At an International Women’s Day event held in March by the Special Assistant to the President on Women Affairs in Nigeria, a panel session was convened to address the theme of poverty eradication by empowering women.
Among the panelists was Neya Kalu, who brimmed with useful insights that resonated with the audience. The home, which was the smallest unit of society, is the first place to begin the advocacy for girls’ rights, according to Neya. She maintained that gender equity must be established in familial dynamics between parents and children to shape the lifelong empowerment of women.
“I am a product of a man who believed in his daughter. I head 85% of my family businesses, and I have brothers. Empowerment is something that should be a no-brainer in the 21st century,” she said.
Despite an academic background in law, Kalu has made a big mark in Africa’s media landscape. The ambitious 18-year-old, who started off in a family’s corporate business, is now the publisher of The Sun, a leading newspaper in Nigeria.
Entrepreneurship in the blood.
Neya’s career as a serial entrepreneur dates back to her formative years managing the family’s multiple business ventures. This sparked in her a passion for enterprise that would shape her future path.
“Growing up surrounded by family businesses, it wasn’t a question of if, but when I’d take the leap,” she reflected on her entrepreneurial background. In 2014, Neya turned her extensive mercantile training into profit, inaugurating her maiden venture—a chain of hotels—in Lagos. Similarly, in 2019, building on a childhood affinity for beauty and self-care, she launched Base Coat, a nail salon franchise.
The foray into media
In the summer of 2022, Neya Kalu ascended to the prestigious position of Chairman of the Board of Directors at the Sun Newspaper Company, in which she also doubles as its publisher. Along with overseeing the company’s operations, Neya’s leadership entails deploying brilliant foresight and crafting strategic policies to ensure that the media organization remains at the forefront of journalistic excellence and industry innovation even after two decades of existence.
As a testament to her leadership prowess, Neya was honored in 2022 as one of the 25 most influential women in journalism by the Women in Journalism Africa initiative. This accolade underscores her contributions to the field and recognizes her instrumental role in shaping media on the African continent.
Neya Kalu Foundation
Notwithstanding her passion for enterprise, Neya Kalu remains deeply committed to helping women in Nigeria’s underprivileged communities through the Neya Kalu Foundation, which “speaks to something that is very near and dear to my heart,” she said. Prior to launching her foundation, Neya lent covert support to many different humanitarian campaigns, often working behind the scenes as a “secret angel.” Since it took off, the Neya Kalu Foundation (NKF) has greatly amplified her solicitude for widowed women and vulnerable children in Nigeria.
Yet for one with a devout faith in religion, the foundation isn’t just a charitable endeavor. “I see it as a way to contribute to a greater good – what would God do, what would Jesus do? So I’m not really looking for gratification or recognition,” she explains.
The foundation is hinged on a vision that not only enhances the standard of living for these women and children but also creates sustainable solutions to tackle the root causes of poverty in their communities.
At its heart is empowering children and orphans, especially in rural areas, with quality education, vocational training, and other essential resources to break the cycle of poverty and chart brighter futures for themselves.
The foundation has sponsored Nigerian female graduates in the She Lead Africa Level Up program, a course designed to help young women garner the requisite skills in their careers of choice. In the same vein, in partnership with a secondary school, it started an initiative named FEMGINEERS to inspire female students to pursue engineering courses and thereby bridge the existing gender disparity in the STEM industry.
Over 100 women and children have been positively impacted in different communities. Given the foundation’s self-funding model, the modest number represents a substantial achievement
Challenges
For all her numerous commitments, Neya Kalu bemoaned significant hurdles in her entrepreneurial journey. “My age, gender, the inability of others to take me seriously, and attempts to silence my voice in important discussions have been obstacles I’ve faced so far.”
More often than not, Neya prefers to balance roles to avoid micromanaging and further ease the pressures. “I’ve learned to delegate! So I find experts that fit the bill, and they oversee everything. This has ensured the smooth running, growing and sustaining of the business.”
Her journey is also influenced by her family’s legacy. Her father, Orji Uzor Kalu, a prominent Nigerian politician and businessman, served as the governor of Abia State and was the former publisher of the Sun Newspaper Company. His will to bequeath his vast enterprise to his daughter circumvents Igbo cultural norms regarding succession, which place the son as the only befitting heir to a parent’s fortune. Since receiving the mantle of leadership, Neya has stroven to transcend her father’s landmarks and expand his empire.
While she acknowledges the allure of public service, citing its nobility, Neya remains cautious about venturing into politics at the moment. “Public service is a noble pursuit, and while I wouldn’t rule it out entirely in the future (‘never say never’), it isn’t something I’m particularly interested in at this very moment,” she stated. Drawing from her family’s experiences in both entrepreneurship and politics, she understands the demanding nature of leadership roles in Nigeria’s dynamic environment. Nonetheless, her outlook remains open to the possibility, acknowledging that circumstances may change in the future.
As Neya Kalu continues to chart new horizons and break barriers, her leadership serves as a beacon of inspiration for aspiring journalists and industry trailblazers alike.
