Building a Global Business After Setbacks with Ada Osakwe | Women Unlimited

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In this episode of Women Unlimited, Arese sits down with Ada Osakwe entrepreneur, investor, and founder of Nuli and Agrolay Ventures for a candid conversation about resilience, reinvention, and building businesses that scale beyond borders. Ada has built and rebuilt across multiple cycles. From early regulatory setbacks that forced the closure of her first store, to navigating COVID-era shutdowns, she shares how she survived difficult moments, grew profitability, and ultimately expanded her business into the United States. We talk honestly about what it takes to keep going when plans fall apart, how founders adapt in real time, and what building exposable value actually looks like in practice. Beyond her work as an operator, Ada is an experienced angel investor backing over 14 startups across food manufacturing and retail, fintech, and agtech in Africa and the US. She has also designed and financed private equity funds in Africa, particularly focused on agricultural financing, and serves as a mentor and board advisor to startup founders. She currently sits on the board of the Nigerian Sovereign Investment Authority and has extensive experience as a board director across both for-profit and non-profit organisations. Ada’s leadership and impact have been widely recognised. She is a Forbes Africa Businesswoman of the Year (2021), a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader (2016), and an Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow. She has also been listed by Institut Choiseul and Forbes Afrique among the Top 100 Africans contributing to economic impact on the continent, named Entrepreneur of the Year and Achiever in Agriculture, and recognised as one of Forbes’ 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa. This episode is for founders, operators, and leaders who want an honest look at resilience and what it really takes to build a global business after setbacks. 00:00 Welcome to Women Unlimited with Arese Ugwu 00:40 Meet Ada Osakwe, Founder of Nuli and Agrolay Ventures 02:30 From Government and Development Finance to Entrep