Gbemisola Abudu was named Vice President and Country Head of Nigeria by NBA AFRICA in 2021. She’s in charge of NBA Africa’s new Lagos office and reports to NBA Africa CEO Victor Williams.
The NBA Africa was formed in May 2021, with the task of conducting and overseeing all league business in Africa, including the BAL (Basketball Africa League). The league formed the entity in collaboration with several high-profile investors. Among the investors are two Nigerian businessmen, Yinka Folawiyo Group and Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation (HFP). The new entity’s funding will help the NBA continue its efforts in Africa by increasing access to basketball and the NBA through grassroots and elite development, media distribution, and corporate partnerships.
As Vice President and Country Head of Nigeria, a newly created position, Gbemisola Abudu is responsible for leading the league’s basketball and business development initiatives in Nigeria, in line with the goal of creating NBA Africa. She’s also be in charge of grassroots youth programming, elite player development, relationships with current and prospective marketing, media, and merchandise partners, and social responsibility initiatives aimed at improving the lives of Nigerian youth and families.
Who is Gbemisola Abudu?
Gbemisola Abudu holds dual citizenship in Nigeria and the United States. She has 17 years of experience developing businesses, brands, and human capital in Nigeria, the Middle East, and the United States as an accomplished entrepreneur, business leader, luxury marketing expert, and social activist.
She earned her MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management in Glendale, Arizona, where she also serves as President of the Thunderbird Alumni Association’s Nigeria Chapter. She graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor’s degree in marketing and public relations.
Abudu previously worked as the Founder and Managing Partner of BMGA Enterprise Limited (BMGA), a Lagos-based educational technology finishing school that provides social and marketing intelligence to help people and organizations become more productive.
In that capacity, she invested in the long-term development of human capital and advanced gender equality in Africa by launching social impact initiatives, establishing new learning and leadership platforms, and expanding partnerships with world-class universities. Prior to joining BMGA, she worked for international brands such as Louis Vuitton, The Walt Disney Company, and The Clorox Company as a global marketing professional.
What they are saying
Speaking on her appointment, Abudu said, “Joining NBA Africa as the Vice President & Country Head of Nigeria and opening the league’s office here is the opportunity of a lifetime and the culmination of all my experiences to date.
“As a lifelong basketball fan and Nigeria native, I look forward to working with the NBA Africa team to help build a more comprehensive basketball ecosystem in the country and to using the transformative power of sport to impact lives in Nigeria and beyond.”
“We are excited about expanding NBA Africa’s operations in Nigeria with the launch of our office in Lagos and thrilled to have Gbemisola join us to lead our efforts in the country,” said NBA Africa CEO, Victor Williams. “As an established business leader, entrepreneur, global marketing expert and social activist, Gbemisola’s expertise will be invaluable in helping us continue to grow basketball and the NBA in a country that already has a strong affinity for the game.”
