Maryann Ogechukwu Okoli

Maryann Ogechukwu Okoli is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Esomchi Foods, a nutrition-focused agribusiness and food innovation enterprise transforming and diversifying Africa’s food systems to deliver healthy diets through a farm-to-table approach. She leads the company’s strategic direction, innovation, partnerships and business growth, advancing sustainable food systems that improve nutrition, create economic opportunities and strengthen community resilience. Esomchi Foods improves the nutrition of vulnerable households by promoting nutrient enrich-crops, producing safe, affordable, nutritious food products and strengthening the capacity of farmers, processors and other value chain actors through partnerships with governments, development agencies and the private sector.

Under Maryann’s leadership, Esomchi Foods and the Esomchi Foundation have implemented programs across 24 states in Nigeria, supporting 47,950 smallholder farmers, training 14,700 food processors, reaching over 61,650 beneficiaries, and enabling more than 550,000 households to access nutritious foods.

Maryann has led strategic partnerships with Mercy Corps (USAID), CARE, GAIN (Foreign Affairs of Netherland), Palladium (FCDO/UKaid), the International Potato Center (African Development Bank), Winrock International, Nigeria Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the African Project Development Centre (European Union). She received the USAID SCALE Donor’s Choice Creative Adaptation Award (2022) and was recognized as a Leading African Women in Food Fellow. She holds a B.Sc. in Statistics from Anambra State University Nigeria and a Master’s degree in International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid from Kalu Institute, Spain.

Driven by a passion to end malnutrition, her work advances SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), 5 (Gender Equality), 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through innovation and inclusive agricultural development.