Folorunso Alakija

Folorunso Alakija is a leader from Nigeria. She was born in a big family. When she was ten, she went to England. She studied to be a secretary. Later, she studied how to make clothes. She even started her own fashion brand.

She also works with oil. Her company found oil in the sea. This made her very successful. She was once named a powerful woman.

She likes to help others. She gives money to help widows and orphans. She also helps schools. She gave money for a new hospital. She is a very kind person.

Folorunso Alakija is a famous business leader from Nigeria. She was born on July 15, 1951. Her father had many children. Folorunso went to the United Kingdom when she was ten. She studied to be a secretary in London. Later, she studied fashion design. She started a brand called Supreme Stitches. She later renamed it Rose of Sharon House of Fashion.

Alakija also works in the oil industry. In 1993, she asked for a license to find oil. Her company, Famfa Limited, got a large block of land. This land was in the sea near Nigeria. Her team found oil there. Because of her work, she became very rich. In 2021, she was the richest woman in Africa.

She also helps many people. This is called philanthropy, which means giving to help others. She started the Rose of Sharon Foundation. This group gives money to widows and orphans. She also helps schools. She gave money for a new hospital. This cost about 70 billion Naira. This hospital helps people learn about medicine.

Folorunso Alakija is a very successful business leader from Nigeria. She is known for her work in many different areas. She leads the Rose of Sharon Group as the managing director. She is also the vice chairman for Famfa Oil Limited. People call her a philanthropist because she gives a lot to help others. This work makes her a very important person in her country.

Her career has followed many different paths over the years. She first worked in banking for twelve years starting in 1974. She worked as a secretary at Sijuade Enterprises in Lagos. Later, she worked for the International Merchant Bank of Nigeria. She also studied fashion design in London. She used these skills to start a fashion label. It was first called Supreme Stitches and later became Rose of Sharon House of Fashion.

Alakija's journey into the oil industry began in 1993. She applied for a license to look for oil. Her company, Famfa Limited, received a huge area to explore. This area was 617,000 acres in the Agbami Field. This field is located offshore from Nigeria in the sea. In 1996, she made a deal with Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited. They shared the work by splitting the stakes in the project.

Many people have recognized her great success and hard work. Forbes once named her one of the 100 most powerful women. In 2021, she was ranked as the richest woman in Africa. She has also received two honorary doctorate degrees. One came from Benson Idahosa University in Benin City in 2021. The other came from Chrisland University in Ogun State in 2022.

Helping others is a major part of her life today. She started the Rose of Sharon Foundation to help people. This group gives scholarships and grants to widows and orphans. She also gave a skills center to Yabatech in Lagos. In 2025, she helped fund a large hospital for Osun State University. This project cost about 70 billion Naira. This gift helped the school become a leader in medical research.

Folorunso Alakija is a prominent Nigerian businesswoman and philanthropist. She holds several major leadership roles in her country. She serves as the group managing director for the Rose of Sharon Group. Additionally, she is the executive vice chairman of Famfa Oil Limited. Her work spans multiple industries, including fashion and energy. These diverse roles have made her a highly influential figure in Africa.

Alakija was born on July 15, 1951, into a middle-class family in Nigeria. She belongs to the Yoruba ethnicity of southwestern Nigeria. Her father was Chief L.A. Ogbara. He had 52 children and eight wives. Alakija's mother was his first wife. Her education began at Muslim High School in Shagamu, Nigeria. At age ten, she traveled to the United Kingdom for further schooling. She studied secretarial skills at Pitman Central College in London.

Her professional career began in the banking sector in 1974. She spent twelve years working in various banking roles. Initially, she served as an executive secretary at Sijuade Enterprises in Lagos. She later worked for the former First National Bank of Chicago. In that role, she was the executive secretary to the managing director. She also worked at the International Merchant Bank of Nigeria. There, she headed the Corporate Affairs Department and assisted the Treasury Department.

Alakija later transitioned into the world of fashion design. She studied at the American College in London and the Central School of Fashion. She founded a fashion label originally named Supreme Stitches. In 1996, she renamed this business the Rose of Sharon House of Fashion. She also served as a leader in her professional community. She was the president and a lifelong trustee of the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria (FADAN).

In May 1993, Alakija entered the oil industry. She applied for an oil prospecting license, known as an OPL. Her company, Famfa Limited, was granted a license to explore a massive area. This block covered 617,000 acres in the Agbami Field. This field is located offshore from the coast of Nigeria. In September 1996, she entered a joint venture with Star Deep Water Petroleum Limited. This agreement transferred a 40 percent stake to Star Deep.

After oil was discovered, the Nigerian government took a significant interest. The government claimed a 40 percent stake in the project. They later claimed an additional 10 percent stake. The government argued that Alakija might dispute these claims if they did not act. Alakija's success has brought her global recognition. Forbes included her on their list of the 100 most powerful women. By 2021, she was ranked as the richest woman in Africa.

She has received several high honors for her achievements. In July 2021, Benson Idahosa University in Benin City gave her an honorary doctorate. Chrisland University in Ogun State conferred another honorary doctorate in November 2022. Beyond business, she is a dedicated philanthropist. She established the Rose of Sharon Foundation to support others. This foundation provides scholarships and business grants to orphans and widows.

Alakija's charitable work includes significant contributions to education and health. She donated a skills acquisition center to Yabatech in Lagos. In 2025, she helped fund a medical and teaching hospital for Osun State University. This massive project cost approximately 70 billion Naira. This donation helped the university become a leading center for medical research in Africa. In her personal life, she married Modupe Alakija in November 1976. They live in Lagos with their four sons.