Gossy Ukanwoke is a Nigerian higher education investor, venture capitalist and entrepreneur born on September 21, 1988.
Gossy was born to a teacher father and a pharmacy mother in Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria. He attended Living Word Academy Secondary School in Aba before graduating in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in management information systems from Girne American University in Cyprus.
He founded Beni American University, Nigeria’s first online university, as well as BAU Executive Education. Gossy received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in June 2015.
Forbes dubbed him “Nigeria’s Mark Zuckerberg,” and he has collaborated with African governments on the establishment of legislation to aid in the creation of greater access, quality, and relevance of learning in higher education institutions. He was named Managing Director of the sports betting company Betking in April 2020.
Gossy Ukanwoke’s Career
While still in university, Gossy Ukanwoke founded the Students Circle Network, an intellectual network for students, instructors, and institutions, in 2010. After the network’s success, ITNews Africa named him “Africa’s Best Tech Entrepreneur” in 2011. He created BAU Research and Development after returning to Nigeria after completing his university degree. He founded Beni American University and BAU Executive Education through BAU R&D. BAU R&D has completed investments in two traditional Nigerian universities and plans to grow its portfolio of African institutions.
Gossy served on the African Union Commission on Labor, Youth, and Women’s Employment’s Entrepreneurship and Education Panel in Windhoek, Namibia, in April 2014. He also delivered the keynote talk at the 20th Nigerian Business Meeting in Abuja and was invited to speak at a Harvard Business School conference on Africa. He has been a guest speaker at Girne American University’s postgraduate lectures. Gossy was designated one of the 50 EdTech Global Makers and Shakers by the Qatar Foundation in June 2016.
In 2015, he was named the “World Entrepreneur of the Year” Accelerating Entrepreneurs category winner by the consulting firm Ernst & Young, which highlighted his contribution in education and human capital development on the African continent. He was a finalist for the Africa CEO Forum’s “Young CEO of the Year 2016” award in March 2016.
In January 2017, Gossy was appointed President of EduTech, an Education Technology Company dedicated to assisting African conventional universities in bringing their on-campus degree programs online through the use of cutting-edge technology, process management, recruitment, admissions, and consulting. Through its platform, EduTech has brought programs from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ahmadu Bello University, and other universities online, reaching thousands of students in Undergraduate and Graduate degrees. He works as the chairman of the Alistair Maine Group to promote high-quality lifestyle, hospitality, and leisure activities in Lagos.
