Olatowun Candide-Johnson
Women have long been invited into rooms where decisions are made, but invitation is not the same as belonging. To be present is one thing; to speak freely, to shape outcomes, to build alliances without hesitation—these are entirely different privileges. For many women in leadership, the higher they rise, the narrower the space becomes. Power can be expensive, but it is also isolating. And in that isolation, something essential is often lost: the ability to be candid, to be understood without explanation, to imagine boldly in the company of equals.
It is this quiet, often unspoken reality that makes the idea of a deliberate, protected space for women not just desirable, but necessary. Not a social circle, nor a symbolic gesture toward inclusion, but a structure designed for influence—where conversations lead to capital, where networks translate into opportunity, and where leadership is not performed, but shared. In a world where systems have historically been built without women fully in mind, such spaces offer more than refuge; they offer recalibration.
This is the thinking that underpins GAIA AFRICA, founded by Olatowun Candide-Johnson in 2018. What began as an observation about the absence of women in rooms where financial decisions were being initiated has grown into a deliberate response to it. GAIA AFRICA is not simply about gathering women; it is about positioning them, equipping them, and, perhaps most importantly, connecting them in ways that turn individual success into collective power.
Olatowun Candide-Johnson is a highly accomplished lawyer and executive with decades of experience in corporate and commercial law, governance, and strategic business development across the legal, shipping & logistics, and oil & gas sectors. Her distinguished career includes several leadership roles at TotalEnergies, where she held key positions both in Nigeria and internationally.
Enjoy the conversation!
How are you today?
I’m very well, thank you. Thanks for asking. How are you doing?
What was the moment or realisation that made you feel GAIA AFRICA needed to exist? What was the initial vision when you launched the club in 2018?
It was not a single moment but a series of observations. Before founding GAIA AFRICA, I was developing a private members’ club focused on the arts. The idea was to create a platform where artists, both emerging and established, could present their work to a curated membership that appreciated and supported the arts.
While trying to raise capital for that project, the strategy of the financial consultants was to approach high-net-worth individuals, as I was not qualified to ask for institutional investment coming from a corporate background and not an entrepreneurial one. What struck me immediately was that there were no women on those investor lists; not even one. This was around 2017, and it seemed deeply inconsistent with the reality I knew—that many capable and accomplished women existed who could easily have been part of that ecosystem.
That made me realise that women were networking socially and professionally, but very rarely with the explicit intention of creating business opportunities, collaborations or economic outcomes. I felt that we were leaving significant value on the table, and that insight became the foundation for GAIA AFRICA. We needed a space where women could gather deliberately for business, leadership growth and collaboration.
How has that vision evolved over time?
Initially, it was simply a platform for women interested in business and entrepreneurship to connect. Over time, it became clear that the women who benefit most from such a space are those in positions of authority—founders, executives, and decision makers—who often operate in very isolated environments.
So today, GAIA AFRICA focuses primarily on women in leadership and decision-making roles. At the same time, we also recognise the importance of including the closest layer of leaders so that the network remains dynamic and sustainable.
GAIA AFRICA has supported and initiated many causes. Could you tell us about these causes and initiatives, and how they benefit women, especially?
Our work is rooted in the belief that economic parity is one of the most powerful drivers of lasting change for women. We believe that meaningful progress happens when women participate fully in business and economic leadership. When women build companies, grow organisations and expand their financial capacity, they gain the ability to influence broader society. Their voices are heard and respected. Economic participation creates many ripple effects, including stronger families, communities and more equitable societies, the result of which is always positive.
Our focus is therefore economic empowerment—supporting women as builders, leaders, investors, and decision-makers. Offering programs that strengthen women’s ability to lead businesses, grow enterprises, access strategic networks, increase visibility, and participate more fully in economic decision-making.
Alongside this core focus, GAIA AFRICA also supports selected social-impact initiatives where they align with the broader goal of advancing women’s long-term financial and social empowerment. One such program is our Gazelle program, a breakfast series designed to drive relevant and productive conversations for career development and business growth between early-stage career women who are between 25 and 33 years old and Members of GAIA AFRICA and/or selected speakers.
Olatowun Candide-Johnson on the left
As described, GAIA AFRICA is a member-only club that is dedicated to serving Africa’s top 5% of female C-suite executives. How important is it for successful and influential women to have a private club like this?
GAIA AFRICA is private by design. The purpose of the club is not public visibility; it is to create a confidential space where women in leadership can connect for business, grow their businesses or careers, collaborate, partner, support and encourage one another.
Leadership at the highest levels can be quite isolating. There are very few environments where women at that level can meet peers who truly understand the pressures, responsibilities, and complexities they face. The club allows members to share experiences openly, test ideas in a trusted environment, bring deals to the table, collaborate on opportunities, form partnerships and alliances and so on.
GAIA AFRICA exists primarily for the benefit of its members. As those members grow, lead larger organisations, expand their wealth, and make a greater impact, their achievements naturally become visible in the public sphere. But the work of the club itself remains largely within the community.
What changes when women are not simply invited into rooms where power circulates, but are instead the architects and gatekeepers of those rooms?
Spaces where women design and control the environment of power are still relatively rare. However, when women are present in decision-making roles—whether in business, governance, or public institutions—something important happens, new and important perspectives enter the conversation.
Historically, most systems, products, and institutions have been shaped primarily through a male lens. This has meant that the needs and experiences of half the population were often under-considered or ignored altogether.
When women participate equally in leadership and decision-making, the result is greater balance. Policies become more inclusive, organisations become more representative, and decisions tend to reflect a broader understanding of society. In business, companies have experienced improvement in revenue and culture.
So, it is not about women dominating spaces; it is about equity and parity—including gender economic parity and therefore ensuring that women have equal opportunity to contribute to the decisions that affect them so that economies, institutions, and communities improve.
GAIA AFRICA recently launched The Unbowed, a storytelling series where women share thier leadership journey. What stories within the community have stayed with you most deeply, and why?
The stories that resonate most are those about transformation through member connection. Many members describe how relationships formed within the club led to meaningful outcomes: new partnerships, expanded networks, funding, board seats, and opportunities they would not have encountered otherwise. Equally powerful are the reflections from members who describe the difference between who they were before joining the club and who they have become since becoming part of the community.
When members say that the network has enabled them to think bigger, act more boldly, or access opportunities they previously could not reach, that is deeply meaningful. These stories reaffirm that the club is fulfilling its purpose.
Olatowun Candide-Johnson
When you think about GAIA AFRICA ten or twenty years from now, what kind of structural impact do you hope it will have on women’s access to power, capital, and decision-making across Africa?
In the long term, I see GAIA AFRICA expanding into multiple strategic cities across Africa and potentially beyond. More importantly, I see it evolving into a continental movement for women in leadership. The goal is to strengthen networks across borders so that women leaders across Africa collaborate more intentionally by sharing ideas, opportunities, and capital.
I believe that GAIA AFRICA will help break down barriers between women across the continent and reinforce an important truth: there is far more that connects us than that which divides us. I need to acknowledge our supporters, members, and advisors, and the remarkable team who work tirelessly behind the scenes each day to make it all possible.
Thank you for chatting with us
Thank you for having me.
The post How Olatowun Candide-Johnson Is Redefining Women’s Access to Power Through GAIA Africa appeared first on BellaNaija – Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!.
Women have long been invited into rooms where decisions are made, but invitation is not the same as belonging. To be present is one thing; to speak freely, to shape outcomes, to build alliances without hesitation—these are entirely different privileges. For many women in leadership, the higher they rise, the narrower the space becomes. Power
The post How Olatowun Candide-Johnson Is Redefining Women’s Access to Power Through GAIA Africa appeared first on BellaNaija – Showcasing Africa to the world. Read today!. Read More
