As Nigeria’s digital economy continues to expand at a rapid pace—fueled by rising internet penetration and mobile adoption—performance marketing has become a cornerstone of business growth. Marketing spending in the country is surging, with estimates projecting an 18.7% annual increase and a total market value reaching ₦605.2 billion (US$406 million) by 2025.
At the forefront of this shift is John Onuorah, a performance marketing strategist whose work is redefining how Nigerian startups scale through precision, creativity, and analytics.
A Data-Led Journey Through Nigeria’s Startup Ecosystem
Known professionally as John Onuorah, he has spent the last three years driving growth for a range of Nigerian startups across fintech, e-commerce, food tech, and edutech sectors. His resume includes tenures at Edukoya, Garmspot, Gigbanc, and most recently, as Growth Marketing Manager at FoodCourt, a rapidly rising food tech company.
John’s approach centers on data-informed decision-making. By combining performance metrics like CPC (cost per click) and ROAS (return on ad spend) with user behavior analysis, he has consistently built campaigns that not only attract users—but convert them and retain them.
At FoodCourt, he engineered a remarkable growth spurt: over 30,000 new customers, 62,000+ app installs, and nearly 108,000 orders within just two months, driving revenue up by 1,000% to $2.9 million. This surge, documented in a published case study, reflects the power of performance marketing when executed with precision.
Growth Strategy: From Funnels to Frameworks
Onuorah’s campaigns are often designed using the AARRR funnel framework—Acquisition, Activation, Retention, Referral, and Revenue—ensuring no part of the customer journey is left to chance. His focus is to optimize each stage, ensuring a seamless transition from first click to loyal customer.
“Data informs my creative decisions and ensures they’re right,” he says.
This philosophy translates into daily work involving A/B testing, campaign tuning, and collaborative strategy sessions. Tools like Google Analytics, Mixpanel, AppsFlyer, and Segment enable John to tightly monitor campaign performance and attribution, improving efficiency with each iteration.
Scaling Impact Beyond Metrics
Beyond corporate achievements, Onuorah is equally passionate about building talent pipelines. In 2023, he facilitated sessions at The Incubator Nigeria’s Future Clan Bootcamp, where he mentored over 1,000 young professionals in technical writing. He also launched a month-long writing challenge, offering mentees a platform to develop skills and gain recognition—many of whom have since flourished in their careers.
This commitment to nurturing the next generation of marketers is a defining aspect of his vision for sustainable growth in Africa’s tech space.
The Future of African Performance Marketing
Looking ahead, John Onuorah believes the evolution of performance marketing in Africa will be driven by automation, AI, and data literacy. He is actively sharpening his skills in marketing automation and artificial intelligence to stay ahead of the curve.
“I’m preparing by staying up to date with industry trends and developing skills in automation and AI,” he notes.
As global attention turns to Nigeria as one of Africa’s fastest-growing internet markets, performance marketers who can bridge strategy with results will become invaluable. Onuorah’s local experience, global insights, and commitment to mentorship uniquely position him to lead in this next chapter.
His parting advice to fellow marketers?
“Stay curious, keep learning, and always prioritize data-driven decisions.”
