Affiong Williams is the CEO/ Founder of ReelFruit the largest fruit processing, packaging and marketing company in Nigeria. The company, founded in 2012, retails a range of dried fruit and nut snacks through a variety of channels including over 1000 Supermarkets, Airlines, Schools, Hotels, and internationally.

Affiong was awarded the inaugural Veuve Clicquot “Bold Woman Award” in 2022. She has also been awarded Entrepreneur of the Year by WIMBIZ, as well as Forbes 30 under 30. Affiong is a wife, mother of 2, an avid marathon runner, and football player. She is a passionate entrepreneur, who believes in the potential of agribusiness and looking at innovative, market-driven solutions to add value to local produce given Nigeria’s unique agricultural landscape.

Educational qualification

• Affiong Williams obtained a post graduate diploma in Business Administration from Wits Business School,
  Johannesburg, South Africa.
• In 2018, she also participated in the Stanford SEED Transformation Program Stanford Institute for Innovation in Developing Economies.
• In 2022, she was selected as part of the inaugural cohort of MIT’s Legatum Foundry Fellowship for entrepreneurs in developing markets.

Key achievements in the last decade

• Established a complex supply chain in 4 countries (Ghana, Gambia, Ivory Coast and Nigeria) to
  achieve year-round availability of products- a key competitive advantage
• Successfully registered ReelFruit products for sale on Amazon.com, leveraging AGOA and
  reducing transport costs by 30%- the first company in Nigeria to do so.
• Registered and active member of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council.
• Managed several mid-sized export sales to Belgium, Switzerland, Gambia, US, Canada, UK, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
• Lead a team of over 180 full staff members, across 3 offices within Nigeria.
• Led a farm project training 45 women in Mango Farming in Kaduna.
• Conducted several horticultural and commodity mapping studies that have both been backed by donors such as IDH and USAID NEXXT, as well as company-funded research studies.
• Have offered pro bono advisory for large Ghanaian Agricultural company looking at market entry
  into Nigeria.
• Advised the Lagos State Government on their approach to investing in SMEs in order to achieve maximum job creation.
• Through her entrepreneurial journey she has been invited to countless events on Agribusiness, investment,
  and trade.
• She participated as panellist at the inaugural Intra African Trade Fair, Cairo 2018.
• A finalist, Strive Masiyiwa Go Gettaz Initiative Accra, 2019.
• A finalist, AFDB Africa Investment Forum Market Days Entrepreneurial Venture Showcase.
  Johannesburg, 2019.
• A finalist, AFDB African Youth Agripreneur forum and Agripitch, CapeTown, 2019
• Winner, Village Capital Agriculture Accelerator, Kenya, 2020
• Launched the company with 4 products and in 3 years, the company tripled the product range. And grown sales from ~$20,000 in the 1st year of trading, to $1,300,000 by year 10. Achieved product penetration in over 850 retail outlets across Nigeria as well as hotels, airlines, and schools.
• Recently closed a $2M Series A investment round from Alitheia Investment Partners.
• Established a complex supply chain in 4 countries (Ghana, Gambia, Ivory Coast and Nigeria) to achieve year-round availability of products- a key competitive advantage.
• Successfully registered ReelFruit products for sale on Amazon.com, leveraging AGOA and reducing transport costs by 30%- the first company in Nigeria to do so.
• Managed several mid-sized export sales to Belgium, Switzerland, and the US, also completing intra-Africa trade to Gambia.
• Leads a team of over 100 full staff members and 20 part time employees.
• Awarded a $25,000 grant by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in 2014.
• Won a $40,000 grant from USAID NEXXT Project to conduct a thorough business analysis of the company including a financial model, market analysis and supply chain analysis (2015).
• Won a $75,000 grant from IDH Sustainable Trade to implement a project to improve mango species and create a “mango belt, bringing 60 women into mango farming. (2017).
• Provisional approval for a $500K USAID COVID-19 Grant under the West African Trade Hub (2021).
• Won CFYE $400K Training Grant to support the creation of 800 direct digital jobs in Agriprocessing (2021).
• Raised $2M in institutional funding for ReelFruit expansion.
• Winner, 2013 Women In Business Competition awarded by BID Network, Netherlands.
• Invited as a Panellist to Consumer Goods Forum, Cape Town based on business achievements.
• Won $50K Feed The Future Grant for Investment Ready Services over several applicants and profiled on official page.
• Awarded $500,000 from USAID West Africa Trade Hub for the company’s value chain and operational activities.

Important recognition in the last decade

• Affiong was awarded the inaguaral Veuve Clicquot “Bold Woman Award” in 2022.
• She has also been awarded Entrepreneur of the Year by WIMBIZ, as well as Forbes 30 under 30.
• Shortlisted for the All Africa Business Leaders Awards, 2016 in “Young Entrepreneur Category”.

Her range of speaking topics

• Business & Entrepreneurship
• Finance & Investment
• Health & Wellness
• Leadership & Motivation