I'm Blessing. A scientist by training and a storyteller at heart, whose curiosity has carried her from the waters of the Niger Delta into laboratories, communities and conversations across the world, and now into the exhilarating work of building climate technology. Along the way, I've gathered stories of people who changed how I see the world, questions that refused to leave me alone, and beginnings that asked more courage of me than I expected. I share them here because I know how powerful another person's story can be when you're wondering what might be possible in your own life.
Get to know meExplore my stories
My work in international development began in Nigeria, where I worked with the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) and later on Propcom Mai-karfi, learning from farmers, businesses and communities how economies really work when resources are scarce and the stakes are personal. Today, as Global Advisor on Market Systems Development with PIN UK, I bring that experience into programmes across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East, while my advisory work with FCDO's Propcom Plus keeps me close to the realities of climate-resilient agriculture in Nigeria.
The scientist in me has always been drawn to water. My doctoral research in environmental and public health microbiology examined the bioremediation of crude-oil-polluted waters in the Niger Delta, and that fascination with what nature can repair now travels with me into Algaenic, the climate-tech company I co-founded. We are working on harmful algal blooms and the difficult, fascinating question of what can be done safely and usefully with the biomass we recover. The 2026 Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award has given part of that work room to grow.
At home, I am loved by a kind and generous husband and the most beautiful twin girls in the world. During my PhD, my daughters were curious about my research and had endless questions about why I was doing what I was doing, and their curiosity led a university girlfriend and me to co-found Planet Squad. After all, what is the point of all this education if we cannot explain it to children? Through Planet Squad, we bring climate education to children and encourage community-driven environmental recovery, making room for young people and their communities to understand, care for and help restore the places they call home.
A life of curiosity, courage, growth and possibility.
At PIND, Propcom Mai-karfi and Ikore, I have worked with farmers, enterprises and communities to understand what helps local economies grow and what keeps them going when a project ends. That experience continues to shape my work with PIN UK and FCDO's Propcom Plus, where the conversations about climate resilience are also conversations about livelihoods, markets and the choices people can afford to make.
My PhD took me into the microbiology of oil-polluted water in the Niger Delta, studying organisms with the capacity to break down contamination. I still love the patient work of research: collecting a sample, following the evidence, and discovering that the answer is more interesting than the question I first asked.
At Algaenic, we are building the future of harmful algal bloom prediction, removal and valorisation at scale, bringing together robotics, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence, advanced bioprocessing and resource conversion technologies to transform one of our growing water quality challenges into an opportunity for resource recovery and circular innovation, turning harmful algal biomass into a valuable resource for tomorrow.
Some of the conversations I value most happen around tables where people are asking how to build stronger institutions, open doors for others and turn good intentions into lasting work. I serve on the board of the Ikore Foundation, chair DYP and serve as Vice President of CISD, bringing the same curiosity and commitment to these responsibilities that guide my work elsewhere.
Board member
Chair
Vice President
Some stories start with a big question, others with a conversation over dinner, a journey to somewhere unfamiliar, or that quiet moment when you wonder whether you should take the chance in front of you. In 100 Stories with Blessing, I return to the moments that made me laugh, think again, change direction or see something familiar with new eyes, and share the questions they continue to open up.
On the hesitation that could potentially have stopped me from applying, and what made me submit the application anyway.
On making room for science, family, work and the interests that keep changing us.
On the ambitions we carry into motherhood, and the possibilities our children teach us to see again.
“The things I am building are changing me, too.”
I know what it takes to carry a scientific idea beyond the laboratory, and I keep thinking about the women whose doctoral research could become a product, a company or a new way of solving an old problem. I want to help more women with STEM PhDs explore that journey, bringing together the practical questions of evidence, funding, partnerships and the confidence to begin.
The idea is taking shape. I would love to hear from women who have made the move from research into innovation, and from those looking for a place to start.
Express interestIf something here has stayed with you, whether it is a question about water, a story about finding your way, or an idea worth building together, I'd love to hear from you. The best conversations often begin with a little curiosity.