Nigeria Country Representative : Ferdinand Dapaah
Ferdinand is Nigeria Country Representative and Chief of Party for OIC International’s Entrepreneurship Development Center (EDC) Kano program. In this capacity he is responsible for overseeing the expansion and enhancing the impact of OIC International’s EDC program, and establishing new strategic partnerships for credit access, business development and CSR/community service programs.
Previously, Ferdinand was the Director of Programs and Assistant Country Representative for OIC International Ghana, where he supervised the implementation of livelihood enhancement and community empowerment programs for mine-impacted communities. Additionally, he coordinated CSR programs with major private companies such as Goldfields Ghana Ltd, AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mines and Newmont Ghana Gold, bringing together local communities and private companies to promote livelihood enhancement and community development. He was also a master-trainer for the Ghana-America Millennium Development Authority (MIDA) Commercial Development of Farmer-Based Organizations.
Ferdinand is not new to Nigeria. He served as the Technical Advisor and Assistant Country Representative for OIC International Nigeria for 2 years (2004 to 2006), where he oversaw the USAID-funded Job and Business Development Services Initiative for disadvantaged, at -risk youth in Kano and Calabar, Cross River State. In this capacity, he collaborated with the State Government in opening the Calabar JOBS office. Additionally, as a Regional Cooperative Development Specialist in partnership with USDA, he implemented the one year USAID-funded Nigeria Agricultural Cooperative and Marketing Project (NACMP) in three states of Nigeria: Kano, Nasarawa and Abia.
Prior to this, Ferdinand was the Ghana Project Manager for the OICI-USDA Africa Trade and Investment Program (ATRIP) for 3 years, promoting the production and export of high value horticultural crops through vibrant farmer associations and cooperatives.
Ferdinand joined OIC International in June 2001, having worked as Business Advisor and later as Project Manager with Technoserve, an American NGO for 15 years in Community-Based Enterprise Development. Ferdinand holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Marketing and Agribusiness Development from Santa Clara University, California, USA with 30 years proven experience in business development. He earned his B.Sc. Degree in Agricultural Extension and Farm management from KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana in 1980. Ferdinand is a specialist in institutional capacity building, project management, monitoring and evaluation, workforce development and youth employment generation as well as strategic partnership development.