Building an Institution: The Next Chapter of Our GIDI Story
When Ayorinde Ejioye and I started GIDI in 2021, we had an ambition to build a real estate business that could contribute meaningfully to addressing Africa’s housing challenges. We understood the opportunities within the industry, but we were equally aware that translating our vision into a sustainable enterprise would require years of deliberate work, strong partnerships and the confidence of people who believed in what we were building.
Nearly five years into that journey, I have come to appreciate that establishing a successful business and building an enduring institution are two different responsibilities. While the former requires entrepreneurial courage, market understanding and the capacity to execute, the latter demands structures that can preserve the organisation’s purpose, strengthen its accountability and sustain its relevance beyond the people who founded it.
On Tuesday, October 27, 2026, we took a significant step in that direction with the inauguration of the Board of Directors of The GIDI Company Limited in Accra, Ghana.
The Board is chaired by Architect Femi Adewole, the pioneer Managing Director of Family Homes Funds Limited, whose extensive experience in housing finance and institutional development brings an important perspective to our ambitions. Joining him are Her Excellency Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, the sixth and first female President of Mauritius; Mrs. Winnie Atawodi, a banking professional and real estate developer; Ms. Joy Coker, Chief Executive Officer of AXP Africa; and Mr. Kabiru Tambari Abdullahi, an experienced capital markets and corporate governance professional.
The experience represented on this Board reflects the direction in which we intend to take our business. Real estate development in Africa requires more than the ability to identify land, develop properties and generate sales. It requires access to patient capital, stronger financial institutions, credible governance, investment partnerships and the capacity to deliver housing solutions that respond to the economic realities of our continent.
Over the years, we have made progress in translating our ideas into physical developments. From The Palms Residence to Civic Residence, Mowe Golf Town and our expanding portfolio of residential and commercial projects, each development has contributed to our understanding of the opportunities and responsibilities associated with building in Africa.
Our commitment has also extended beyond commercial development. Through GIDI Social Housing, we are working to connect the growth of our business with a wider responsibility to provide dignified housing for vulnerable women. I believe that the long-term significance of a real estate company should be measured not only by the commercial value of its developments, but also by the economic and social value it creates.
As we approach our fifth anniversary, we must therefore consider what the next phase of our journey requires. We are building for a future in which GIDI can engage more effectively with institutional investors, strengthen its development capabilities, pursue strategic partnerships and participate competitively in Africa’s real estate economy.
The inauguration of our Board is an important part of preparing for that future. I expect the experience and independent perspectives of its members to challenge our assumptions, strengthen our decisions and support the long-term development of the company.
I am grateful to our employees, clients, realtors, investors and partners who have contributed to the progress we have made. Their confidence has enabled us to advance from an entrepreneurial idea into a growing business with the ambition to become an enduring African institution.
Our responsibility now is to ensure that the structure, quality of leadership and standards of execution within GIDI remain equal to the scale of what we intend to accomplish.
For us, Building Africa is a long-term commitment, and the next chapter of that commitment has begun.
Tobi Akerele,
Chief Executive Officer,
The GIDI Company Limited
