Firm Appoints Gurib-Fakim, Adewole To Board

Nigerian real estate firm, The GIDI Company Limited, has appointed former President of Mauritius, Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, and former managing director of Family Homes Funds Limited, Architect Femi Adewole, to its Board of Directors, as it prepares for its next phase of operations.

Adewole was appointed chairman of the board at its inaugural meeting held in Accra, Ghana, while Gurib-Fakim joins as a director.

Other members of the board include Mrs. Winnie Atawodi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of AXP Africa, Ms. Joy Coker, and Mr. Kabiru Tambari Abdullahi, who will serve as non-executive directors.

Gurib-Fakim, who served as the sixth President of Mauritius and the country’s first female president between 2015 and 2018, is a scientist and academic with experience in international policy and sustainable development.

Adewole, who was the pioneer Managing Director of Family Homes Funds Limited, has worked in housing finance and development, including roles at Shelter Afrique and housing organisations in the United Kingdom.

His appointment comes as the company seeks to expand its real estate development and investment activities. Family Homes Funds was established to support affordable housing delivery through financing and investment in the housing sector.

Atawodi brings experience in banking and property development, while Coker has worked in mortgage financing, housing investment and strategic partnerships. Abdullahi has more than two decades of experience in the capital market, including statutory audit and corporate governance.

The board inauguration comes as the company approaches its fifth anniversary, having been established in 2021 by Tobi Akerele and Ayorinde Ejioye as GIDI Real Estate Investment Limited.

The company has developed residential and commercial property projects, including The Palms Residence 1 and 2, Civic Residence, Mowe Golf Town and GIDI Mall. It also introduced GIDI Social Housing, an initiative aimed at providing free accommodation for vulnerable women through funding linked to its commercial real estate activities.

In 2026, the company changed its corporate name to The GIDI Company Limited, a move it said reflected its broader business direction within the GIDI Africa group.

The appointments bring together experience in international leadership, housing finance, property development and corporate governance at a time when the company is expanding its operations.

The board is expected to provide oversight for the company’s strategic direction and corporate governance as it pursues further growth in Nigeria’s real estate sector and other African markets.