The Experience Academy

Today, we celebrate an exceptional leader, visionary, and changemaker James Akan, Executive Director of The Experience Innovation Academy. 🎉🎂

Your passion for growth, commitment to excellence, and dedication to empowering others continue to inspire everyone around you. Through your leadership, lives are being transformed and futures are being shaped.

May this new year bring you greater wisdom, strength, favor, and outstanding accomplishments. May your impact continue to grow, and may every dream and vision you carry flourish beyond expectations.
Happy Birthday, James Akan! Wishing you joy, success, good health, and many more years of influence and achievement.

Empowering Nigerian Manufacturers: A Recap of the AEIF Innovation Event

On Tuesday, the Executive Director of The Experience Innovation Academy coordinated the Alumni Exchange Innovation Fund program in Lagos.

Hosted at the Women Development Center in Agege, Lagos, the event saw a massive turnout of over 120 participants, all gathered to witness a masterclass in industrial growth and innovation. The program was a testament to the vision of Dr. Roberta Edu, supported by the strategic efforts of the AEIF team.

The event kicked off with an inspiring goodwill message from the President of the Mandela Washington Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria Association, Julius Ilori, who emphasized the importance of alumni-led initiatives in driving national economic growth.

The event brought together a powerhouse of industry experts to equip Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) with the tools needed to scale:
Boboye Adeniji Oluwafemi broke down the core essentials of running a sustainable enterprise in today's market.
Mr. Saifullah Maishanu (SON) provided a roadmap for navigating the complexities of compliance, standardization, and certification.
Toyin Olufon delivered a practical session on bookkeeping, tax requirements, and the financial tools necessary for scaling.
Dr. Roberta Edu shared her blueprint on moving "From Kitchen to Global Brand," teaching manufacturers how to build quality and market boldly on the world stage.

This event was a catalyst for the next generation of Nigerian manufacturers to bridge the gap between local production and international standards.

Are you ready for the Global Stage in 2026? 🌍
The world has changed, and the "old rules" of international opportunities no longer apply. Join James Akan, Executive Director of the Experience Innovation Academy, for a transformative session: "The Global Opportunity Landscape: 2026 Edition."
We are diving deep into:Young people's miniseries -positioning yourself for international opportunities

Today, we celebrate Beth Graham, a woman whose commitment to resilience and sustainability knows no borders.

Beth, the Experience Innovation Academy owes a great deal of its growth to your mentorship and solidarity. The Atlanta-Akwa Ibom Transatlantic Leadership Summit stands as a testament to what happens when visionary leaders collaborate across the globe.

Thank you for lighting the way for the Youth Development Hub. We are building a brighter future because of your support.

Have an amazing birthday!
James Akan
Executive Director, The Experience Innovation Academy

Exciting Opportunity for MWFAAN Members!

Dear MWFAAN Members,

As part of our commitment to building a more member-centric MWFAAN, we are thrilled to announce the MWFAAN Inter-Cohort Collaboration Grant!

This initiative is designed to foster collaboration across cohorts, strengthen partnerships, and maximize impact within our community.

Grant Details:
• Total Funding: $3,000, to be awarded across three selected groups.

📌 Application Deadline: 31st March

We strongly encourage members with disabilities to apply, your ideas and leadership matter!

For questions, email [email protected] or contact the Special Duties Secretary directly

Let’s collaborate, innovate, and make a difference together!

MWFAAN Executive Team

Redesigning the Experience of Justice in Nigeria
From the courtroom to the street corner, the "experience" of justice determines the strength of a democracy.

Our Executive Director at the Experience Innovation Academy has spent the last year diving deep into the architecture of our national systems.

Following a high-level stakeholder review of the Nigerian Judiciary Reform, alongside the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the UNODC, and the National Bureau of Statistics, he worked to identify a critical truth: Policy without operational alignment is just paper.

Building on that momentum, he spent the early week of February focusing on another critical pillar: Policing Reform.

Recognising the public outcry regarding systemic failures, he joined key stakeholders to critically examine the Police Act 2020 through a "systems innovation" lens.

Representing the Academy, he advocated for a fundamental redesign of how the law is experienced by the average citizen.
Working alongside the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative.

At the Experience Innovation Academy, he leads the belief that true accountability isn't just about oversight it’s about designing systems where excellence is the default.

By participating in this conversation, there is an intentional effort to bridge the gap between the police and the public, he is helping to innovate the Nigerian experience of justice.

The High Cost of Indifference: Why Africa’s Human Capital is Fleeing

When the risk of dying in a foreign war or on a raft in the Mediterranean becomes more attractive than the certainty of starving at home, we are not just facing a migration crisis. We are facing a systemic collapse of the social contract.

Our Executive Director at the Experience Innovation Academy recently shared a sobering reflection on the "Export of Tragedy." With a median age of 19 and vast mineral wealth, Nigeria should be a global economic titan. Yet, we remain a resource extraction economy that exports raw potential and imports finished goods.
To move from survival to prosperity, he outlines three non-negotiable pillars for a New Social Contract:

1️⃣ Implementing a Social Protection Floor (SPF): Providing a basic safety net is an investment in stability, not charity. By allocating 2% to 4% of GDP ($10B–$15B annually), we can ensure no citizen is forced into modern slavery just to eat. This is a fraction of what is currently lost to crude oil theft and inefficient subsidies.

2️⃣ Transitioning from Extraction to Value-Addition: Africa must stop being a spectator in the global value chain. We must incentivize local refining and manufacturing of our lithium and crude to create dignified, high-quality jobs for our teeming youth population.

3️⃣ Redefining Accountability: We must dismantle the "Thug Economy" where poverty is weaponized for political handouts. It is time for a civic shift where the youth refuse to be tools for thuggery and instead become watchdogs for the commonwealth.

The "Nigerian Dream" must be achievable on Nigerian soil. We don’t need a miracle; we need a system where the government provides the floor, and the citizens provide the fire for accountability.

At the Experience Innovation Academy, we are committed to designing the institutional frameworks that make this vision an operational reality.

Happy International Women’s Day 🌸

Today, we celebrate the strength, resilience, and brilliance of women everywhere.

Let us continue to support, uplift, and empower one another as we build a future filled with equality, opportunity, and success for every girl and woman.
Here’s to strong women:
May we know them,
May we raise them,
May we be them.

💜 Happy International Women’s Day

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: Anchored Generation Academy – Cohort Two

Are you an early-stage founder, student innovator, or aspiring entrepreneur with a powerful startup idea? If yes, this opportunity could help you transform that idea into a working solution.

The Anchored Generation Academy Cohort Two program now invites applications from ambitious builders ready to move beyond theory and start creating real impact.

Why You Should Apply

This 4-week startup accelerator program focuses on turning ideas into real prototypes while strengthening your entrepreneurial mindset. Throughout the program, participants gain practical skills and hands-on experience.

Key Benefits Include:
✔ Problem discovery and validation
✔ Strong value proposition and market fit
✔ MVP development and rapid prototyping
✔ Business models and investor pitching
✔ Founder mindset and ex*****on strategies
✔ Hackathon participation

As a result, participants finish the program with clearer startup direction, stronger ex*****on skills, and a validated idea.

Who Should Apply?

This program is perfect for:

• Students and young innovators
• Early-stage startup founders
• Anyone with a promising startup idea
• Builders are tired of theory who want practical experience

Whether you already have a concept or you’re still shaping your idea, this program will guide you through the ideation and prototype stage step by step.

Program Details

Duration: 4 Weeks
Stage: Ideation & Prototype
Application Deadline: 9th March 2026

Therefore, if you want to sharpen your entrepreneurial skills and start building your startup, this program offers the perfect starting point.

Apply Now. (Link in the comment)

Don’t miss the chance to join a community where early-stage founders are made.