A non-profit organisation dedicated to people with disability, Rising Star Foundation, has won the Innocent C. Chukwuma Award for Social Impact.
The foundation equally won N3.5 million at the 8th Annual Convening on Impact Investing (ACII) award hosted by the Impact Investors Foundation (IIF).
The award is sponsored by Agon Workman, DevEast, Project Alert and Innocent Chukwuemeka Chukwuma Empowerment Foundation (ICCEF) in recognition of the late Chukwuma’s legacy in advancing social justice.
Held in Lagos, the award celebrated the true champions of Nigeria’s impact economy, the impactful businesses, pioneering investors and dedicated non-profit organisations whose work demonstrates that profit and purpose can thrive together.
The organiser said the awards were a vital mechanism for spotlighting measurable social and environmental value, thereby encouraging stakeholders to adopt impact-aligned strategies for inclusive growth. The event was convened on impact investing, shining a spotlight on those who are actively building Nigeria’s impact economy.
The winner of the 2025 Annual Award for Impact Investing in the Social Enterprise Category was Omni Retail Technologies.
The winner of the 2025 Annual Award for Impact Investing in the Impact Investor Category was Alitheia Capital Management.
Speaking at the occasion, Chief Executive Officer, Impact Investors Foundation, Etemore Glover, emphasised the power of recognition, saying “The incredible work of Raising Star Foundation, achievements of Omni Retail Technologies and Alitheia Capital Management, confirm that purpose-driven capital is not a niche, but an indispensable strategy for Nigeria’s sustainable development.
By shining a light on these trailblazers, we inspire thousands more investors and entrepreneurs to embed social and environmental impact into their core business model.”
He said the Foundation remains committed to leveraging data from its newly launched 2025 Impact Investing Landscape Study to guide more capital towards replicating these award-winning models, driving Nigeria closer to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking also, Operation Manager, Raising Star Africa, Babatunde Oyinkansola, said: “We empower children with disabilities to help them discover their ability; we believe that there is ability in every disability. We provide them with education, vocational and social skills, take them out to cinemas, shopping malls, show them the world, and make them feel that they can be more. Children with disabilities should not be confined to the room; they should aspire to be more.
“We have impacted over 20,000 persons with disability over the last five years. Our founder, Michael Sowunmi, is a person who cares about children with disabilities; his experiences have shaped the future because he’s a person with disability but did not let it limit him.”
In his appeal, he said, “Support has not been great; we want more support. We are currently trying to build a centre for persons with disabilities where children can have access to more.
“We are grateful for the award and this award is for the children, and we hope we win this next year.
