NEO Advisory helps companies build the relationships required to enter and grow across U.S. and African markets, and helps African governments engage the investors, businesses and institutions that can advance their economic priorities.
Companies entering unfamiliar U.S. or African markets need more than information. They need credible local relationships, appropriate commercial partners and a clear strategy for turning engagement into business opportunity.
African governments seeking investment and strategic partnerships face a similar challenge. Economic priorities must be clearly positioned, presented to relevant decision-makers and supported by consistent follow-through. NEO Advisory helps clients navigate the U.S.-Africa corridor and intra-African markets by defining the opportunity, identifying and engaging the relationships that matter and building a practical pathway from initial contact to sustained commercial or institutional progress.
We work with U.S. companies entering and expanding across Africa and with African companies seeking opportunities in the United States and other African markets.
We help clients identify and engage the customers, distributors, commercial partners, government stakeholders and institutions required to enter a market, establish credibility and develop a viable opportunity pipeline.
We help African governments and public institutions engage U.S. and African investors, companies, development institutions and strategic partners.
Our work helps governments translate economic priorities into credible propositions, reach relevant decision-makers and build a structured pipeline of investment and institutional relationships.
Two focused advisory services built around relationships, execution and measurable progress.
Cross-border expansion requires more than market information or an introduction. Companies must understand the commercial environment, identify the right customers and partners, establish credibility and remain engaged long enough to convert interest into meaningful progress. NEO Advisory helps companies develop and execute relationship-led strategies for market entry and expansion across the U.S.-Africa corridor and within Africa.
Securing meaningful external engagement requires more than attending international forums or presenting broad investment opportunities. Governments must define clear priorities, develop credible propositions and engage investors, companies and institutions whose interests align with those opportunities. NEO Advisory helps African governments prepare, position and advance investor and institutional engagement across the U.S.-Africa corridor and within Africa.
NEO Advisory does not guarantee investment or commercial outcomes. We provide the strategy, preparation, targeted engagement and follow-through required to improve the quality and progression of each opportunity.
Every engagement begins with a defined outcome and follows a disciplined process.
We begin with the result the client is seeking: market entry, customer acquisition, commercial partnership, foreign investment or institutional cooperation.
We assess the client's readiness, clarify the opportunity and establish what meaningful progress should look like.
We identify the companies, investors, partners, government stakeholders and institutions most relevant to the objective.
We prioritize credible targets based on commercial fit, strategic alignment, decision-making authority and the likelihood of productive engagement.
We strengthen the client's positioning, develop the necessary engagement materials and prepare executives or government principals for targeted conversations.
We then support outreach, introductions and meeting development with priority stakeholders.
An introduction is the beginning, not the outcome.
We help organize next steps, maintain momentum, track the relationship pipeline and move qualified opportunities towards commercial, investment or institutional progress.
We do not pursue introductions for their own sake. Every relationship is selected and developed in support of a defined commercial, investment or institutional objective.
We understand that cross-border opportunities often sit at the intersection of commercial strategy, government priorities, investment and trusted relationships.
Access is only valuable when the client is ready to use it. We help companies and governments clarify their objectives, strengthen their positioning and prepare for serious engagement.
Our work is informed by more than 15 years of experience engaging companies, governments, investors, financial institutions and business networks across the United States and Africa.
We treat meetings, delegations and international forums as steps within a longer relationship-development process. Every engagement should produce defined next actions and a pathway for continued progress.
Representative experience from NEO Advisory engagements and the Founder's prior professional and institutional leadership includes:
Supported an African subnational government in preparing for high-level engagement during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The assignment included defining priority sectors, identifying relevant U.S. government and development-finance stakeholders, coordinating targeted meetings and preparing the delegation for engagement. The process helped reactivate institutional relationships and establish pathways for continued discussion.
Managed and developed relationships with more than 120 companies engaged in U.S.-Africa trade and investment, supporting corporate participation in high-level business forums and engagement with senior government and institutional leaders across both markets.
Supported multinational companies, investors, financial institutions, governments and institutional partners through senior legal, business-development and external-affairs roles spanning the United States, the United Kingdom and Africa.
Led legal, regulatory, government and corporate-affairs functions within Nigeria's aviation sector, including during the growth of the country's first dedicated private aviation terminal.
NEO Advisory is a U.S.-based commercial advisory firm helping companies and African governments navigate the U.S.-Africa corridor and opportunities within African markets.
We work with U.S. companies entering and expanding across Africa, African companies pursuing opportunities in the United States and other African markets, and African governments seeking productive relationships with investors, businesses and global institutions.
Our work combines strategic preparation with practical execution. We help clients define the opportunity, identify and qualify priority relationships, strengthen their positioning, secure relevant engagement and maintain the follow-through required to move opportunities forward.
NEO Advisory operates as the commercial advisory practice of African Business Stories LLC.
Akaego Okoye is a global business executive, dual-qualified lawyer and institution builder with more than 15 years of experience working across business, government and regulated industries in the United States and Africa.
As Founder and Principal of NEO Advisory, she advises companies and governments on market access, strategic partnerships, commercial diplomacy and global engagement. Her work helps clients navigate unfamiliar markets, identify priority stakeholders, strengthen their positioning and translate important engagements into sustained commercial and institutional relationships.
She previously served as Director of Business Development for DLA Piper's U.S.-Africa Initiative, supporting the firm's engagement with multinational companies, investors, financial institutions, governments and institutional partners.
Before that, she spent nearly six years as Director of Member Relations at the Corporate Council on Africa, where she managed relationships with more than 120 corporate members and helped develop high-level forums connecting business leaders with senior government officials across the United States and Africa.
She began her legal career in England before returning to Nigeria as Legal Counsel at the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority. She subsequently served as Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs at EAN Aviation, Nigeria's first dedicated private aviation terminal, leading legal, regulatory, government and corporate affairs during a period of organizational growth.