Ijeoma Okonkwo is a visionary entrepreneur and global trade ecosystem builder who has dedicated over 15 years to connecting African businesses with international opportunities. Through her leadership of multiple strategic platforms, she has directly impacted more than 5,000 businesses across 20 global locations, emerging as a leading voice in African entrepreneurship and cross-border trade facilitation. She holds a diploma from Nnamdi Azikiwe University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Lagos. Okonkwo is Head of Operations for NaijaBrandChick (NBC) since 2019, and currently started Traxis, to help tell the world about African businesses in a way that attracts investment, facilitates trade, and creates sustainable growth. In this interview, she speaks on building and driving global trade ecosystem.

How did your early grounding in mass communication influence your transition from media into entrepreneurship and global trade ecosystem building?

My background in mass communication gave me a strong foundation in understanding people, narratives, and the psychology behind influence. Working at Nigezie exposed me to fast-paced media production and sharpened my ability to observe trends, manage teams, and communicate with clarity. When I transitioned into entrepreneurship, first through Pixieworld Events and later as Head of Operations for the NaijaBrandChick Trade Fair, those communication skills became my biggest assets. They helped me build systems, coordinate stakeholders, and translate business visions into experiences that entrepreneurs could connect with. Ultimately, that grounding made the leap into global trade ecosystem building a natural evolution, because trade is fundamentally about storytelling, relationships, and positioning value.

You credit storytelling and emotional intelligence as core strengths. How have these capabilities shaped your leadership approach across your ventures?

Storytelling helps me build clarity and purpose within any team or project. People perform at their best when they understand the “why” behind the work, and I use storytelling to align teams around vision, outcomes, and mission. Emotional intelligence gives me the ability to lead with empathy, manage pressure, and build trust. Whether I’m coordinating thousands of vendors at NBC Trade Fair or guiding my editorial team at Traxis, I focus on reading people, anticipating needs, and communicating in a way that motivates rather than overwhelms. Together, these strengths help me build environments where people feel seen, empowered, and committed to excellence.

As Head of Operations at NaijaBrandChick, you scaled a single trade fair into a dominant SME platform. What operational frameworks were pivotal to achieving this level of consistency and scale?

Three main frameworks drove that growth. Process Standardisation: Every aspect, from vendor onboarding to stall layout, logistics, and customer flow was broken down into repeatable processes. This ensured consistency no matter the scale. Data-Backed Decision Making: We analysed footfall patterns, vendor categories, peak hours, and revenue behaviours. Those insights allowed us to optimise space, pricing, traffic control, and marketing. People and Stakeholder Management: For large-scale trade events, people are the real engine. We focused on building a high-performing operations team, strong vendor relations, and clear communication channels. That reduced errors and improved vendor confidence, ultimately growing the NBC platform.

After years of building platforms for entrepreneurs, what industry gaps or inefficiencies inspired the launch of Traxis?

I noticed that while African entrepreneurs are innovative and hardworking, they struggle with visibility, market positioning, and international readiness. Many platforms were focused on selling but not on telling the deeper business stories or preparing SMEs for global expansion. There was also a disconnect between African businesses and the investors, partners, and global markets trying to understand them. Traxis was created to bridge that gap, by documenting businesses, simplifying market-entry pathways, and spotlighting credible African brands that are ready to scale.

Traxis positions itself as a storytelling, training, and market-entry catalyst for African businesses. What core problem is the platform solving?

Traxis solves the problem of information asymmetry and visibility. African businesses often have strong products but lack the data-backed storytelling, credibility assets, and strategic exposure needed to attract investment, partnerships, and global opportunities. We help businesses package themselves for the world, through documentation, trade intelligence, training, and platforms that introduce them to new markets. In simple terms, Traxis makes African businesses discoverable, understandable, and globally accessible.

From your experience working across 20 global locations, what are the top three missteps African businesses make when attempting to enter international markets?

Weak Documentation and Compliance: Many businesses underestimate the importance of certifications, export documentation, traceability, and quality standards required internationally. Lack of Market Research: Some assume a product that thrives locally will automatically succeed abroad without adapting to pricing, packaging, consumer behaviour, or regulations. Poor Brand Presentation: A lot of businesses struggle with storytelling, brand identity, and digital visibility. These three are essential for building trust in global markets.

How do you assess the current readiness of African SMEs for global expansion, and what structural shifts are still required to unlock wider participation?

African SMEs have the creativity, resilience, and innovation needed for global expansion, but the readiness level is still emerging. To unlock wider participation, we need: Stronger Trade Education: More entrepreneurs need training in export readiness, compliance, and global standards. Better Access to Finance: Affordable trade financing and export-friendly credit structures are still limited. Improved Infrastructure: Logistics, warehousing, and cross-border payment systems need to be more efficient. Once these shifts deepen, African SMEs will scale much faster internationally.

As a mother of three and a multilingual professional managing multiple platforms, how do you maintain operational discipline and personal bandwidth?

I operate with strict prioritisation and structure. I delegate effectively, automate repetitive tasks, and build strong teams so I’m not the bottleneck. I also protect my personal energy, rest, time with my children, and mental clarity are non-negotiables. Being multilingual also helps me connect faster in different markets, reducing friction and improving communication. Overall, discipline for me is about balance: focusing intensely on what matters, and releasing what doesn’t.

What is your long-term ambition for Traxis, and how do you envision its role in shaping Africa’s global trade narrative over the next decade?

My long-term ambition is for Traxis to become Africa’s leading trade intelligence and market-entry platform. One that documents thousands of African businesses, equips them for international expansion, and connects them to global opportunities. Over the next decade, I envision Traxis shaping the global trade narrative by showing the world the depth, quality, and potential of African production. We want to be the bridge that takes African businesses from local relevance to global competitiveness, using storytelling, data, and partnerships as our tools.