True leadership is not about visibility, it’s about creating tangible impact that transforms lives
The Visionary Behind Her Network
In the bustling metropolis of Lagos, Nigeria, where resilience is woven into the city’s fabric, a visionary leader has emerged with a profound mission: to create spaces where women can find their voices, tell their stories, and embrace their authentic selves. Nkem Onwudiwe, the Founder and Chief Executor of Her Network, has built more than just a platform—she has cultivated a global community that celebrates women’s achievements and amplifies their impact.
Her journey reflects the power of intentional leadership grounded in purpose. Through Her Network, Onwudiwe has created a stage that illuminates the depths of any woman who stands on it, propelling their voices and stories into communities and rooms around the world. The annual Her Summit and the recognition of unsung heroines through initiatives like the Women of the Year list have become touchstones for women seeking connection, inspiration, and growth.
What makes Onwudiwe’s approach distinctive is her unwavering commitment to substance over spectacle. In a world often obsessed with visibility for its own sake, she has remained focused on tangible impact—on creating ripples that extend beyond social media hashtags and into the lived realities of women navigating complex professional and personal landscapes.
Roots of Resilience: Lagos Upbringing Shapes a Leader
The seeds of Onwudiwe’s leadership philosophy were planted early. Growing up in a two-parent household in Lagos, she observed the delicate balance her entrepreneurial parents struck between softness and strength. Their example imparted lessons in discipline, perseverance, and integrity that would later become cornerstones of her approach to business and community building.
“Both of my parents were entrepreneurs,” she reflects. Their influence sparked her interest in marketing, which she would go on to study at the University of Nigeria, laying the academic foundation for her future career.
The city of Lagos itself became a formative influence, reinforcing values of adaptability and resourcefulness that have served Onwudiwe well throughout her professional journey. These early influences created a leader who values substance and resilience—qualities that would later distinguish her approach to women’s empowerment.
Unexpected Detours: The Path to PR Mastery
Onwudiwe’s professional path has been marked by strategic pivots and a willingness to embrace unexpected opportunities. Initially aspiring to be a producer, her trajectory changed when her first boss—a formidable leader in the media sector—recognized untapped potential and assigned her to a public relations role for a special project.
This redirection would prove fortuitous, setting Onwudiwe on a path through various industries and organizations. Her resume includes impressive credentials: Head of Marketing & Corporate Communications at Heirs Holdings, Head of PR & Digital Communications at Ledrop Nigeria Ltd, and positions at Rocket Internet, Soul Muzik, and Inspire Africa Limited, among others.
These diverse experiences provided more than professional development—they offered profound lessons about leadership, particularly women’s leadership. Working predominantly under female bosses, Onwudiwe encountered both inspiring mentors and cautionary examples. The positive experiences taught her the value of mentorship, collaboration, and supportive environments. The challenging ones underscored the importance of empathy, integrity, and creating inclusive spaces where everyone feels valued.
Beyond the Desk: A Moment of Reckoning
Professional success alone, however, wasn’t enough to satisfy Onwudiwe’s deeper questions about purpose and legacy. A poignant moment of reflection came following the passing of one of her favorite bosses’ mother.
“Though her passing was tragic and in service to humanity, it made me question what legacy and impact I wanted to leave in this world,” Onwudiwe shares. This profound contemplation sparked a growing dissatisfaction with the prospect of spending her days “sitting behind a desk from dawn till dusk.”
This existential questioning became the fertile ground from which Her Network would eventually emerge. The platform began with modest networking events designed to connect women but has since evolved into a powerful vehicle for amplifying women’s voices and impact stories globally.
The Power of Purpose: Her Network’s Distinctive Edge
What distinguishes Her Network in a landscape crowded with women-focused initiatives? According to Onwudiwe, “Our why sets us apart.”
This clarity of purpose has guided the platform’s evolution from its inception. While the specific programs and initiatives have grown—from networking events to the annual Her Summit—the core mission has remained constant: to make an impact by inspiring women to live their truth and stand in their greatness.
The results of this focused approach speak volumes. One particularly moving story involves a woman recognized as Her Network’s Woman of the Year in 2018. This individual had been doing significant work without much recognition. Within weeks of being honored by Her Network, she was contacted by an international organization that discovered her through the platform.
Such stories of impact—of women finding their voice, applying for positions they might otherwise have overlooked, or gaining visibility that leads to new opportunities—affirm the necessity of Onwudiwe’s work. As she puts it, “When you receive a message saying, ‘Your platform helped me find my voice’ or ‘I applied for that position because I saw someone who looks like me featured on Her Network,’ you realize this work isn’t just important—it’s necessary.”
Battling Headwinds: Systematic Barriers and Strategic Responses
The path to building an impactful platform hasn’t been without obstacles. Onwudiwe candidly acknowledges that funding and establishing mutually beneficial partnerships remain significant challenges.
“More often than not, Her Network gets approached for partnerships and collaborations with the focus more on what the approaching organisation can get and less on how the collaboration benefits Her Network, or aids the growth of our platform,” she explains.
Rather than viewing these challenges as setbacks, Onwudiwe sees them as opportunities to educate potential partners on the importance of balanced collaboration. This approach reflects her broader philosophy on resilience and growth—giving herself space to acknowledge difficulties while focusing on constructive paths forward.
Beyond the specific challenges facing Her Network, Onwudiwe is acutely aware of the broader systemic barriers facing women in business, particularly in Nigeria and across Africa. She distills these obstacles into two powerful words: “systematic discrimination.”
“The system isn’t set up for women in business to thrive; there’s always one systematic hurdle or another to cross,” she observes. From entrenched gender biases and lack of access to capital to cultural norms that undervalue women’s potential, the playing field remains decidedly unlevel.
From Recognition to Connection: The Birth of Her Summit
Perhaps no initiative better exemplifies Onwudiwe’s vision than Her Summit. Born five years after the launch of Her Network’s annual Woman of the Year Awards, the summit emerged from a desire to create more than just an annual ceremony—to involve more women and establish a platform for continuous empowerment and connection.
The journey to establishing Her Summit reflects Onwudiwe’s commitment to highlighting unsung heroines. For the first five years of the Woman of the Year Awards, Her Network faced significant funding challenges, as many organizations pressured them to celebrate well-known figures. Onwudiwe remained steadfast in her vision to highlight “the unknown faces, the hidden gems making impactful contributions,” even when it meant relying on self-funding and support from friends, family, and the few brands that shared their vision.
While the awards ceremony has evolved into the annual Women of the Year list, Her Summit has become a flagship event that embodies Onwudiwe’s holistic approach to women’s empowerment. The summit isn’t merely about professional advancement—it’s about creating spaces where women don’t have to fragment their identities.
“There’s immense power in spaces where you don’t have to fragment your identity—where your faith, ambitions, vulnerabilities, and strengths are all welcomed and affirmed,” Onwudiwe explains.
The careful curation of themes and speakers for the summit reveals Onwudiwe’s thoughtful leadership approach. Beyond impressive credentials, she seeks speakers with knowledge and genuine stories that allow attendees to see themselves reflected—whether through shared challenges, experiences, or career journeys.
Community feedback plays a crucial role in shaping the summit’s direction, with responses from previous editions and frequently asked questions informing future themes and discussions. This listener-centered approach ensures that Her Summit remains relevant and impactful.
Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish: A Leadership Mantra in Action
Onwudiwe’s leadership style reflects her commitment to continuous growth and authenticity. She lives by the principle “Stay hungry, Stay foolish,” embracing the understanding that knowledge is infinite and stagnation begins the moment one believes they know enough.
This philosophy shapes her decision-making by “removing the pressure of having all the answers and instead creates space for curiosity and collective wisdom.” When confronting complex decisions, she leans into questions rather than rushing toward conclusions—an approach that values exploration and collaborative problem-solving over hierarchical certainty.
Maintaining productivity amid the demands of leadership requires intentional practices. Onwudiwe prioritizes movement—whether through exercise or walks—finding that “stagnancy cannot thrive where movement lives.” She also fiercely protects her mental space, sometimes declining seemingly attractive opportunities that don’t align with her core focus.
Her approach to setbacks further illustrates her mature leadership philosophy. While acknowledging the emotional impact of challenges, she has developed the discipline to “give myself a shorter timeline to feel my feelings, acknowledge where and how I could have done better (for the things within my control) and move forward with grace.”
This balanced approach—honoring emotional responses while maintaining forward momentum—exemplifies the integrated leadership style that has made Her Network a nurturing space for women’s authentic expression and growth.
Breaking Taboos: The Revolutionary Power of Digital Storytelling
Central to Her Network’s impact is its strategic use of digital storytelling to amplify women’s voices. Onwudiwe recognizes that digital media offers not just expanded reach but unprecedented opportunities to challenge stereotypes and redefine narratives.
“Storytelling through digital media allows us to challenge stereotypes and redefine narratives,” she notes. The platform creates space for discussions that were once considered taboo, ensuring that diverse women’s experiences are heard and valued.
This approach creates ripple effects that extend beyond virtual spaces and into women’s daily lives. By sharing authentic stories of triumphs, challenges, and everything in between, Her Network builds bridges of connection and understanding that transcend geographical and cultural boundaries.
From Competition to Collaboration: Reimagining Women’s Solidarity
Looking toward the future of women’s empowerment, Onwudiwe envisions a fundamental shift in how women relate to one another. She believes that the next big leap in the movement for gender equality will come when women “truly support each other—not just with public statements or hashtags on social media, but with consistent, and sometimes uncomfortable solidarity.”
Drawing on a proverb she cherishes—”If there is no enemy within, the enemy outside can do us no harm”—Onwudiwe challenges women to reconsider internal barriers within their own communities. She envisions a future where women “stop seeing each other as competition and start seeing each other as collaborators in creating a more equitable world.”
This vision extends to organizational structures as well. Onwudiwe calls on companies and organizations to better support women in leadership by “letting them truly lead” with genuine decision-making power and adequate resources. She advocates for normalizing leadership styles that deviate from traditional models, recognizing that adherence to outdated approaches—”that’s how we’ve always done it”—impedes progress and innovation.
Beyond the Platform: A Legacy of Authentic Empowerment
As Nkem Onwudiwe continues to build Her Network’s global presence, her impact extends far beyond the platform itself. Through her thoughtful leadership, she models a new paradigm for women’s empowerment—one grounded in authenticity, collaboration, and tangible impact.
Her story reminds us that true leadership begins with a clear sense of purpose. As she advises those looking to build their own brand and establish themselves: “The first step is to decide that you’re going to build your brand and establish yourself. Then have a solid reason why. Your ‘why’ will be your anchor when the storms come—because they will—from time to time. But your ‘why’ will keep you grounded until the sun shines again, time and time after.”
In a landscape often dominated by superficial metrics of success, Onwudiwe’s focus on depth and substance stands out. Through Her Network, she has created more than just another platform—she has built a community where women can embrace their whole selves, amplify their voices, and collaborate toward a more equitable future.
As Her Network continues to evolve and expand its reach, one thing remains constant: Nkem Onwudiwe’s unwavering commitment to inspiring women to live their truth and stand in their greatness. It is this commitment—this clear vision of purpose—that will continue to light the way forward, not just for Her Network but for the countless women whose voices and stories it amplifies.