‘I am intentional about creating wealth through multiple channels’

The Guardian Woman Festival in partnership with Federal Palace Hotel Resort, is gearing up for its month-long celebration of International Women’s Month 2027 under the theme “Women as Wealth Creators.”
After three successful editions, the Guardian Woman Festival is bringing together women leaders, policymakers, business executives, entrepreneurs, creatives, development practitioners, media professionals and other stakeholders committed to advancing opportunities for women and girls.

The 2027 edition will spotlight women’s economic power, financial independence , entrepreneurship and their role in driving sustainable growth. Chinenye Okoli a tech and project manager and entrepreneur, bare her thoughts on creating wealth.

Take us through your career path?

My career has really been a journey of growth, learning and taking opportunities as they came. I started my career in project management and technology, and over the years I’ve had the opportunity to manage digital transformation and IT infrastructure projects across different organisations, including Shell and now Renaissance Africa Energy Company. Today, I work as a Project Manager and Service Management Analyst, managing complex technology projects, IT Change and Release Management, governance and service controls. Alongside my corporate career, I am also an entrepreneur and the founder of KoraFresh. Building both a corporate career and a growing food business has taught me that we don’t necessarily have to fit into one box.

What does women creating wealth mean to you?

For me, women creating wealth means having choices. It is about building the financial capacity to take care of yourself, support your family, pursue opportunities and create opportunities for other people. And I think it goes beyond earning a good salary. Wealth is also about building assets, businesses, knowledge and systems that can continue creating value beyond you.

How are you creating sustainable wealth as a woman?

I am intentional about creating wealth through multiple channels. I have built a strong professional career in technology, but I am also building KoraFresh into a sustainable business that creates value from agriculture. What started from my personal need for better access to strawberries has grown into a business focused on reducing post-harvest losses and extending the shelf life of fruits through processing, freeze-drying and better preservation. For me, sustainable wealth is not just about what I earn today; it is about building something that can grow, employ people, solve real problems and continue creating value for years to come.

What is your charge to other women on living purposefully?

I would tell women don’t wait until everything is perfectly figured out before you start. Purpose unfolds as we move. Take the opportunities in front of you, keep learning, build capacity, be willing to start small and don’t be afraid to evolve. Most importantly, don’t limit yourself to one definition of success. I am a wife, a mother, a corporate professional, an entrepreneur and someone passionate about giving back. All those parts of my life can coexist. Build a life that is meaningful to you, create value wherever you find yourself, and leave every space better than you met it.