Lily Aninyei

The first of five children, I grew up babysitting my younger siblings, and thus developed an affinity for taking care of people which I adapted into a Hospitality business in 2010 – The GreenRoom Nigeria, Managing Hospitality, Welfare and Logistics for Performers, Speakers and Celebrities at events, concerts, conferences, and seminars.

Growing up on Grailland in Lagos, Nigeria, my siblings and I spent most of our childhood climbing trees, picking fruits and gardening with our Mum. Strongly influenced by Enid Blyton and RL Stevenson’s books, we would dream up adventures with our pet hen Suzie, our dog Ginger, Debbie the cat and Tito the monkey. These experiences provide the fuel my imagination requires to ensure that our services are equally unique and exciting.

The GreenRoom was created to fill an existing gap in the Nigeria Entertainment industry at the time. Rather than succumb to the challenging business environment in Nigeria, and a million reasons ‘why it would not work’ I developed a business model which has served us well, and 9 years down the line, we are still the leading provider of green room services in Nigeria.

I consider it a privilege to be in a position where I can support young people struggling to support themselves and their families, and when not backstage tending to the needs of celebrities, I volunteer my time in schools and with NGOs like Junior Achievement Nigeria where I mentor young people on Entrepreneurship and Personal Development.