Capacity building and sustainable economic empowerment are more than just buzzwords; they are powerful tools that change lives, open doors, and create lasting opportunities. Across Nigeria and Africa at large, we have seen how knowledge, skills, and access to resources can lift individuals out of limitation and position them for greatness. When people are empowered, they don’t just transform their own lives; they become catalysts for change in their families, communities, and industries. It is this ripple effect of empowerment that is driving a new generation of Africans toward innovation, creativity, and global impact.

 

At the heart of this movement is Inya Lawal, a visionary social entrepreneur who has dedicated her life to building ecosystems where women and youth can thrive. As the founder of Ascend Studios Foundation, she is behind some of Africa’s most transformative initiatives, from the Africa Creative Market (ACM) to Global Tech Africa (GTA) and many more. Her story is even more inspiring because she was once a beneficiary of capacity building herself. In 2019, she was one of only 19 people in the world selected for the Fortune Most Powerful Women’s Mentoring Program, where she was paired with senior executives at Goldman Sachs for a month. That experience didn’t just shape her; it propelled her into becoming the passionate and intentional leader she is today, one who now creates opportunities for thousands of others.

In this interview with THEWILL DOWNTOWN’s Executive Editor, Onah Nwachukwu, Inya Lawal discusses her journey as a social entrepreneur, the challenges and triumphs of building Africa’s creative economy, and her passion for empowering women and youth. She shares the inspiration behind her high-impact programs, her vision for the future, and the lessons she has learned along the way.

 

 

Can you take us back to the moment or experience that ignited your passion for capacity building and sustainable economic empowerment?

 

I was a beneficiary of capacity building myself through the Fortune Most Powerful Women’s Mentoring Program, where I was paired with leading executives at Goldman Sachs and mentored for a month. That experience leapfrogged me. It was through conversations with my mentor that I truly understood what sustainable economic empowerment meant and how vital it is to growing ecosystems. That experience came at a time when I was already immersed in supporting entrepreneurs and young creatives, but it gave me a different level of passion for the work. As I continued engaging with them, it became clear that it was not enough to simply provide opportunity—it was a must to ensure that all the critical elements were included: structures, training, access, and systems. I realised that talent without these foundations remains underutilised. That realisation ignited my lifelong commitment: to build capacity, design ecosystems, and create platforms that transform raw potential into sustainable prosperity. For me, empowerment isn’t charity—it’s infrastructure for independence.

 

Many people have great ideas but struggle to execute them at scale. What personal principles or strategies have helped you consistently turn your visions into reality?

 

I operate on three principles: clarity, discipline, and ecosystems. Clarity means every idea must have a measurable impact; if I cannot see the end-users’ transformation, I don’t pursue it. Discipline means I commit to timelines and follow through, even when resources are scarce. And ecosystems mean I never build in isolation. I weave governments, private sector, and communities into every initiative, ensuring that what I start doesn’t end with me but becomes self-sustaining. Execution at scale is about mobilising others to carry the vision with you.

As someone who works with governments, corporations, and communities, what has been your biggest challenge in bridging the gap between vision and execution in Africa?

 

The biggest challenge is alignment. Governments often think in political cycles, corporations in profit margins, and communities in survival. My task has been to align these timelines—to show policymakers that creative industries can accelerate GDP, to demonstrate to corporations that impact can drive profit, and to remind communities that they are not mere beneficiaries but co-creators. That bridge-building requires patience, diplomacy, and the courage to insist on a long-term view in a region conditioned to short-term wins.

The Africa Creative Market (ACM) has become a highly recognised platform in the creative space. What was your original vision for ACM, and how close is it to what it has become today?

 

What I envisioned for ACM wasn’t just another market – but a convening platform, a place where the entire value chain of Africa’s creative industries could come together. I saw the need for a single marketplace that didn’t just showcase talent but actively connected creators, investors, policymakers, and industry leaders. A place where conversations lead to contracts, and creativity meets capital. We are not yet at the full scale of that vision, but we have made significant progress. Today, ACM is creating pathways for collaboration across film, music, fashion, art, and tech. My goal is that, in time, the market becomes the place where Africa’s major investment gaps are closed—not over years of scattered initiatives, but during one powerful convening where the entire ecosystem aligns.

 

Africa Creative Market (ACM) sits at the intersection of creativity and technology. How do you see African creatives leveraging technology to compete on a global scale in the next 5–10 years?

 

Technology will be Africa’s equaliser. We are not merely emerging—we are accelerating. African creatives have already begun embracing tools like blockchain for intellectual property protection, AI for storytelling, VR for immersive cultural exports, and fintech for cross-border monetisation. The next 5–10 years will be about building on these foundations and advancing above and beyond. Our creators won’t just be participating in global markets; they’ll be setting trends and shaping them. ACM is designed as a launchpad for this—ensuring Africa doesn’t just consume technology but adapts and reimagines it to suit our unique creative DNA.

The Women Empowerment Program for Trafficked Persons (WEPTAP) tackles a sensitive and complex issue. What approaches have been most effective in restoring confidence and economic independence for these women?

 

Within our partnership with the U.S. Government on the Academy for Women’s Entrepreneurs, I introduced a second cohort specifically for formally trafficked persons. The program was so successful that one of the key learnings from it inspired the creation of WEPTAP—an incubator and accelerator model that holds survivors’ hands for a full year. We start with dignity: psychosocial support, community reintegration, and safe spaces. From there, we layer in capacity building, entrepreneurship training, and financial literacy. But the most transformative tool has been mentorship. When women who’ve rebuilt their lives return to mentor others, they demonstrate that survival can be rewritten into success.

 

You recently secured a $1 million grant to train 3,500 creatives in Nigeria. Beyond the numbers, what impact do you hope this program will have on the long-term growth of Nigeria’s creative economy?

 

The Africa Creative Blueprint was designed to be far more than a training program—it is a blueprint for transformation. Our goal has always been to empower creatives with not just technical skills but the business acumen, global exposure, and networks required to build sustainable enterprises. Beyond the numbers, the real impact lies in seeding a generation of creatives who understand how to scale their art into viable industries. What makes this initiative unique is that training is immediately followed by the production of a TV series, which creates direct job opportunities and practical experience for participants. These individuals will go on to become producers, distributors, entrepreneurs, and policy influencers—multiplying impact across the ecosystem. We are now preparing to roll out the next phase of the Blueprint in Kenya in 2026, building a continental movement that positions Africa’s creative economy as both globally competitive and locally transformative.

What are the most pressing gaps in Africa’s creative and entrepreneurial ecosystem, and how can they be addressed?

 

The pressing gaps are threefold: infrastructure, financing, and policy. Creatives lack access to world-class facilities, financing models remain risk-averse, and policies often lag behind innovation. Addressing these requires public-private development coalitions. We need governments that legislate for the future, investors who believe in creative returns, and institutions that fund the ecosystem like they do agriculture or oil. Creativity must be recognised as an economic sector, not a pastime.

 

As President of Women in Film and Television Africa (WIFT Africa), what shifts have you noticed in the representation and visibility of women in Africa’s film and TV industry?

 

The shift has been seismic. Ten years ago, women were often tokenised; today, they are directing, financing, and distributing major projects. But beyond visibility, what excites me is the diversity of stories—women are telling narratives that reflect the full spectrum of African womanhood, from rural resilience to corporate leadership. Through WIFT Africa, we are not only amplifying these voices but also ensuring they are compensated and recognised globally.

 

If you weren’t a social entrepreneur, what other career path do you think would have captured your heart, and what might your life look like today?

 

I would have been a diplomat. I am naturally drawn to bridge-building, negotiation, and global engagement. In another life, I’d probably be at the United Nations shaping international policy. But in many ways, I already live that life—only my diplomacy happens through the lens of creativity, trade, and empowerment. And honestly, I wouldn’t trade this path for anything.

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