Growth
70+ startups taken to market
Led go-to-market, growth and distribution strategy for more than 70 startups across sub-Saharan Africa through a pan-African accelerator programme.
The firm
Clear choices, and the operating model to carry them out.
CnZ Consulting is a boutique, African-origin strategy and growth advisory firm founded by Chinyelu Akpa. We help leaders of SMEs, startups, corporates and public institutions make clear strategic choices and build the operating model to carry them out.
Our work spans strategy and growth, management and operations, SME and startup advisory, and partnership and ecosystem strategy.
Our mission
Design strategies, operating models and growth plans that leaders can execute.
The founder
Chinyelu Akpa
Founder & Principal Consultant
Chinyelu Akpa brings more than 15 years of experience designing and running programmes, and turning what they reveal into evidence that helps businesses, funders and governments make informed decisions.
She has led go-to-market, growth and distribution strategy for more than 70 startups across sub-Saharan Africa through a pan-African accelerator programme, and designed ecosystem partnerships that help ventures grow across borders.
She has a record of working with governments to design future-fit programmes, and of opening up collaboration for businesses looking to work with government. Along the way she has partnered with global foundations and state governments in Nigeria and Kenya.
Her advice is grounded in running things, not only advising on them. From designing strategies that grew health insurance capitation by more than 1,000% to leading STEM education projects for young learners, she has led teams large and small to deliver what her stakeholders needed.
Chinyelu founded CnZ Consulting to bring that experience to leaders who need clear choices and plans their team can carry out.
Experience behind the firm
Hands-on leadership, not only advice from the outside.
Built across education, technology, health and government. CnZ applies it to SMEs, startups, corporates and public institutions.
Partnerships
Ecosystems that cross borders
Designed ecosystem partnerships that help ventures grow across borders, with global foundations and state governments as partners.
Government
Programmes built with government
Worked with regional and national governments across sub-Saharan Africa to design future-fit programmes, and opened up collaboration for businesses looking to work with government.
Operations
Results, not only recommendations
Designed strategies that grew capitation by more than 1,000%, and led the teams that delivered them.
The team
A core team, and specialists when you need them.
Every engagement is led by Chinyelu. Where the work needs it, we bring in senior specialists from our associate network, under written briefs.
Chinyelu Akpa
Founder & Principal Consultant
Faith Unuode-Brorhien
Head of Finance
RI
Ruby Ihekweme
Programmes Associate
Our associate network
- Learning and development
- Programme design and delivery
- Community management
- AI systems
- Safeguarding
- Business development
- Human resources
- Finance
- Legal
- Monitoring, evaluation and learning
- Research and data analysis
- Policy and government relations
- Marketing and communications
- Product management
Need a programme run, not just designed?Programmes are delivered through Stravant Labs, a CnZ Consulting company.
Visit Stravant Labs ↗Tell us what you're trying to decide.
A 30-minute discovery call is free.