Emeka Okafor has a diverse, interdisciplinary background focused on developing and raising the awareness of all things African. Currently, he is a Partner in Caranda Fine Foods, a manufacturer of globally distributed gourmet beverages and condiments locally sourced and produced from across Sub-Saharan Africa. Mr. Okafor is also a principal at the Makeda Fund, a private equity fund focused on the development of women-owned and managed Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Africa. In 2007, alongside his other projects, Emeka directed the TED-Global Conference held in Arusha Tanzania, he continues on today as the TED-Africa Director.
In addition to his work on Caranda, Makeda, and TED, Mr. Okafor co-founded the International Private Enterprise Group (IPEG), a volunteer initiative established to promote the role of private enterprise and capital markets in emerging markets. Emeka sits on the advisory board of Market For Change (now called SamaSource) an outsourcing startup and Ushahidi the developer of a crowd sourcing crisis information application .In addition Emeka recently served as a senior advisor to the X-prize foundation for their Global Development prize.
Emeka is also an active writer and blogger. Passionately committed to sharing the issues and ideas that are guiding Africa’s future, he is the founder and author of two publicly acclaimed blogs Timbuktu Chronicles. Which covers the confluence of entrepreneurship, science and technology in Africa and amongst Africans. And Africa Unchained that speaks to matters that include policy, education, culture and governance. He has also contributed to the book: Worldchanging: A Users Guide for the 21st Century.
Mr. Okafor was born in the Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom and grew up in Canada and Nigeria. He was educated at the University of Nigeria and graduated with a degree in Architecture.
