Cecilia Ibru

Entrepreneur and philanthropist Cecilia Ibru currently serves the Nigerian community through the Michael and Cecilia Foundation, an organization she and her husband established in 2006 to promote education and public health at home and abroad. She channels her years of experience as an executive in the banking and transportation industries into her work with the foundation, where she and her team of philanthropists and volunteers strive to empower individuals and provide them with education, health, and career resources. Cecilia Ibru's foundation provides a number of services to the underprivileged, including the Train-a-Child program, vocational education classes, and disease prevention initiatives. Currently, the Michael and Cecilia Foundation is focusing on the creation of a university to teach Nigerian students the skills necessary for careers in the 21st century.

Cecilia Ibru's dedication to improving the education of young Nigerians comes from her own background of academic success. Born in Warri, Nigeria, she received her West African School Certificate before pursuing higher education in London. She completed her A-levels in economics, history, and British Constitution at the University Tutorial College. She later matriculated at the University of London and North East London University, earning a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and her Masters in Philosophy, respectively. Cecilia Ibru finished her education at the Council of Legal Education London, where she obtained her Certificate of Eligibility.

During the decade following the completion of her education, Cecilia Ibru rose to become the Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria's most prominent bank. Her business acumen led to several accolades, including six honorary Doctorates, the Nigerian Woman of the Year Award, and the African Business Woman of the Year Award.