Fifi Ejindu- Entrepreneur & Leader
Princess Fifi Ekanem Ejindu is a Nigerian Neo-traditional Architect, businesswoman, and philanthropist. Born and raised in Ibadan, Nigeria in 1962 to Professor Sylvester Joseph Una and Obonganwan Ekpa Una as her parents. She is of the royal lineage and has King James Ekpo Bassey, an Efik monarch of the colonial era, as her grandfather.
She had her primary education at the Senior Staff Primary School of the University of Ibadan, before going to Lagos where she obtained her secondary school education from Queens College, Yaba. Fifi then went on to study architecture at Pratt Institute, a private design college in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated in 1983 becoming the first black African woman to be awarded a B.Arch. from the institute.
After graduating, she went on to take more advanced courses at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before working at a private firm in New York City. Fifi then returned to Pratt Institute to get her Masters in Urban Planning. Princess Fifi also attended the University of North Carolina, (UNC) Charlotte. It was after this landmark that Fifi Ejindu decided it was time to come home to Nigeria.
On returning to Nigeria, she started the Starcrest Group of companies in 1995 which comprises Starcrest Investment Ltd, Starcrest Associates Ltd, and Starcrest Industries Ltd. All involving in real estate, oil and gas, and building construction. She chairs as the Chairman and Principal Partner of the group.
Princess Fifi Ejindu is also the CEO of Building Support Systems, the founder of the African Arts and Fashion Initiative, launched in 2013 at Dorchester Hotel in London. This has grown to become a platform for displaying Africa’s cultural heritage and talent to the world and creating opportunities for African youths.
In 2013, she was awarded the African Achievers African Arts and Fashion Lifetime Achievement award. In the same year, she was also awarded the “African Female Economic Champion”. She got listed as one of Africa’s top 20 Women of Influence in 2013 and enlisted into the Global Women Leaders Hall of Fame African Chapter. She was declared the winner of “The Nigerian Golden Book Professional Icon Award” in 2015. In 2018, she got featured in the Famous African Women Architect Magazine by People Maven.
