Didi Akinyelure

Didi Akinyelure
Didi Akinyelure
Nationality	Nigerian/British
Alma mater	Nottingham University
Occupation	Journalist
Years active	2011-present
Spouse(s)	Akin Akinyelure
Children	2
Awards	BBC World News Komla Dumor Award 2016

Didi Akinyelure is an award-winning journalist. She is a graduate of chemical engineering from the University of Nottingham. In July 2016, she won the prestigious BBC World News Komla Dumor Award, identifying her as a Future Star of African Journalism. Didi was the face of CNBC Africa's live morning show Open Exchange, West Africa.

Background, education and career

Didi is a Reuters Business Correspondent based in Lagos and London. She also currently presents the CNBC Europe series on digital transformation titled ‘I.O.T: Powering the Digital Economy’ and BBC World Service series on climate change ‘Living on the Edge’.

Didi has presented, produced and edited television, radio and digital content for the BBC News at 10, BBC World News, BBC World Service, BBC Focus on Africa, BBC Business Daily, BBC Newsday, and BBC Radio 4. Her report on Female Entrepreneurship was long listed in the World Bank Women Entrepreneurship reporting category at the One World Media awards in 2018.

In 2016, Didi won the prestigious BBC News Komla Dumor Award identifying her as a star of African journalism. In the same year she was nominated in the ‘African Broadcaster of the year’ category by the Nigerian Broadcasting Merit Awards. She has been featured in Forbes Africa magazine and included in the Ynaija/Leading Women 2017 list of the 100 most inspiring women in Nigeria.

Prior to her career in journalism, Akinyelure worked at Barclays Wealth in London. She relocated to Lagos, Nigeria, in 2008.

She is a Media Entrepreneur, having created the Real Estate/Lifestyle television show A Place in Africa. The show aired on CNBC Africa in 2017.

Didi has built an impressive career as an Events Moderator and Speaker. In 2018 she moderated a United Nations conversation with Sir Roger Penrose and Nobel Laureate Jacques Dubochet and chaired a panel at the London Business School Africa Summit. Prior to this, she presented the BBC Africa Debate on Fake News in Malawi and the BBC Women in Digital Journalism panel at Social Media Week in Lagos. She chaired the Africa Construction Week in Munich, Germany, and moderated the Ministerial panel at the Africa Oil Week in Cape Town. She also hosted the University of Nottingham Africa Summit, the West Africa Property Investment Summit, the ‘Lagos at 50’ International Conference and the ‘Lagos Kano Economic Summit’. In September 2017, Didi was invited by the United Nations to interview delegates at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification in Ordos, China.

In November 2015, she was granted the first television interview with Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. She has interviewed other notable political figures and business leaders.

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References