Bio

Surayyah Ahmad is currently the Taskmaster spearheading the operationalisation of the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank (YEIB Investment Funds)—a $300m blended capital vehicle conceptualised by the AfDB and co-owned by the NSIA and Development Bank of Nigeria. YEIB aims to provide financial and technical assistance to youth-led enterprises in Nigeria through wholesale and retail financing. Surayyah is also a Founding Partner at Sabou Capital, which provides funding and technical support to high-growth SMEs in West and Central Africa with a gender lens. She chairs the Laidlaw Foundation Women in Business Board and sits on multiple startup advisory boards.

Surayyah has an MBA from the University of Oxford, specialising in finance and impact investing. She also served as co-chair of the Oxford Africa Business Alliance, working to foster engagement between Oxford’s business community and the African continent.

As an experienced operator, Surayyah founded and successfully exited an e-commerce and fulfilment service company with operations in both Nigeria and the UK. She is deeply passionate about empowering women and driving economic development in underserved markets through private enterprise and investment.