Idowu Ejere Email & Phone Number

Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Ng

Abuja, Nigeria

My background in agriculture and international development is the foundation for my success at Esteem Royale. Here's how those skills are working for me:1. Strategic Financial Management & Investment: Led the company through the challenges of the post-COVID-19 economic slump by implementing sound financial practices that ensured continued growth. This resulted in successfully securing investment during a difficult economic period, showcasing my ability in resource mobilization and, navigating complex market conditions.2. Global Vision and Exponential Growth: Led strategic planning, resulting in a 700% market expansion to 8 countries in 5 years, positioning Esteem Royale Cosmetics as one of Nigeria's fastest-growing beauty brands. 3. Data-Driven Innovation & Award-Winning Products: Implemented a data-driven approach, fueling the creation of innovative products like the Pure Beauty Global Award-winning (2019) Goat Milk Soap. Established Esteem Royale Cosmetics as a leader in the beauty-tech space through a digital-first approach with a personalized skincare platform (www.esteemroyale.com) and the first-ever tech-backed skin analyzer in Nigeria.4. Strategic Partnerships & Collaborative Success: Cultivated strong relationships with formulators and product development partners, enabling continuous innovation and high-quality product delivery. Secured a successful nationwide distribution partnership with Medplus Pharmacy, exemplifying our commitment to strategic collaboration for growth.

Freetown, Sierra Leone

1. Shaping Policy and Empowering Farmers: Played a pivotal role in shaping national agricultural strategies, actively supporting the design and implementation of initiatives like the Direct-Cash-Transfer program. This project empowered smallholder farmers by facilitating access to finance, enabling them to adopt sustainable agricultural practices. This ultimately contributed to increased income and rural development, fostering a more prosperous agricultural sector. Additionally, my evidence-based policy support on programs like Fertilizer Distribution and School Feeding ensured the Ministry's efforts were optimized for maximum impact.2. Bridging the Gap Between Global Standards and Local Implementation: Spearheaded the crucial task of aligning international and regional standards (CAADP, ECOWAP, SDGs) with national plans. This ensured seamless implementation of agricultural programs, bridging the gap between global best practices and local needs. Furthermore, I actively fostered collaboration with donor agencies and development partners, building strong relationships that were instrumental in achieving project success.3. Streamlining Operations and Communication for Effective Leadership: Implemented efficient management practices within the Minister's office, streamlining operations and ensuring smooth functioning. Beyond this, I played a key role in communication by crafting high-quality briefing materials and speeches. This kept the Minister well-informed and equipped to effectively communicate strategic direction.4. Monitoring Progress and Sharing Knowledge for Continuous Improvement: Actively participated in monitoring and evaluation missions, providing comprehensive reports to the Ministry and stakeholders. These reports served as a valuable tool for continuous improvement. By outlining both project achievements and challenges, they allowed for informed decision-making and enhanced agricultural initiatives.

Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

1. Enhanced Public Sector Policy: Provided strategic policy analysis and data-driven recommendations to government agencies, influencing policy decisions and securing funding for agricultural initiatives. 2. Supported NGO/IO Advocacy: Conducted research and developed compelling advocacy materials for NGOs and international organizations, managing campaigns to mobilize stakeholders and raise public awareness on critical agricultural issues.3. Strengthened Private Sector Investment: Advised private-sector clients on navigating the policy landscape, and identifying investment opportunities. Conducted impact assessments and delivered training programs to equip them with the necessary knowledge.4. Delivered High-Impact Services: Successfully managed multiple consulting projects within budget and timeline, exceeding client expectations. Cultivated strong client relationships, ensuring clear communication and project alignment.

Accra, Ghana

1. Championed Evidence-Based Policy Advocacy: I led the development of impactful policy briefs informing national and regional agricultural decisions on critical issues like climate change and biotechnology. Additionally, I organized policy workshops bridging the research-policy gap, bringing together policymakers, researchers, and farmers' organizations to advocate for policies supporting agricultural development.2. Strengthened Multi-Stakeholder Advocacy: Through strong stakeholder relationships with policymakers, parliamentarians, and farmers' organizations, I spearheaded successful advocacy campaigns on critical issues, mobilizing diverse stakeholders to amplify our voice on agricultural research funding, technology access for smallholder farmers, and seed security.3. Amplified Policy Impact & Continuous Improvement: I implemented a system for monitoring and evaluating FARA's policy advocacy efforts, tracking policy changes, resource allocation shifts, and stakeholder engagement. Utilizing these insights, I continuously integrated new advocacy strategies, ensuring FARA's sustained influence and positive impact on African agricultural research and development policies.

Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana

1. Strategic Communication Leadership: Established FARA's Communication sub-division from the ground up and led the development of its strategy, fostering increased brand awareness and recognition.2. Streamlined Communication & Content Creation: Coordinated the production of diverse information products (research reports, audio/visuals, policy briefs) while simultaneously designing and launching innovative communication tools (infographics, social media campaigns). 3. Amplified FARA's Reach: Cultivated strong media relations, securing over 150 local and international media articles published during the 6th African Agriculture Science Week, significantly amplifying FARA's reach and visibility.4. Data-Driven Communication & Evaluation: Streamlined communication activities across various media platforms and established a robust framework to evaluate the effectiveness of FARA's communication initiatives using key metrics.5. Partnership and Collaboration: Cultivated strategic partnerships with key organizations (IFAD, GFAR, CTA, YPARD) and spearheaded capacity building for 135 young communicators from 63 countries.

Greater Accra Region, Ghana

1. Strengthened CAADP Implementation: Established a robust tracking system for CAADP Pillar IV at sub-regional and national levels, ensuring alignment with the work plan. This system provided FARA with valuable insights to integrate research, extension, and technology into country agricultural programs.2. Informed CAADP Decision-Making: Compiled comprehensive periodic reports on CAADP Pillar IV progress across Africa, creating a knowledge repository. This facilitated data-driven decision-making for agricultural development initiatives.3. Supported Resource Mobilization: Maintained up-to-date intelligence on donor priorities, policies, and funding opportunities for agricultural research. This knowledge directly supported FARA's efforts to secure resources for its critical programs and projects.4. Facilitated Policy Discourse: Played a key supporting role in organizing policy dialogues, advocacy events, workshops, seminars, and meetings, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange on crucial agricultural. issues.

Accra, Greater Accra Region, Ghana

1. Strengthened Policy Development: Conducted a comprehensive review of literature on policy measures for Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) compliance, analyzing data from SPS studies to identify key trends and inform policy recommendations that enhanced agricultural trade. My work facilitated the development of data-driven policy briefs that addressed the impact of SPS measures on agricultural production.2. Enriched FARA's Policy Resources: Compiled and classified relevant literature on African agriculture policies and markets, significantly expanding FARA's policy library and facilitating future research initiatives. My work streamlined access to critical knowledge for informed decision-making.3. Facilitated Strategic Commodity Analysis: Compiled time series data on major parameters for strategic commodities (rice, maize, cassava, sorghum, millet, legumes, oil palm, dairy, beef, poultry, and fish). This comprehensive data set empowered the Regional Policies and Markets team for informed decision-making and research efforts in critical agricultural sectors.

Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria

1. Cultivated Investor Relationships: Proactively welcomed and engaged walk-in investors, providing them with information on upcoming events and projects, and fostering positive investor relations.2. Enhanced Front Office Efficiency: Managed a welcoming front office environment, efficiently directing investors to the appropriate departments, and ensuring seamless communication.3. Supported Investor Communication: Assisted with the drafting, distribution, and maintenance of investor communication and advocacy materials, including investor policies and marketing materials.

Doctor Of Philosophy - Phd, Policy And Strategic Studies

Master Of Arts, Globalisation And Development, Merit

Degree awarded by the University of Sussex

Certificate, Bank Of America'S Women Entrepreneurship Program

Non-degree program

Executive Education, Creating Collaborative Solutions

Non-degree program

Professional Certificate, Rural Environmental Protection Technology Policy

Non- degree program

Executive Education, Expanding Impacts Of Non-Governmental Organization Legitimacy, Advocacy And Partnerships

Non-degree program

Master Of Arts, Globalisation And Development, Merit

By Institute of Development Studies (IDS)

Bachelor Of Science - B.Sc. Hons., International Relations, Second Class Hons. (Lower Division)

Transcript, Law

Transcript obtained