent. We look forward to sharing our journey with you and thank you for being a part of it.
Warm regards,
The Aruwa Capital Team