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By Agatha Emeadi
Mary Aderinola Ojulari is a finance professional who founded The Mary Ojulari Foundation. She had a very successful career that spanned 25 years in notable corporate organizations in Britain and Nigeria, where she held various leadership positions, culminating in her being appointed as the Managing Director of Mercedes Benz Nigeria. Ojulari resigned from Mercedes-Benz Nigeria last year.
In an interview with Sunday Sun, she explains that the foundation has awarded over $125,000 in grants to 25 ventures. She said many of the recipients have since expanded production, formalised operations, and entered new markets, adding, “One fellow scaled from 10 to 28 employees within four months of receiving our support. Others have gained access to export markets or secured partnerships.”
Walk us through your professional journey in corporate organisations.
My career spans over two and a half decades across multiple industries, professional services, hospitality, manufacturing, media and automotive. I began with KPMG, where I developed a rigorous foundation in finance and audit. Then, I later moved into the hospitality and manufacturing sectors, working with brands like Bass and Whitbread PLC, all in the United Kingdom.
These offices prepared me for leadership roles in large and complex organisations. When I joined the BBC in London, I helped lead financial transformation projects at a time of digital and structural change. Again, I was headhunted to Consumer News and Business Channels (CNBC) and Forbes Africa, where I served as Director of Finance, working at the intersection of media, business, and policy.
My final corporate role was as Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Nigeria, where I led business transformation across commercial operations, aftersales, and digitisation. During my tenure, I also served on the board of the European Business Chamber (EuroCham) Nigeria and held the position of president for two years, during which I advocated for European private sector investment and partnerships in Nigeria.
These diverse experiences shaped my leadership philosophy, whether in media, manufacturing or automotive industry. The unifying thread has always been people-centred transformation, operational excellence, and long-term impact.
Again, I have to be with my sons. About 70 percent of my times goes into their football career, where they have been signed up to Fort Worth Football cCub. Then again, for the fact that I am passionate about giving back to the society and building a life of impact, The Mary Ojulari Foundation has been birthed. I learnt from being a Director at the European Business Chamber (EuroCham), where I served for four years, then a vice president and president for a year. That exposed me to multi-lateral and bilateral agencies on how to negotiate with the international community provide grant support to developing nations.
How has the experience gained from these engagements shaped your leadership style and entrepreneurial work today?
My experience across sectors has taught me to lead through change with empathy, clarity, and resilience. At the BBC, the biggest challenge was not the systems overhaul but guiding teams through the uncertainty of transformation. At Mercedes-Benz, modernising a legacy brand meant building trust while introducing innovation.
These experiences have deeply informed how I lead The Mary Ojulari Foundation. We focus on outcomes, but we also listen deeply, to communities, to our fellows, to stakeholders. In a fast-changing economy like Nigeria’s, adaptable leadership is everything. One must move with the times while staying anchored in values.
What inspired the creation of the Mary Ojulari Foundation?
Well, it was both personal and structural. I lost my father at a young age, and I know the disorientation that comes when opportunity is suddenly removed. I was lucky to be surrounded by people and institutions that gave me a second chance. But many Nigerians do not get that when sudden removal of a sponsor occurs.
Professionally, I have worked with exceptional young people whose talent was constrained not by ability, but by a lack of access to finance, mentors, or networks. That is the exposure gap. I wanted to create something that would level the playing ground.
What is that unique selling point that differentiates the foundation from other entrepreneurship programmes?
The frontline selling point of our foundation is our flagship initiative. It is designed for high-potential entrepreneurs aged between 18 and 35 who are solving real community challenges, which are often in under-served or informal sectors. Therefore, what sets us apart is our ecosystem approach.
We began with a two-week Ignite Bootcamp rooted in case studies and practical tools. Fellows then join a nine-month incubator for mentorship, vocational certification, grants of up to $5,000, and long-term business support. Beyond that, we have built a powerful alumni network of grassroots change-makers.
What qualifies the recipients?
We went to communities, used social media to call for applications, organized private sector platforms to get young people between the ages of 18 and 35 years of age. That is our benchmark: people who are in that age segment with business. Usually, organizations, micro-finance banks, entrepreneurs who would have applied for loans with their data shared. We used various medium to collate their applications. We also had judges who had done this before, to help us select. We had mentors from Tony Elumelu Foundation and officials from the Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria (SMEDAN), who developed a curriculum for us which we used at the bootcamp. That curriculum was what we used in ensuring that most of the entrepreneurs had a changed mindset. At the end of the two weeks camp, we were able to see if the business could stand the test of time. We were also able to assess the attitude of the business owner, to know if they could also take the grant and utilize it effectively.
Is there a way of ensuring that the recipients will use the grant effectively?
Yes, we are working with actors through agencies to make sure that this is done effectively. Part of the frontline fellowship is a nine-month programme, where businesses are visited in every quarter. They also have access to us as they wish because we consider ourselves a business clinic. If the business needs help, they come to us. If we cannot support them, we would collaborate with another agency or organization that can and that is what we have been doing. We are in close contact with the fellows that brought the money and this is the first time.
How are you funding the programme currently?
The pilot was funded by corporate partners and the foundation provided additional support. But for future cohorts, we are actively seeking strategic partners, corporates, donors, and government allies who share our vision of inclusive economic growth.
What has been the highpoint for you?
When I actually see transformation in their business, when one of them brought the equipment that manufactures spices, set it up and I saw their production and revenue increase at the same rate. Another got a product approved by NAFDAC. Seeing their businesses grow brings joy to my heart. We gave out the money in April and within three months, most of their stories changed.
How many entrepreneurs have you supported so far, and what kinds of businesses are they building?
We have supported 55 entrepreneurs across 17 industries. One of them that we are proud of is a technology-enabled logistics company in the South-South, a hair products manufacturer in Ebonyi, a shoemaker from Badagry with over 100 apprentices, and a female farmer in Abia State scaling palm oil production. What unites them is not industry, but purpose. These are individuals building for impact with limited resources but boundless drive.
What outcomes have you seen from the experimental programme?
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We have awarded over $125,000 in grants to 25 ventures. Many fellows have since expanded production, formalised operations, and entered new markets. One fellow scaled from 10 to 28 employees within four months of receiving our support. Others have gained access to export markets or secured partnerships.
More than metrics, we have seen confidence grow. When someone who never imagined pitching to a room of CEOs suddenly sees themselves as a business leader that is transformation.
How do you continue engaging your fellows after the bootcamp?
Our support does not end with the bootcamp. We run regular webinars, business clinics, and accountability check-ins. We listen and then respond. Whether it is connecting a fellow with a supplier in another state or helping one restructure finances, we are invested for the long haul. We are also planning regional hubs in the next phase so our reach goes beyond Lagos.
What do you look for when selecting frontline fellows?
We look for drive, clarity of purpose, and a community-centred idea. It does not need to be perfect, but it must be real-rooted in a problem the applicant understands deeply. We also assess readiness, to discover how committed applicants are to do the work. Can they make the most of our support? And importantly, do they have the grit to persevere?
What has been the testimony so far?
That innovation is everywhere. It is in a roadside shoemaker rethinking apprenticeship. It is in a widowed farmer streamlining cassava processing. These are communities society often overlooks them.
Nigerian’s entrepreneurial DNA is intact but what is missing is scaffolding, resources, trust, and consistent backing. And that is what we aim to provide.
Does mentorship play a role in your model?
Yes, it does and a big one. We match fellows with seasoned mentors, CEOs, founders, industry experts who understand the Nigerian context. It is not just about advice, but guidance, accountability, and encouragement. We also run peer mentorship within the fellowship itself. Sometimes the most powerful support comes from someone walking the same path.
How do you want to go about the partnership model? How can organisations get involved?
We offer several partnership tracks, programme funding, in-kind support, mentorship, or strategic collaboration. Our partners do not just give, they also engage. They meet the fellows, join our industry roundtables, and co-create solutions.
Organisations like SMEDAN, GIZ, and Coscharis have already collaborated with us. But we are inviting more partners to help us scale up.
Why is grassroots entrepreneurship the focus, rather than just technology or formal SMEs?
That is because majority of Nigerians live and work. Technology is important but we believe that scalable impact must include the shoemaker, farmer, market trader and such class of people in our society. When grassroots businesses thrive, local economies also grow along with it. It creates more job opportunities which makes the communities stabilize as well. Paying less attention to this sector is not the best for the society.
What is your five-year vision for the Mary Ojulari Foundation?
We want to become Nigeria’s leading catalyst for grassroots enterprise. We want to see 1,000 fellows empowered, 500+ businesses funded, and new training hubs in every geopolitical zone. But more than numbers, we want to shift mindsets to prove that investing in Nigeria everyday yields extraordinary results.
How does your work intersect with national development goals?
We align with Nigeria’s ambitions for job creation, SME growth, and inclusive development. Our fellows are contributing to food security, digital inclusion, and local manufacturing, all vital pillars of national progress. We also serve as a bridge between policy and practice. By listening to entrepreneurs, we generate insights that can inform more effective policy.
What challenges have you faced, and how are you overcoming them?
Sustaining funding is always a challenge. There is a lot of goodwill but converting interest into committed support takes time. We are addressing this through strong data tracking, transparent reporting, and showing real results. Logistics is another challenge, reaching rural entrepreneurs has not been easy. But we are partnering locally to extend our footprint.
What personal values guide your leadership?
Integrity, empathy, and courage. I believe in doing hard things with heart. I do not shy away from uncomfortable truths, but I also do not forget the human story behind every statistic.
Again, excellence. Our team knows that good enough is never good enough. We aim high, and we execute with discipline.
How do you stay motivated amid the scale of challenges in Nigeria?
By focusing on the people. Every time I hear a fellow say, “You made me believe in myself again,” I am reminded why we do this. The problems are big, but so is the potential. In addition, I have surround myself with a brilliant, passionate team that inspires me daily.
What message do you have for Corporate Nigeria and the development sector?
Do not underestimate grassroots innovation. If you want real impact, do not just build from the top, invest in the base. Partner with organisations like ours that are rooted in community, driven by results, and built for scale. Together, we can unlock the next generation of African enterprise.
What advice do you have for young people?
My advice is that, apart from formal education, they should be willing to learn a skill. Formal education alone cannot solve all the economic challenges in the country. One has to be educated and also be willing to do something else. Once one does that, you also must have a way to monetize something else that you know what to do.
