Olori Atuwatse III is passionate about empowering her community through education, entrepreneurship, and healthcare. For this reason and more, the management of LEADERSHIP Newspapers has chosen her as the Social Impact Person Of The Year 2024.
With a legal background from the London School of Economics and as a member of professional organisations like CIARB Nigeria, Olori Atuwatse III combines her entrepreneurial spirit and expertise to create value across various industries.
She has successfully founded start-ups in the fashion and hospitality sectors. She sits on the boards of various companies and businesses and is constantly on the lookout for opportunities to create value through enterprise.
Beyond enterprise, Olori has a passion for coaching young people and mentoring them at various learning phases with practical skills, through education and vocational training.
Olori Atuwatse III is a devoted mother and Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom, passionate about empowering her community through education, entrepreneurship and healthcare.
Through The Royal Iwere Foundation (RIF), she has launched various initiatives, including the Teacher’s Training Programme, Captain Idahosa Wells Okunbo STEM and Innovation Lab, Love Garden project, and Wuwu Ore, which provide education, skills training, healthcare and economic empowerment to indigent children, women, and communities in the kingdom.
Stretching beyond the ambits of the Warri Kingdom, Olori Atuwatse III works with the Nigerian government on programmes geared towards improving women’s lives. She is an appointed member of the High-Level Advisory Committee (HLAC) on Women’s Economic Empowerment and Gender in Nigeria, a committee set up by the government to effectively combat issues around women empowerment around the globe.
In addition to being a recipient of numerous awards, Her Royal Highness, Olori Atuwatse III, has also had the distinguished honor of serving as a member of the judging panel at the esteemed Diana Awards in March 2024, a testament to her esteemed reputation and expertise.
A builder at heart, Olori Atuwatse III is determined to leave a legacy of education, empowerment in Warri kingdom, Nigeria and across the globe. HRH Olori is named among the 2023 List of 100 Most Influential African Women by Avance Media.
An attestation of Olori’s resilient spirit is encapsulated in one of her fervent statement: ‘Seeming failure does not disqualify you. It is just an indication that you’re going in the wrong direction and that it’s time to learn something new’.
She is happily married to His Royal Majesty, the Olu of Warri Kingdom, Ogiame Atuwatse III, CFR, and they are blessed with three children.
Olori Atuwatse and 25 other distinguished individuals and organisations who have made exceptional contributions to governance, business, social impact, and public service in Nigeria were nominated by the LEADERSHIP Newspapers’ board of editors after extensive deliberations at a meeting held in November 2024 at the company’s headquarters in Abuja.
Olori Atuwatse and other nominees will celebrate their outstanding leadership, vision, and commitment to national development at the LEADERSHIP Conference and Awards ceremony next year.
Alhaji Aliko Mohammad Dangote, Nigeria’s foremost industrialist and philanthropist, won the Person Of The Year Award for immensely contributing to the nation’s economy. His philanthropic efforts make him a deserving recipient of this highest honour.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, won the 2024 Quinquennial Award For Governance and Infrastructure, a rare recognition by the LEADERSHIP Group Limited.
for 2024, six state governors were jointly nominated for the Governor of the Year award. They are Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano State, Bala Mohammed of Bauchi, Pastor Umo Bassey Eno of Akwa Ibom, Mallam Umar A. Namadi of Jigawa State, Peter Mbah of Enugu State, and Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke of Osun State.
The governors were recognised for driving sustainable growth, infrastructural development, and policy innovations in their respective states.
Adams Oshiomhole (CON), former Governor of Edo State, won the Politician of the Year award for his political influence in the state, where he frontally led the campaign that led to the emergence of Governor Monday Okpehbolo as the Governor and his advocacy for democratic growth in Nigeria.
Benedict Peters, founder and CEO of AITEO, won the Business Person of the Year award for massively investing in Africa’s mining and hydrocarbons sector. In contrast, Dame (Dr) Adaora Umeoji, GMD/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, clinched the Banker of the Year award for her role in transforming the banking industry.
Alhaji Bashir Adewale Adeniyi (MFR), Comptroller-General of Customs, emerged as the Public Service Person of the Year for his exceptional leadership in improving the efficiency of Nigeria’s Customs Service (NCS).
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Oil and Gas Free Zones Authority (OGFZA), Bamanga Usman Jada, clinched the award of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Year 2024 (Public Sector) by the management of LEADERSHIP Newspapers, while the CEO and Chairman of Nord Automobiles, Oluwatobi Ajayi, has been selected as the CEO of the Year 2024 (Private Sector).
AVSATEL Communications Limited won the Company of the Year award in other award categories, while ARCO Engineering Limited is the Oil & Gas Local Content Champion of the Year.
OPAY won the Fintech Company of the Year award for promoting financial inclusion in Nigeria. At the same time, Alternative Bank clinched the Most Innovative Bank of the Year award for its pioneering work in digital banking.
Minister of Environment Balarabe Abbas Lawal will be honoured as Environmental Impact Person of the Year for his leadership in advancing environmental policies and addressing climate change.
The Outstanding Young Person of the Year 2024 award will go to the ENACTUS team from Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi. They are recognised for championing innovation and sustainability. Terra Cube will receive the Product of the Year award for its innovative solutions in sustainable living.