#19: Favour Aroghene Ndulu—How a Pharmacologist Pivoted to a Career in Marketing
Favour is a product, marketing, and growth leader with nearly 10+ years of experience driving innovation across Africa’s fintech, payments, retail, & health tech sectors.
This is the African Growth Marketers Spotlight series for the Marketing In Action Newsletter where we interview diverse marketing practitioners who are putting marketing into action. Share it with your network! ~James
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Can you tell us a bit about your background, education, and how you got into marketing?
I studied Pharmacology and graduated at the top of my class. I had a clear academic plan: earn a first class, pursue a master’s in Pharmacology and Toxicology, return to my alma mater as a junior lecturer, and then rise through the academic ranks. I was passionate about teaching and nurturing others, so everything seemed perfectly aligned.
But I graduated with a CGPA of 4.45, just 0.05 short of a first class. That tiny margin completely changed the course of my life. I was devastated and unsure about what was next. I spent about a year trying to figure things out. The path into academia felt blocked without that first class, and I had to rethink everything I had planned.
After NYSC, I began applying for graduate trainee roles. I landed one at FundQuest, and part of the training included a digital marketing course. I did really well and was tasked with setting up the company’s marketing department. It felt like a complete shift from Pharmacology, but it also marked the beginning of my career in marketing.
Over the next year and a half, I launched products, ran campaigns, and taught myself everything I could about marketing, from copywriting to digital strategy. It was hands-on learning from scratch. From there, I moved into FMCG marketing, product marketing, and growth, and here we are today.
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How do you define growth marketing?
For me, growth marketing is everything that directly impacts the bottom line. It starts with understanding what growth means for your company, is it revenue, customer base, or retention? In most cases, it all leads back to revenue.
Growth marketing includes anything you can do to drive measurable customer or revenue growth. That could be content, events, lifecycle marketing, outbound sales, partnerships, activations, or performance marketing. It falls under growth marketing as long as it’s trackable and you can tie it to tangible results.
What are your key areas of expertise within marketing?
I’ve had the privilege of working with early-stage startups where marketing teams are lean, and often, I’m the only marketer on the team. That experience has made me a generalist; I’ve done everything from content creation and product marketing to lifecycle campaigns, event activations, out-of-home media, and brand strategy.
But if I had to narrow it down, my core strengths are in data-driven marketing, product-led growth, and full-funnel growth marketing. I thrive in environments where marketing is deeply tied to product strategy and measurable business impact. I’m also strong at aligning cross-functional teams around shared goals and executing efficiently.
Which marketing channels do you prioritize, and have you found to be effective?
Channel selection depends on your product and where your customers are. I work in B2B fintech, so my channel mix is intentional and strategic.
I rely heavily on content and thought leadership, events and demo calls, outbound and inbound email marketing, and strategic partnerships. I also use a mix of paid advertising where needed. It’s a blend of high-conversion, high-context channels tailored to decision-makers.
What roles have you held in your growth and marketing career?
I’ve worn many hats throughout my career. I’ve been a content marketer, email marketer, growth marketer, and graphic designer when necessary. I’ve done offline sales, including door-to-door selling, and full product campaign rollouts. My roles have spanned the entire marketing spectrum.
Which companies have you worked with?
Waza (B2B, Payments/Fintech) – A cross-border payments platform for African businesses. Currently leading growth, responsible for scaling product adoption and customer base through strategic growth marketing.
Klasha (B2B, Payments/Fintech) – A cross-border commerce and payments platform for African merchants and global retailers. Served as Head of Marketing, overseeing brand, growth, lifecycle, and performance marketing functions.
Kuda (B2C/B2B, Digital Banking/Fintech) – Nigeria’s leading digital bank. As Product Marketing Manager, launched and drove adoption of the Kuda Business product, leading end-to-end campaigns from strategy to reporting.
Softcom (B2B, SaaS/Product) – A tech company building tools for African businesses and communities. Led marketing for a new business-focused product, growing it from zero to over 300 active users.
Nuts About Cakes (B2C, Food/Retail) – A Lagos-based bakery brand with multiple branches. Led the marketing team, managing brand communications and in-store campaign execution.
Orange Group (B2C, FMCG/Healthcare) – A consumer goods company with products in pharma, personal care, and beverages. Contributed to brand and digital marketing projects across key product lines.
FundQuest (B2C, Financial Services) – A finance company offering savings and investment products. Started her career here, progressing from intern to marketing manager while learning digital marketing hands-on.
Consulting Work
Pesa (B2B, Fintech/Cross-border Payments) – Supported go-to-market and user acquisition efforts for a new payments solution.
Doktorconnect (B2C, HealthTech/Telemedicine) – Worked on early-stage growth and marketing strategy to build a user base from scratch.
OneKard (B2C, Digital Banking/Fintech) – Helped launch and scale a consumer digital banking product, leading strategic marketing efforts from zero to traction.
Can you share a fun or interesting fact about yourself that most people don’t know?
A fun fact about me is that I love doing things for the first time. I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie—I enjoy activity-based experiences. When I was actively dating, my ideal kind of date involved something adventurous—climbing, hiking, or anything that gets my heart racing.
Another fun fact: I’m a serious binge-watcher. If I start a series and I love it, I have to finish it—no matter what. I’ll rearrange my schedule if I have to, just to see it through to the end.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love learning new skills. I learned to swim in just seven days. Right now, I’m learning to play tennis, and next up is learning how to ride a bike. Trying new things keeps me energized and curious.
Can you share a resource or template that has been particularly valuable in your work?
Lately, I’ve become a podcast person. I listen to a lot of them while driving or working. My favorites are the Dear HBR, Payments Innovation, CIM Marketing Podcast, Product Marketing Insider, and The Open Africa Podcast. They give me real insight into both strategic thinking and on-the-ground execution.
I also follow This Week in Fintech newsletters—it’s a fantastic resource for staying up-to-date with the broader tech and fintech ecosystem. At this point in my career, I want to understand more than just marketing. I want to grasp the full picture—how tech works, how products evolve, how markets shift. So, any content that helps me see that bigger picture is essential for me.
What advice would you give to someone starting their career in growth marketing?
If I could offer one piece of advice to young marketers, it’s this: become deeply curious about how your work connects to business outcomes. Marketing isn’t just about making things look good; it’s about solving real problems with clarity and intention. Learn to read data, understand user behaviour, and tie your campaigns to growth metrics. The best marketers I know are not just creative; they’re strategic thinkers who can articulate the “why” behind every decision.
Early in my career, I pivoted from pharmacology into tech marketing by asking better questions and taking on roles that stretched me beyond my comfort zone. That mindset is what will set you apart.
Secondly, don’t underestimate the power of storytelling and the importance of relationships. Whether launching a new feature, running a B2B campaign, or leading a growth team, your ability to communicate with empathy and precision will unlock doors. Build your network, find mentors, and be generous with your knowledge; it will return to you.
Your marketing journey won’t always be linear, and that’s okay. What matters is that you continue to show up, learn, iterate, and take ownership of your impact.
Give us two marketers that you would like us to interview in this newsletter
Nimide Fala – VP of Client Experience at Zest Payments
Charles Anijekwu – Growth Marketing Expert
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If you have a recommendation for who we should be speaking to, or who you would like to see in this interview series, reply with their names, marketing specialty, and how we can reach them (LinkedIn, Email, Phone, Home address 🙂).
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