Ify Umunna

Ify Umunna is the Co-CEO of Nourishing Africa where she oversees the programmatic, ICT, governance and communications of the organization. The mission of Nourishing Africa is “to drive the profitable and sustainable growth of the African agriculture and food landscapes by attracting, empowering, equipping, connecting and celebrating over 1 Million dynamic and innovative young African agri-food entrepreneurs”. As such, this hub serves as a platform for these stakeholders to accelerate their work, connect with each other, and celebrate their successes on the continent.

Ify has international experience in gender, maternal and adolescent health and nutrition at The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Adolescent Health (WHO), Geneva; Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, London; and Girl Effect, Abuja. She previously served as the Research Officer at African Philanthropy Forum and the Gender Analyst for the Nigerian Dairy Development Project (NDDP) at Sahel Consulting.

Ify has conducted field research and in-depth report analysis and writing; with a range of published and internal reports including PMNCH Partners’ Forum Report, NDDP Baseline Study, Toolkit for African Philanthropists Vol. 2, and co-authored “The Influence of Religion on the Empowerment and Economic Mobility of Smallholder Women Dairy Farmers in Nigeria” chapter in Muslim Women in the Economy: Development: Faith & Globalization, published by Routledge. She also served as the lead researcher for the newly released “Food Entrepreneurs in Africa: Scaling Resilient Agriculture Businesses” by Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli.

Ify holds a Bachelor in Social Science in International Relations, Sociology and Gender and Transformation (first class) from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, a Masters in International Development with honours from the University of Warwick, United Kingdom, and is a 2022 Obama Foundation Leader (Africa).