Ifeoma Okeke

Ifeoma Okeke is the Founder at EnergyMall and the Vision Lead at Energy Projects Africa. Through her unique skills and experiences, she helps build sustainable businesses with technology. Her goal is to develop and propagate sustainable solutions to human challenges through vision, organization, and resourceful enterprise.

Born in Surulere, Lagos into a family of 5 siblings in March 1988 to a businessman father and mother who was a caterer, Ifeoma’s passion for entrepreneurship started at an early age. She got her secondary school education at St. Jude’s Private school, Festac, and proceeded to Lagos State University where she majored in Computer Science. Her entrepreneurship journey began at 15 when she single-handedly set up and ran a pay-phone center. With a capital of less than 100 dollars. Ifeoma grew the business and tripled that capital in less than three months of operation. She also tried her hands on several ventures, including an IT networking/solutions outfit for SMEs, with a friend, before proceeding to the University.

Whilst in the University, Ifeoma worked with an insurance firm (American International Insurance Company) as an insurance business representative. This helped to solidify her sales and marketing skills. After a year at American International, she successfully co-founded Tuschia Ventures (a pharmaceutical distribution company) with a partner in the United States where they imported over-the-counter supplements and distributed them to pharmacies all over Lagos and wholesalers in the space.

After school, she setup Swave Energem, a renewable and efficient energy firm with a team of savvy partners. Born out of a growing need in the energy space for people and businesses to transition from diesel and PHCN to solar and cleaner energy sources, the venture scored some projects and high-value clientele as well as speaking engagements in the energy sector. A more aggressive demand for products and supplies in the clean energy space, however, soon surpassed the need for medium to long-term projects. The firm rebranded as EnergyMall in response.

She has acquired certifications and trainings like the Solar Energy Certified Installation program from the Lagos Energy Academy, Retail Management Expert Certificate from Autusbridge Consulting, focus session speaker at the Future Energy Conference in Lagos, and a graduate certificate from the Fate Foundation Emerging Entrepreneur Program (EEP23).