Yale University Names Nigerians, Tokunboh Ishmael and Lai Yahaya, Among Its World Fellows for 2013

Prestigious American School, Yale University, has named two Nigerians Tokunboh Ishmael and Lai Yahaya in its world fellow for 2013 list. They were named with 14 others, for their outstanding career and achievement in recent times. According to Yale, Tokunboh Ishmael is the “co-founder and Managing Director of Alitheia Capital, a fund management and investment firm based in Nigeria. A pioneer of impact investing, she works to channel investments that enhance access to finance, energy and housing for small businesses and low-income households. She is passionate about transforming lives through meaningful investments.” According to them, “Policy entrepreneur Yahaya is currently Team Leader of the Facility for Oil Sector Transparency and Reform (FOSTER), a donor-funded program that supports government and civil society in a bid to push for greater transparency, accountability and reform in the Nigerian oil sector. Previously he was a technical advisor on the Nigerian Presidential Taskforce on Power and worked on the Roadmap for Power Sector Reform. He is an ardent activist for probity, efficiency and best practice in government and the private sector.” “While Ishmael is an impact investment pioneer, Yahaya is an oil sector transparency advocate,” said Richard Levin, President of Yale University, announcing them as fellows for 2013. Some Nigerians have also been named fellows in the past.