It’s generally believed that property business is largely male dominated, especially in Nigeria where it’s believed that women can’t be trusted with huge amount of money when it comes to big investments. But this notion is now gradually waning off by the day.
Over the last few years, real estate sector in Nigeria has witnessed the intervention and various inputs from top Nigerian women who have contributed to the property sector by investing heavily in it. Some of them had other businessses they were doing before they delved into the property business. Many of them are lawyers, entrepreneurs, while some had worked in the financial institutions. The input and contributions of these women to the sector can’t be ignored.
This week, City People will be spot lighting women who have made it big as property players, but are hardly talked about. Some of these women are into property development; they handle big housing projects worth billions of naira, while some of them basically are into land sale and they are doing well too. All these women are running their businesses independently. Below are some of them.
The first on the list is Dr. Ololade Abuta, the MD/CEO of Gracias Properties, a subsidiary of Gracias Group. She is one of the few women making huge impact in the real estate sector now. She has more than 8 estates around Lekki/Ajah/Ibeju-Lekki axis that’s currently selling. This beautiful lady has won several awards, this year especially for her outstanding performance in the real estate sector.
Dr. (Mrs.) Jayne Onwumere is another big name who has done well. She’s the founder and Group Managing Director of PWAN Group, a Pan African real estate company.
Talk of one property company with many subsidiaries in Nigeria, PWAN Homes will be in the top 3. PWAN Homes is one company set up many years ago to provide affordable homes for Lagosians, especially in the Lekki-Ajah axis but now it has grown beyond Lagos. They have extended to many parts of Nigeria and other countries. They recently toured Dubai to market their products to Nigerians in Dubai.
Mrs Jayne Onwumere is one of the real estate players who have positively contributed to the growth of the sector. Through the company (PWAN Group), she has provided affordable homes to over 5 thousand Nigerians, and she remains one of the top real estate players in Lagos.
We can’t but also talk about Mrs. Tolulope Onalaja, the Executive Director at RevolutionPlus Property Development Company. This beautiful lady is the brain behind the day to day running of RevolutionPlus Property. She handles all the administrative duties of the company. This year, she has been honoured for her role in the real estate sector. Few months back in the US, the energetic lady completed a course on real estate; a course that has helped her to perform well among her contemporaries.
Mrs. Aderonke EmmanuelKing is also another top female real estate player. She is also the Executive Director of Adron Homes & Properties. She also handles the day to day running of the company. She was honoured at the recent City People real estate awards for her contribution in the real estate sector and also for her efforts in making Adron Homes a big brand.
Another female who is doing well is Ichechi Okonkwo, the beautiful wife of Lagos property titan, Mr Kennedy Okonkwo. Mrs Ichechi is the founder of Laundry King and CEO Dream Estate Limited, located in Lekki axis. She’s currently doing well. She handles some of the multimillion projects of her husband. And she’s doing well in that regard. Her husband is the CEO of Nedcomoaks Limited, a foremost property development company. Mrs Ichechi’s property company is also doing well by providing necessary information on where to buy good houses in the Lekki axis.
Mrs Funke Kehinde is another woman who has distinguished herself in the sector. She is the founder and MD of Brilliant Concepts; a real estate firm she set up years ago to cater for those who desire to own a house of their own, especially in Lagos. This woman has done alot in the sector and she has been honoured on many occasions for her outstanding performance in the sector. She was recently honoured at the just concluded City People Real estate awards as Female Realtor of the Year.
Also playing big is Mrs Elizabeth Grace, the Founder of popular Lagos property company, GodMade Homes. This is a property development company that has done a lot in the last few years it started.
GodMade Homes focuses on the highbrow areas like Victoria Island, Ikoyi, Lekki and they also have projects at Gbagada Estate. They recently launched another big project in Parkview Estate, Ikoyi called Elizabeth Grace Court: it’s a multimillion naira project. It’s currently selling to Lagosians who are interested. It’s selling offplan now. Mrs. Elizabeth is one woman who has done well but whom we hardly talk about because she doesn’t like noise.
Mrs Sade Gbadamosi is another top female player who has distinguished herself. She is the founder of Amen Estate and Financial Director of her husband’s property development company, Redbricks Homes International Limited. Mrs Sade is the beautiful wife of Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi. They both co-run the company. Talk of luxury, class and elegant estate where celebrities live in Lagos, it’s Amen Estate and Mrs Sade Gbadamosi is the face behind the estate. Amen Estate is located on Eleko Road, Ibeju Lekki. Presently, they have sold out Phase 1, and Phase 2 is what is selling. This woman is in charge of the day to day running of this magnificent estates.
We can’t but talk about Mrs Folorunsho Alakija, Africa’s richest woman. She is known as a big player in the Oil and Gas sector but she has been recently doing big projects in the property world. She has taken real estate by storm. And over the last few years, she’s developed more than 4 mouthwatering projects in Ikoyi and Victoria Island, Lagos. Her new project on Kingsway Road, Ikoyi (adjacent Ikoyi registry), called Famfa Oil Towers is the talk of the town. The developer of the project is Dayspring Property Development Company. The project when completed will be the most expensive building in Nigeria. It’s a 22 floor edifice that will cost a whooping 60 billion naira. The project is being handled by Julius Berger.
She has also just completed her residential home on 4 Modupe Alakija, Ikoyi by the same construction company, Julius Berger. The following names have also been doing well over the years. Mrs Udo Maryanne Okonjo, CEO of Fine and Country West Africa, Hajia Bola Shagaya, Olajumoke Adenowo, Chukwunonso Onny-Ezeh of Assist-2-Sell Properties, Ifeoma of Bidhomes, Ifeoma Obianwu-Fafunwa, Ada Osakwe, Funmi Alao, Ayodeji Finnih, Ndidi Nwuneli, Uche Majekodunmi, Mosun Ogunbanjo, Olawatoyin Edun, Adeyemi Adefunke, Mrs Aisha Ahmed, Agnes, Tokunbo Martins, Dr Hannatu Fika, Saadiya Aliu, Rear Admiral Itunu, Hotonu, Torkwase Iyortyer, Uzoamaka Oshoge, Rose Ada, Chinwe Ajene Sagna, Chii Akporji, Adenike Fasanya Osilaja, Mrs INI Onuk-Abimbola, Mrs Erelu Angela Adebayo, Grace Ofure, Fifi Ekanem Ejindu, Mrs Vivian Mbagwu, Mrs Lizzy Shonekan, Tosin Ajose, Miss Bimbo Alashe, Omonike Fowowe, Yinka Ogunsulire (MD, Orange Island), Tokunbo Ishmael, Mrs Aderonke Oyelami, Module Anjous, Maya Horgan, Engr Ebele Okeke, Regina Olarewaju, Funke Opeke, Margret Oguntala, Arch Abimbola Ajayi, Arch Tosin Osinowo, Flora Anne and many others.
– ISAAC ABIMBADE
