CAMBRIDGE, United States — Nigerian business leader Dupe Olusola has been appointed as a Professional Advisor to the MIT Kuo Sharper Center for Prosperity and Entrepreneurship, a move seen as strengthening Africa’s representation in global conversations on innovation, capital, and economic growth.
Olusola, who currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of DOVA Capital, announced the appointment while expressing her commitment to contributing practical insights drawn from decades of experience across emerging markets.
The MIT Kuo Sharper Center focuses on advancing market-creating innovation, inclusive economic development, and entrepreneurship aimed at building long-term systems rather than isolated ventures.
In her remarks, Olusola highlighted her professional journey and the perspective she brings to the role.
“I have spent over two decades operating at the intersection of capital, infrastructure, and emerging markets — leading through complexity, building platforms from the ground up, and asking hard questions about where growth comes from and who it reaches,” she said.
“That is the lens I bring to this role.”
A 2026 Fellow of the Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative, Olusola’s appointment reflects a career spanning more than 25 years in finance, private equity, infrastructure, and strategic business development.
She previously served as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Transcorp Hotels Plc, where she led the organisation through a period of transformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company owns the landmark Transcorp Hilton Abuja.
Before that, she held senior roles at United Bank for Africa as Group Head of Marketing across 23 countries, and led agribusiness operations at Teragro Commodities Limited, where she drove large-scale agricultural projects and partnerships with global brands.
Her experience also includes serving as Chief Operating Officer at Transcorp Group, where she played a key role in the acquisition and integration of the Ughelli Power Plant, now operated as Transcorp Power Plc.
Olusola noted that her work at the MIT advisory role will focus on understanding capital flows and unlocking growth opportunities, particularly across Africa.
“how capital moves, where it stalls, and how to build the conditions that allow businesses and platforms to scale, particularly across Africa,” she said.
She further emphasised the importance of local leadership in shaping the continent’s economic future.
“Africa’s growth story will be written by Africans,” she stated, adding that strong institutions, governance frameworks, and strategic partnerships remain essential.
“MIT is one of those partnerships. I am glad to contribute.”
The MIT Kuo Sharper Center is known for supporting entrepreneurs and innovation-driven ventures aimed at creating sustainable prosperity, with a strong track record of helping founders raise capital and scale impactful businesses globally.
Olusola’s appointment is widely regarded as a strategic addition, bringing deep, Africa-focused expertise in capital deployment, infrastructure, and enterprise development to the Center’s global mission.
She has received multiple recognitions for her leadership, including honours as one of the Top Women in Leadership and the Hospitality Leadership Award at the Africa Hospitality Investment Forum.
