From Policy to Pepper Soup: Secilia Okafor champions women through finance and food

Patience Mawele

Known for her notable experience as one of Namibia’s financial inclusion and development experts, Secilia Nekwaya Okafor has carved a unique niche, balancing national policy influence with a culinary business rooted in empowerment.

As the founder of Mrs Okafor’s Kitchen, a Windhoek-based Nigerian cuisine restaurant, Okafor is quietly transforming lives beyond the boardroom.

“You know, I’ve never really seen purpose as just one thing,” she said.

“I believe God gives us different gifts for a reason, and I’ve always felt this deep conviction that I can serve in the boardroom and also serve my community through business.”

Explaining the birth of Mrs Okafor’s Kitchen, she shared that it was born during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and began as a response to the fear and uncertainty of the moment.

“The restaurant actually started during COVID, when everything felt so uncertain and scary. But even in that chaos, I felt this pull to build something—not just for profit, but something that could nourish people and create opportunities,” she explained.