Dr. Nkiru Balonwu, a social entrepreneur passionate about improving the realities of women and girls in Africa
Dr. Nkiru Balonwu is the Founder and Chairperson of African Women on Board (AWB), an independent African women-led non-profit organization focused on advancing new and bold narratives to improve the realities of women and girls of African heritage.
Balonwu founded the group, having recognised the growing need for; and potential of the African creative and cultural industries (CCI) to change narratives and improve realities, both on the continent and around the world.
Over the past years, the organization has worked tirelessly to put modern African discourse on the global map, creating and convening Africa’s highest level gathering of the continent’s CCI – The Africa Soft Power Summit – and taking African soft power to important global events, including the UN General Assembly, World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, and US-Africa Leaders’ Summit.
Read Also: Olubunmi Kuku
Balonwu is a strategic communication and stakeholder engagement specialist with extensive experience in advising local and international organizations on emerging market strategies, gender equality policies, strategic cause partnerships, social impact strategies, strategic communication, crisis, and reputation management. Her work includes a strong focus on women’s issues, and the cultural and creative industries (CCI).
As a women’s advocate and social commentator, her work champions women’s advancement into the highest levels of decision-making. She has advised various government agencies, political parties, and private sector organizations on women-inclusive policies and strategies.
Balonwu completed a bachelor’s degree in Law from the University of Manchester, and has been called to the bar in England, Nigeria and New York. She also completed a master’s degree in Law from University College London and a doctorate degree from the University of California, Berkeley.
Before the ASP Group, Balonwu served as the Chief Executive Officer for Spinlet, which at the time was Africa’s largest music streaming app with 2m+ subscribers, and has also served as the inaugural Lecturer of Gender and Law at the University of Lagos.
Balonwu is currently a Senior Research Fellow at the Mossavar-Rahmani Center for Business and Government, Harvard Kennedy School, focused on the role of the private sector in influencing and constructing gender policy.
In 2019, her work as an innovator and change-maker saw her receive the 2020 Powerlist International Award and in 2022, she was named amongst New African magazine’s Top 100 Most Influential Africans.
Balonwu is also the founder and managing partner of RDF Strategies, a consultancy firm that provides advice on strategic communication and stakeholder engagement, and the Creative Director at The Africa Soft Power Project.