Nigerian investor and entrepreneur Adesuwa Okunbo-Rhodes has become one of Africa’s leading voices on entrepreneurship, private equity and women-led investing. In recent months, she gained even wider recognition after interviews on the Nigerian Audacity Podcast and The School of Hard Knocks introduced her remarkable career journey to a broader audience. During the conversations, she shared how she secured her first investment banking role at just 18 years old, joined J.P. Morgan by the age of 20 and spent years building the experience that would eventually lead to the creation of her own investment firm.
Today, Adesuwa is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aruwa Capital Management, one of Africa’s few women-founded and women-led private equity firms. Through the company, she invests in businesses that create jobs, strengthen local industries and improve the lives of women and underserved communities across West Africa.
Adesuwa Okunbo-Rhodes’ Early Life and Education
Adesuwa Okunbo-Rhodes was born on February 16, 1990, in Nigeria. She attended Chrisland Primary School before continuing her education at Atlantic Hall. She later moved to the United Kingdom, where she attended St. Lawrence College in Kent and earned a degree in Economics from the University of Bristol.
While studying at university, Adesuwa developed a strong interest in investment banking and finance. At just 18 years old, she secured an internship at Lehman Brothers, one of the world’s leading investment banks at the time. By the age of 20, she had joined J.P. Morgan, working on mergers, acquisitions and major financing transactions worth billions of dollars.
Adesuwa Okunbo-Rhodes’ Career and Aruwa Capital Management
After building her career in London, Adesuwa returned to Nigeria with a clear mission. She noticed that many promising African businesses struggled to access the funding they needed to grow. While large companies attracted investors, thousands of small and medium-sized businesses remained overlooked despite their potential.
In 2019, she founded Aruwa Capital Management to bridge that gap.
The firm focuses on investing in businesses across sectors including manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, renewable energy, financial services and consumer goods.
Aruwa Capital is also known for its gender-lens investment strategy. The firm actively supports companies founded or led by women, businesses with diverse leadership teams and organisations developing products and services that improve the lives of women and girls.
Today, Aruwa Capital manages approximately 80 million US dollars in assets and has invested in businesses across Nigeria and other parts of West Africa.
Adesuwa Okunbo-Rhodes’ Leadership and Investment Philosophy
Adesuwa believes investment should generate both financial returns and lasting social impact.
Her investment strategy focuses on supporting businesses that create employment, expand local manufacturing, improve healthcare, strengthen food systems and contribute to long-term economic development.
She has often spoken about the importance of supporting entrepreneurs who may not qualify for traditional financing but have the potential to build sustainable businesses.
Her entrepreneurial journey was not without challenges. She has revealed that raising her first institutional investment fund took nearly eight years, with numerous setbacks and rejections along the way. That experience has become one of the defining stories of her career and a message she frequently shares with aspiring entrepreneurs.
Adesuwa Okunbo-Rhodes’ Awards, Recognition and Legacy
Over the years, Adesuwa Okunbo-Rhodes has received recognition from several international organisations for her contributions to investment and economic development.
She has been named Global Woman Fund Manager of the Year, recognised among the Top 40 Black Women in Asset Management and listed among Africa’s emerging business leaders.
Beyond leading Aruwa Capital, she serves on the boards of several companies and continues to mentor entrepreneurs, particularly women building businesses across Africa.
Today, Adesuwa Okunbo-Rhodes stands among a new generation of African investors changing how capital is deployed across the continent. Through her leadership, she continues to champion entrepreneurship, inclusive investing and sustainable economic growth while creating opportunities for businesses that have long been overlooked.
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