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Friends of Nigeria is a dedicated community that bridges the gap between businesses in France and lucrative opportunities in Nigeria, fostering cultural exchange, promoting development, and nurturing enduring friendships.

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about

About Friends of Nigeria

Who we are?

Friends of Nigeria (FON) is a non-profit involved in facilitating the access of Nigerian professionals in Europe to business and professional development opportunities and promoting Nigeria’s attractiveness to European companies and investors.

Our vision is to be at the forefront of promoting Nigeria in Europe and connecting professionals, and businesses to opportunities in Nigeria.

Campaign is power

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Global Partners

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Countries

Business Forum Meetings

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Business Collaborations

mission & vision

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Our mission in two folds

Our mission guide and inspire us in every decision we make

Building Networks

We are building the largest network of Nigerian professionals in Europe and facilitating their access to entrepreneurship and career opportunities to enable them to contribute their quota towards the economic development of Nigeria.

Mutual Partnerships

We promote economic and commercial relations between France & Nigeria and facilitate mutual partnerships and collaborations between European enterprises and Nigerian enterprises

Our Values

In order to achieve our goals and aspirations, we strive to abide by these core values and principles

Synergy

Our actions are deeply rooted in team-work and this runs across our activities and operations. We believe collaborations are the bedrock of every great achievements.

Equity

Our actions are governed by meritocracy, & fairness. FON is not affiliated with any religious, political, or tribal propaganda. We treat all our members equally.

Excellence

As a professional organization, we work with individuals, at the forefront of their careers & industry, to carry out our activities with a dedication to excellence.

Integrity

We operate at the highest level of transparency and openness with our members, partners, and team. Moral perpendicularity runs through our organizational culture.

Meet the Friends of Nigeria Team

Management Team

John presently heads Project Development for CMR Group in Sub-Saharan Africa

John Okoro

President

Abiodun Dominic Odunuga is an international development consultant.

Abiodun Odunuga

Vice President

Nkechi NWOSU is a HR professional with over a decade of solid experience in multiple HR disciplines

Nkechi Nwosu

Director of Media & Communications

News and Publications

12 Jun

Harnessing the critical role of youth as the engine for growth and national development

On Saturday 19th of May, 2018, at Le Pavillon Dauphine, St. Clair, Paris

21 Jun

Chat with Mr Alec Fokapu, CEO of FiftyFor – A B2B Rating Platform for African Companies

Friends of Nigeria had a brief chitchat with Mr. Alec Fokapu,

21 Jun

We Want the Youths to Know – 2018

SME’s and young entrepreneurs in Nigeria face numerous challenges.

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Connecting Nigerian professionals and European businesses for mutual growth and investment opportunities.

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John Okoro

president

John is an expert in international business and project development with several years of experience across 30 Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and 40 Countries Globally, spanning across key sectors of the economy, with a particular focus on sustainable infrastructure projects and enterprises.

John is currently Managing Director of Growth Energy, with offices and subsidiaries in France, Kenya, Nigeria, and Burundi. Growth Energy develops, engineers, and deploys renewable energy power plans and electric mobility charging stations in selected markets in Africa. John is also a member of the Executive Committee of Growth Supply Group, the parent company of Growth Energy. Before Co-Founding Growth Energy, John was Commercial Director (Sub-Saharan Africa) for CMR Group’s Solar Division until December 2022, and directly reporting to the Group CEO of CMR Group. In this role, John directly managed business and project development teams located in France, Tunisia, Nigeria and Zanzibar.

Before his career in clean energy and infrastructure, John worked as a Project Manager in the public and private sectors in Nigeria including at Nigeria’s Presidency between 2012 and 2013 during which John was part of a project team in charge of deploying a public-private partnership project geared towards job creation amongst Nigerian youths. John also co-founded several social impact initiatives including the “mentor-me” initiative which won a State award for excellence in Nigeria in 2013.

John is an international key-note speaker and panelist on topics related to clean energy, innovation, and Africa. John has delivered various presentations and key notes at more than 20 international conferences across 10 Countries. John is also a non-executive board member of a number of companies and non-profit organizations in Africa and Europe, spanning across Engineering, Technology, and human capital development.

John holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Covenant University, Nigeria and a Master Degree in Project Management and Business Development from Skema Business School, France. John is also an alumnus of the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management’s Climate and Renewable Energy Finance Program. John is a member of the Project Management Institute and holds the global Project Management Professional (PMP) certification since 2013.

John is Co-Founder and President of Friends of Nigeria Europe. In this role John oversees administration, and works closely with his colleagues and in collaboration with leaders of other African Diaspora organizations in strengthening the capacity of the African diaspora in Europe and in promoting the attractiveness of the African continent to foreign investors and the African Diaspora.

John has a flair for sports, music and arts. He plays football, badminton, ping pong, tennis and was former member of the IBB Golf and Country Club Abuja. John also plays the Piano, Drums, and Bass Guitar. He writes poems, does interior decoration, and is fascinated by nature. John’s most relished hobby, however, is spending ample time with his Wife and children which his peripatetic schedule does occasionally deprive him of.

Abiodun Odunuga

vice president

Abiodun Dominic Odunuga is an international development consultant.

Having acquired over 10 years of experience in the field of sustainability, entrepreneurship and International development, Abiodun has developed and worked on projects with organizations such as the World Bank, European Union, United Nations (UN), Africa Development Bank (AfDB), and The Commonwealth across Africa and Europe. He has presented various papers relating to entrepreneurship, social innovation and sustainability at different levels such as the International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD) in New York, United States as well as the in Rome Italy.

He has consulted for various government agencies in Nigeria and France on economic initiatives in Agriculture, Digital Technology and Industry. Abiodun has also worked with various Sates Governments in Nigeria and the Nigeria Governors Forum with respect to development projects and attracting foreign investments.

He holds a Masters in Development Practice (MDP) degree from Sciences Po, Paris.

Abiodun is also the project manager for the Nigeria-France Tech Initiative (NFTI) recently launched by the Embassy of Nigeria, Paris amidst stakeholders such as the French Development Agency (AFD) and the Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to support the tech ecosystem between France and Nigeria.

He is a recipient of many international awards such as the Tocqueville Active Citizens Award for Co-creation and Community Impact in France as well as the United States of America Partnership award for Economic Empowerment by the United States Consulate, Lagos, Nigeria.

Based in Paris, he brings his wealth of experience in training, project management, fundraising and business development to consult for various International organizations focusing on Africa as it relates to investment opportunities, supporting start-ups, and empowering small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs).

Abiodun is also a lecturer on Leadership, Soft Skills and Entrepreneurship with leading institutions having students across Africa and Europe. He is a frequent global conference speaker and sits on the board of many organizations.

As the Co-Founder and Vice-President of Friends of Nigeria, Abiodun serves in the Executive role of Director of Partnerships for the organization.

When he’s not working, you can catch him mentoring young people, discovering new cultures, volunteering for noble causes or watching movies.

About Us

Contact Us

About Us

Contact Us

About Us

about

About Friends of Nigeria

Who we are?

Campaign is power

Global Partners

Countries

Business Forum Meetings

Business Collaborations

mission & vision

Know more about

Our mission in two folds

Building Networks

Mutual Partnerships

Our Values

Synergy

Equity

Excellence

Integrity

Meet the Friends of Nigeria Team

Management Team

John Okoro

Abiodun Odunuga

Nkechi Nwosu

News and Publications

Harnessing the critical role of youth as the engine for growth and national development

Chat with Mr Alec Fokapu, CEO of FiftyFor – A B2B Rating Platform for African Companies

We Want the Youths to Know – 2018

Connect with us?

Navigate

Newsletter

John Okoro

president

Abiodun Odunuga

vice president

Nkechi Nwosu

director of media & communications