Founder, Chair BoT

Etim is a Nigerian serial investor, business proprietor, and international public policy adviser known for his advocacy on youth entrepreneurship, technology-driven enterprise, and pan-African economic integration. A long-standing proponent of leveraging youth-owned Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to accelerate Africa's economic renaissance and deliver the promise of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) One African Market, he has built a career spanning private enterprise, international policy advisory, and youth mentorship across more than 85 countries on five continents.

Early Recognition

In 2010, Etim was named one of the "50 Young People Who Will Change Nigeria," an early distinction that marked the beginning of sustained national and continental recognition for his contributions to African youth development and enterprise.

Awards and Honours

Etim is a two-time recipient of the Future Africa Awards, winning:

• Best Use in Advocacy (2009)
• Best Use of Public Office (2011)

In 2013, he was inducted as a Fellow of the United States Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) on the Emerging Entrepreneurship Leaders track — one of America's most prestigious professional exchange programmes for global leaders.

That same year, he received the Guardian of the Future of Africa Award, conferred by His Excellency Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2010–2015).

Career and Vision

Etim's work is anchored in the conviction that technology and youth-led MSMEs can leapfrog Africa into a new era of continental prosperity and unlock the full economic promise of the AfCFTA. As a serial investor and business proprietor, he has backed and built ventures that align commercial activity with Africa's broader development goals, particularly at the intersection of technology, trade, and youth enterprise.

International Public Policy

As an international public policy adviser, Etim has travelled extensively across five continents and more than 85 countries, engaging with governments, multilateral institutions, and private-sector leaders on questions of trade, entrepreneurship, and youth economic inclusion.

Mentorship and Youth Leadership

A committed advocate for the emergence of a new generation of African leaders, Etim served for several years as a Regional Mentor and Partner for the BMCE Bank of Africa $1 million Africa Youth Entrepreneurship Awards one of the continent's largest and most influential recognition platforms for young entrepreneurs.

Through this role and his broader advocacy, he has helped surface, mentor, and connect emerging founders across Africa, reinforcing his conviction that youth enterprise is central to the continent's long-term transformation.