‘Sustainable wealth is building something that goes beyond immediate income.’

Guardian Woman Festival has brought together women leaders, policymakers, business executives, entrepreneurs, creatives, development practitioners, media professionals, and other stakeholders committed to advancing opportunities for women and girls.

As we prepare for the 2027 edition hosted by Federal Palace Resort, with the theme, ‘Women as wealth creators’, we spotlight the Chief Executive Officer of Glitter Girl Innovations Limited, Omoyeni Disu. She speaks on her years of experience across industries and on impacting girls while creating wealth legacies.

Take us through your career path.
I started working very early, around age 14. My parents were very intentional about that. Whenever I came home for the holidays, they insisted that I take on vacation jobs. As I grew older, my professional journey took me through several industries. I worked across government, event management, and consulting. I also spent time in Canada, where I worked in marketing, and later worked as an Events Manager at the Marriott before the property became Radisson.

Eventually, many of those experiences came together when I founded Mwanga Africa in 2018.

Mwanga started from a deeply personal place, but over the years it has evolved into a fragrance and lifestyle business built around creating experiences through scent. My work has also expanded into film production and other creative interests, and I think that reflects something I have come to understand about myself: I have never been someone who fits neatly into one box. I have also ventured into entertainment through OSD Entertainment, an event management and production company that produced the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) concert.

What does women creating wealth mean to you?
For me, women creating wealth means creating value, building ownership, and making choices from a position of greater independence. It is bigger than simply earning an income. It is about women building businesses, creating jobs, owning assets, developing intellectual property, and creating opportunities that can benefit other people as well. I also think we need to expand our understanding of wealth. Wealth can be financial, but it can also be knowledge, relationships, reputation, access, and the ability to build something that continues to create value over time.

One experience that has made this particularly meaningful for me is the story of the Mwanga Africa Girls Bootcamp. In 2019, Mwanga partnered with AGS Tribe, now Herconomy, on an initiative where we gave $1,000 to women who shared their “light out of darkness” stories. One of the women we supported was Excellence Anurika Joshua, who used part of that support to begin her technology journey.

A few years later, she had built Techy Train and, in 2023, created the Mwanga Africa Girls Bootcamp in my honour and in honour of Mwanga. More than 700 girls from different African countries were selected for the programme, and I had the opportunity to speak to them during one of the sessions. I shared my story, my journey building Mwanga, and some of the lessons I have learnt along the way.

For me, that is a beautiful example of what wealth creation can become when it extends beyond the individual. What we did for one woman eventually impacted hundreds of other women. That is the kind of value and legacy I believe wealth can create.

How are you creating sustainable wealth as a woman?
For me, sustainable wealth is about building something that goes beyond immediate income.

With Mwanga Africa, I am very intentional about building a company with structure, strong products, multiple revenue streams, and long-term relevance. What began with candles has expanded into a wider fragrance and lifestyle offering, including diffusers, room fragrances, car fragrances, and scenting solutions for homes, businesses, offices, hospitality spaces, and events, plus fresh flower arrangements and much more.

I am also very conscious of continually reinvesting in the business, improving our systems, strengthening the brand, and creating products and experiences that can scale beyond me as the founder.

I think true sustainability is when you are no longer simply asking, “How much can I make from this?” but instead asking, “What am I building that can continue to create value over time.

What is your charge to other women on living purposefully?
I would tell women not to wait until everything makes perfect sense before they start living purposefully.

Sometimes purpose becomes clearer while you are doing the work, learning, failing, evolving, and trying again. I have done many different things throughout my time here on earth, and looking back now, I can see how experiences that once seemed completely unrelated have contributed to the woman I am today.

So I think women should permit themselves to evolve. You can change direction. You can begin again. You can discover new parts of yourself. Purpose is not always one job, one business, or one title.

For me, it is about being intentional about the life you are building, staying grounded in your values, and using what you have been given to create value beyond yourself. I would also encourage women building businesses not to get distracted by competition. Be patient, focus on your business, and remember that you compete with no one. The sky is big enough for everyone. Do what you do and do it with all the passion and love you can muster. In due time, it will all come together for you.