Why We Started EmpowerQ and Where We're Headed

I’ve always been an underdog.

When I joined primary school in second term, coming from a different school, no one rated me. I was small, quiet, and easy to brush off until I wasn’t. My loud mouth and strong personality made me popular. In secondary school, I was overlooked academically… until I accidentally placed second, passed GCE in SS1, stayed top of class, and became the first male social prefect in the school’s long history.

The same thing happened at university. I got ignored when I ran for class secretary until I landed the first international internship in the faculty.

These experiences did two things to me: they made me rebellious, and they made me care deeply about creating opportunities for other underdogs.

That’s why I built Digivention during the pandemic, to help Nigerian professionals compete globally. It’s why I co-founded Write to Win, a writing program that helped Nigerians land their first international gigs.

But none of those projects spoke directly to the queer community I’m part of.

Now, while I’ve never faced outright workplace homophobia, I know many who have. People denied opportunities because of how they look, dress, or exist. It’s even worse if you’re visibly queer. So in early 2025, I decided to help in the best way I know: through career development.

My vision was clear:

Build the first nonprofit dedicated to helping queer professionals in Nigeria thrive.

But I knew I couldn’t do it alone, so I reached out to Countess Sasha.

Why Sasha? Because they’re everything I’m not. Calm where I’m fiery. Strategic where I’m impulsive. They’ve also been deep in queer advocacy across Africa and Europe for years. We were a perfect match to start what would become EmpowerQ.

In six months, we moved from vision to action. We ran a community survey to understand real needs. We built our identity, strategy, and a simple but bold goal: help 100 queer professionals thrive.

Here’s what we’ve done so far:

• Hosted 3 events with 300+ attendees

• Facilitated 6 job referrals (1 confirmed hire)

• Funded a laptop for a community member

• Secured mentorship slots with the Freelance Coalition for Developing Countries (FCDC)

• Launched our resource vault and newsletter

• Published our website

• Built a team that reflects our community (gays, a lesbian, an asexual, and a trans woman)

• Received our first donation and started raising $5,000

Has it been easy? Not at all. There are days when Sasha and I ask if it’s even worth it. I’ve lost friends just for going public with this project.

But we’re not stopping. Ever.

What’s Next for EmpowerQ

The next few months are all about turning our vision into action. Here’s what’s coming:

• Mentorship Program: We’re already connecting with mentors and screening mentees to launch our first mentorship cohort.

• Talent Hub: A dedicated space for job referrals to help queer professionals access real opportunities.

• Pulse Snapshot Report: Publishing Nigeria’s first-ever look at LGBTQ+ workplace realities.

• Funding Goal: Raising our first $5,000 to fuel programs, resources and community support.

• Queer Stories Blog Series: Spotlighting the journeys, wins and resilience of queer professionals.

• Career Accelerator Cohort: A 4-week program designed to equip participants with the skills, mentorship, and confidence to thrive.

• This Blog: Yes, we’re growing it into a hub for insights, updates, and stories you won’t find anywhere else.

Thank you to our early partners and donors for believing in us. And to every queer professional who’s trusted us with their story, career, or hope, we see you, and we’re building this for you.

It’s still Day One. But the future? It’s fierce.