Junior Achievement Nigeria appoints Ugonna Achebe as Executive Director

Ugonna Achebe has been appointed as the new Executive Director of Junior Achievement Nigeria.

The appointment, announced by the Board of Directors of Junior Achievement Nigeria, is part of a change in the organisation’s image as it celebrates its 25th anniversary.

With the appointment, Achebe, a participant in the flagship Junior Achievement Nigeria Corporate Programme, becomes the first graduate to lead the organisation.

He began his adventure with management in 2007 while still in high school, and later in 2017 as part of the Venture in Management (ViMP) program.

Prior to joining ViMP, Achebe had served as a JAN volunteer since 2016. His leadership qualities quickly became evident, leading to his full-time involvement as the National Corporate Program Manager from 2018-2020.

Junior Achievement Nigeria said Achebe’s appointment is in line with the company’s strategic vision for the future as he will provide the strategic direction and leadership required to drive growth and build on existing successes to further JAN’s mission and vision.

He is expected to lead the implementation of JAN’s transformational programmes, maintain existing partnerships and seek new opportunities to further expand the impact JAN offers to young Nigerians.

“I am excited to take on this new role at JAN, where I aim to build on the impressive foundations laid by Simi Nwogugu and Foluso Gbadamosi. Their extraordinary efforts have made JA Nigeria a leader in educating entrepreneurial and financially minded thinkers,” Achebe said in response to his appointment.

Achebe said that by focusing on advocacy, strategic partnerships and stakeholder engagement, his primary goal is to take the organisation beyond its current limitations.

He added that he intends to leverage technology and build on the organisation’s current achievements by introducing programmes aimed at addressing the challenges faced by young people in Nigeria.

“My goal is to create innovative approaches and forms of cooperation that will equip young people with practical skills necessary in the changing environment of work and entrepreneurship,” he said.

Niyi Yusuf, Chairman of the Board of JA Nigeria, said Achebe’s appointment was well-deserved as his extraordinary experience in the development sector, as well as his record as an alumni, volunteer and former National Programme Manager of JA Nigeria, made him uniquely qualified.

According to him, his in-depth knowledge of JA Nigeria and its mission of inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in the global economy is an invaluable asset to Junior Achievement and youth development.

Simi Nwogugu, CEO of JA Africa and Executive Director of JA Nigeria, said Achebe’s appointment is an extraordinary way for the organisation to celebrate 25 years of inspiring young people to achieve their dreams.

“Achebe should be the person to achieve this milestone because he has held all the other stakeholder roles in the organization, including teacher, volunteer and staff, which gives him a unique perspective on what the organization needs to effectively serve all its stakeholders,” she said.

Charles Muyiwa Moyela, Chairman of the Board of JA Africa, emphasised that the organisation is at a crucial juncture in JA’s development in Africa and that Nigeria’s significant population means it will play a key role in the continent’s expansion.

He added that Achebe’s deep knowledge of the community, combined with his strategic insight, would help strengthen JA’s work and scale up its programmes to benefit even more young people across the continent.

“We are confident that under his leadership, JA Nigeria will continue to be a cornerstone of our mission by fostering entrepreneurship, financial literacy and job readiness among young people in Nigeria and beyond,” he said.

Achebe holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial chemistry from Covenant University and a master’s degree in educational leadership, organization, and entrepreneurship from Harvard University, with a focus on entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence in the education marketplace.