Mrs Afishetu Braimoh, (Afi) is an accomplished Program Manager with over 25 years’ experience in the management of medium to large programs, developing and implementing project offices for various organizations across multiple sectors including Agro business, finance, hospitality, technology and Film/Media. Born into the family of Senator (Engr) and Chief Mrs Yisa Braimoh, hail from Iyagbe quarter, Ihveibhe, Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State.
She had both Primary and secondary education in Nigeria Lagos State and Benue State respectively, got her senior school secondary school certificate in 1985.
After her secondary education she relocated to the UK to continue with her education starting with A levels. She got admission into University of Wolverhampton and graduated in 1993 with a 2.1 in B.A. (Hons) Economics.
Immediately after her graduation, she embarked on and successfully completed a 1-year master’s program in Business Administration (MBA) at the University of Middlesex. She had other degrees and various professional qualifications including Cyber Security, Organizational change management, Agile (SAFe) and a Masters in Strategic & Applied Project management.
Immediately she completed her educations, she got her first job as a Project Lead with NCR in London. Just before the Y2K era when systems were needed to adapt to the new century, she applied for a role as an Oracle Consultant for an opportunity to work in the United State Of America, she was accepted and immediately relocated to the US. Her first role was to conduct never ending tests in Smith Kline Beecham in anticipation of the Y2K (Year 2000) cut over, she successfully completed that project and she was offered a larger project with what would be best discribe as the beginning of her career as a Project Manager for Credit Card industry.
She also worked for First USA Bank, Bank One and JP Morgan Chase and then with General Electric (GE). During this time, she attended Villanova University and attained a Masters in Strategic and Applied Project Management. These experiences no doubt prepared her for a life of entrepreneurship and the ability to deliver quality projects in full-time career.
The ability to manage complex teams and technology projects requiring flawless execution and exceptional solutions whilst developing my intellectual ability.
Whilst working, she experienced the Real Estate boom in the US and decided to not only become a real estate investor but become a real estate agent as a side hustle. Not only did she but her first home, she also went on to purchase 5 properties in Philadelphia, Delaware, and South Florida (Coral Springs, Fort Myers). This experience allowed me to develop a passion for finding the right homes for clients with emphasis on making the process as easy as ABC and providing flawless service. She developed a slogan with her real estate activities which says, ‘If I cannot live or work in it, my clients cannot”.
Having worked for major organizations in the UK and US as a Project Manager between 1998 and 2005, she was head-hunted by a conglomerate, Transcorp to set up the Project Management Office that would manage all major projects for the organization. She reports directly to the MD and served as DMD for all Projects in all the sectors including Oil & Gas, Hospitality and Agro-business. She facilitated several projects including the commissioning of the Teragro Juice Plant in Benue State, the purchase of the Metropolitan hotel in Calabar and the return of OPL oil block.
Whilst on the Teragro project, and constant interactions with the farmers and community leaders, she saw an opportunity where there was lack, from the plight of the farmers with their inability to sell their produce due to bad roads and lack of storage facilities. At this point, she decided to create a value chain for a global products that would create a market for Nigerians products both home and abroad, whilst giving the farmers a fair price and helping educate their children through her NGO.
She established SACFruits company, this name was coined from an earlier business called Sweet As Candy Confectionaries that was started as a store that sold nothing but sweets and confectionery with locations in Lekki and Ikeja GRA. What made this unique was the creativity in candy. She created 6ft candy trees for businesses including Wema bank every Christmas with nothing but candy on the Christmas trees as ornaments. Once the dried fruits business was started, it was time to give up the candy as mother nature has blessed Nigeria with natural tasting fruits that can be converted into dried products and stored for long periods of time whilst improving the lives of our farmers. Where people see problems, she find opportunities to overcome the problems and after Transcorp, she successfully managed a Technology team of 40 for a church that delivered information technology and media services for the church. She was also instrumental in the implementation of streaming services across multiple platforms for the church over 2 years.
By 2012, she had already established a skill in the media and technology space which took her into the film and media industry. During this time, she was approached by the Founder of the Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF) to develop an efficient Operational structure and grow the festival. She accepted and became the Project Director for three years during when Afriff became the most talked about Film Festival second to Ouagadougou and Durban Film Festival in Africa, earning it one of the fastest and most professionally run film festivals in Africa.
In 2017, she had an opportunity to return to the US for her son’s University education. As SACFruits was started in 2016 with significant in-roads across Nigeria, it was clear that this was a global product made in Nigeria by Nigerians hence create a market for it in the US. This product has since been sold on Amazon, Macys, Bravo stores, coffee houses, Ebay, and other retailers with plans to extend it into the Caribbean market. In 2019, she was nominated as one of the fastest growing minority businesses in Miami by the Minority Business Development Associated supported by the Miami Chamber of Commerce and the USAID. This was a major achievement for a 1-year-old company in the US even though it is a side hustle. In 2021 in the middle of covid, SACFruits was nominated and won Best upcoming non-oil exported product by the Nigerian Non-Oil Organization in Abuja. Today, the brand has 7 variety products in the portfolio that include 100% natural dried fruits, energy bites, protein snacks (dambun nama) and in collaboration with the first Nigerian plant based company, a plant based meat snack. SACFruits is engaged in discussions to sell products in the Caribbean and the UK.
Afie Braimoh is a serial entrepreneur, an author of children’s picture “Making the Right Choices for herself and friends” book and business owner with strong interest in real estate and fast-moving consumer goods. Her passion is all about solving problems in every aspect of life and businesses career. She is also a problem solver whenever she find opportunities to solve it.
Her passion also as a woman and a mother is about empowering and mentoring women to be the best they can be and more importantly, helping farmers to feed their families and educate their children.
This is prevalent across her businesses and also ensure that most of her staff are women. For every produce that is purchased by SACFruits, she ensure the farmer is paid a fair price (FAIRTRADE). She also partner with various organizations such as KIVA in giving back to women across Africa monthly.
Most recently, she have continued to attend various food expos in the US, Spain, Paris and in Nigeria with the goal to sell Made in Nigeria products with the world. She always ensure that she carry at least five (5) Made in Nigeria products that hope to connect the Nigerian manufacturer with a foreign buyer. This creates visibility and opportunity for other SMEs in Nigeria that cannot attend these international expo events due to financial reasons. If Afie grows, you grow too. No SME should be left behind.
Her NGO called FEED (Feed and Educate) was recently approved and now activewith one goal; to be able to feed our farmers who feed us by educating them and providing education for their children. SACFruits is all about “Snacking with a mission”.
blessed Nigeria with natural tasting fruits that Nigerian plant based company, a plant based meat snack. SACFruits is engaged in discussions to sell products in the Caribbean and the UK.
Throughout her professional career, she had always hoped for an opportunity to serve her people, State and Nigeria.
Afishetu Braimoh is happily married and the Union is bless with three (3) kids.