WIMBIZ Marks 25th Anniversary With Focus on Africa’s Global Opportunities and Women’s Leadership

Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) has celebrated the 25th edition of its Annual Conference, bringing together business leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers and professionals to discuss Africa’s growing opportunities in the global economy and the role of women in shaping the continent’s future. The two-day event was held on November 5 and 6, 2026, at Eko Hotels & Suites, Lagos, under the theme, “Rooted, Rising, Ready: Born in Africa, Built for the World.”

The two-day conference featured keynote conversations, fireside chats, plenary sessions, microtalks, workshops, awards, and networking opportunities, creating a platform for participants to exchange ideas and explore practical pathways for women’s advancement and enterprise growth.

The opening ceremony featured remarks from Ebisan Akisanya, Chairman, Board of Trustees, WIMBIZ, who reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to collective progress, noting, “The nation is very important. We counter the fallacy that women cannot work together.”

Also speaking, WIMBIZ Co-Founder Dr. Omobola Johnson reflected on the organisation’s journey and its continued relevance.

The Conference Chairperson, Bennedikter Molokwu, DF. CioD highlighted the vision that inspired WIMBIZ 25 years ago and its enduring culture of supporting other women. She described the organisation as a forest whose strength lies in its roots, emphasising that “a woman who knows her roots cannot be blown away by any storm.” She further noted that leadership should not be measured solely by individual or organisational achievements but by the impact one’s presence creates for others.

The first day opened with a fireside chat titled “The Geography of Opportunity: Why the World Needs What Africa Has?” featuring Aliko Dangote, GCON President and Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited, in conversation with Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani, CEO of EnergyInc Advisors.

Dangote highlighted Africa’s vast potential and the importance of ensuring that the continent captures value from the resources and opportunities it offers. He stated, “The world needs what Africa has; our responsibility is to ensure that as we meet the need, Africa captures most of the value.” He also encouraged participants to think boldly about growth, noting that “If you’re not bold and you’re thinking small, you will never ever grow.”

A goodwill message from H.E. Dr Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat, Deputy Governor, Lagos State, reinforced the conference theme, with the message: “The world needs what Africa has. Africa needs what women are building.”

Further conversations explored how African businesses can position themselves for continental opportunities. In a microtalk on “Positioning for Continental Opportunities”, Adeola Olusodo, MD and CEO of Lekki WorldWide Investments Limited, emphasised the importance of relationships in building business opportunities, stating, “Where relationships can take you to, money cannot get you there.”

In another session, “Build, Buy, Partner”, Temitope Shonubi, Co-founder and Executive Director of Sahara Group, encouraged entrepreneurs to understand their capabilities before making business decisions. He reminded participants that business decisions must be guided by sound commercial thinking and introduced the PRAISE framework: Prepare, Review, Advance, Implement, Scale, and Evolve.

The “From Where I Sit” session featured Tokunbo Talabi, Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Ogun State, who shared lessons from his entrepreneurial journey. He challenged participants to recognise and overcome self-imposed limitations, emphasising the importance of determination, resourcefulness and identifying opportunities within their existing strengths.

The conference also recognised women making notable contributions across different sectors through the Female Achievers Awards. Recipients included Tara Fela-Durotoye, Founder of House of Tara and Building Beyond You Institute, in the Beauty category; Kehinde Kamson, Founder and CEO of Sweet Sensation, in the Quick Service Restaurant category; and Joke Bakare, Founder and CEO of MEDPlus Pharmacy, in the Retail Pharmacy category.

Discussions on sustainability and emerging opportunities continued during the plenary session, “The Green Economy and What It Means for African Women: Jobs, Capital, and the Opportunities Nobody Is Talking About.” The session featured Attah Musa Anzaku, Oluyemisi Iranloye, Yewande Kazeem and Affiong Williams, and was moderated by Tolulope Makinwa. The panellists explored opportunities within the green economy, the role of innovation, and the importance of understanding investor expectations. Williams stressed that entrepreneurship begins with solving a problem, while Iranloye encouraged entrepreneurs to start small, test different approaches, and identify what works.

Running alongside the plenary was a parallel session titled “The $100 Billion Creative Economy”. The session featured Adekunle Adebiyi, Executive Director, Investments, MBO Capital Management Limited; Prof. Bankole Sodipo, SAN, FCArb, of Babcock University and Partner at G.O. Sodipo & Co.; and Chris Ubosi, Managing Director of Megalectrics Limited, with Lola Shoneyin, Director of Book Buzz Foundation, as moderator. The discussion explored the opportunities within Africa’s creative economy and the role of investment and industry collaboration in unlocking its potential.

The programme also featured a microtalk titled “Brand Before Business: Making WIMBIZ Work for You,” which focused on helping participants maximise the opportunities, connections and value available through the WIMBIZ platform.

Technology and the future of work also featured prominently. In her microtalk, “Stay Relevant: AI Is Changing the Rules. Are You Ready?”, Bunmi Adekeye, Founder of Agile Metamor46, urged participants to approach artificial intelligence intentionally, highlighting its potential to improve productivity and professional relevance. She cautioned that the greater risk may not be AI replacing jobs but individuals who understand and use the technology advancing ahead of those who do not.

Bimpe Olufemi, VP Digital at Junior Achievement Africa, followed with “Get Ahead: Build Your AI C-Suite. Your Executive Team Is Now in Your Laptop,” while Michelle Pflueger, Director and Chief Asset Development Officer, Nigeria MidAfrica Region, Chevron, explored “Innovation, Technology and the Future of Work”.

The first day also featured the Capital Room, which examined how women-led businesses can become investment-ready and access the capital required to scale. The session brought together Omonye Ukpoma-Ajitena, Vice President, African Finance Corporation (AFC); Olayimikah Bolo, MD & Chief Risk Officer, Chapel Hill Denham; Kemi Olajide, Principal, Africa Climate Ventures; Dr Chizor Malize, MD/CEO, FITC; Ronke Sokefun, Partner, Templars; and Hon. Maryam Musa Galle Allahbura, a seasoned public administrator and electoral professional. Ummahani Amin, Founder and Managing Partner, The Metropolitan Law Firm, served as Strategic Anchor.

The Fix Room, anchored by Pan-Atlantic University’s Enterprise Development Centre, brought together business experts Lola Masha, Partner, Antler, and Akaego Okoye of Africa Business Stories, who moderated the session, to explore practical solutions to business challenges.

Day Two opened with a recap of the previous day’s activities by the Conference Chairperson, followed by the WIMBIZ Executive Director’s Report presented by Omowunmi Akingbohungbe, Executive Director of WIMBIZ. She emphasised the importance of women’s participation in decision-making and encouraged women to remain intentional about their personal and professional development.

The conference continued with a TED Talk titled “Building Beyond Yourself: The Woman, Her Power, Wealth and Legacy”, delivered by Ekene Ajene Onu, Principal and Lead Coach at Iconic Womanhood. She challenged participants to pursue success without sacrificing their well-being, encouraging them to build lives that are profitable, purpose-driven, and fulfilling.

A TED-style conversation on the same theme featured Olatowun Candide Johnson, CEO and Founder of GAIA Africa, and Folake Adeniyi-Adeleye, Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and Founder of Coachivate Limited. Their discussion explored authenticity, personal value, career growth, and the role of trust in building meaningful professional relationships. They reminded participants that careers are rarely linear and that intentionality is essential to how individuals position themselves and build connections.

Tony Elumelu, CFR, Chairman of Heirs Holdings, also addressed the conference in a session titled “The Geography of Opportunity: Why the World Needs What Africa Has.” He spoke about Africa’s resources, youthful population and potential to drive global growth, while emphasising the need to translate these advantages into shared prosperity.

He noted that talent should not be limited by geography and called for greater investment in African people and businesses. He also highlighted the importance of strengthening manufacturing, addressing power challenges, growing domestic savings and investments, and creating an environment where women entrepreneurs can access the capital required to scale. He challenged African leaders to move beyond extracting value from the continent towards creating and retaining more value within it.

The question of scaling women-led businesses was further explored during Plenary 2, “Where Is Africa’s Female-Led Unicorn, and Why Haven’t We Built It?” The session featured Tokunboh Ishmael, Managing Partner of Alitheia Capital; Olalekan Olude, Group Chief Executive Officer of Cray; and Deepankar Rustagi, Founder and CEO of OmniRetail, with Efe Barber as moderator. Ishmael observed that the challenge was not the absence of successful African women entrepreneurs but the systems needed to help them scale. Olude also emphasised collaboration and understanding the business fundamentals behind enterprise growth.

Participants also engaged in a wellness workshop, “My Wellness Passport: Practical, Validated Self-Assessment Tools for a Healthier, Wealthier and Happier You,” led by Dr Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri and Dr Oluwatomi Kogo. The session encouraged participants to take a more proactive approach to their health, with particular attention to blood sugar, blood pressure, and blood cholesterol.

The conference’s breakout sessions provided further opportunities for participants to engage with topics relevant to their different career and business stages. The session for young professionals and emerging leaders, “Start Right, Stay Rich: Building Wealth Habits That Compound Over Time”, featured Ifedayo Agoro, CEO of Dang Lifestyle Inc., and Aisha Adedeji, Co-founder of The Hustle Table. Their conversation explored financial discipline, saving, investing, entrepreneurship, and the importance of building wealth with clear goals and a sound understanding of money.

For mid-career professionals and early-stage business owners, “Held Together: Leading While Caring for Everyone at Home” featured Fadeke Adepetun, CEO of Investment Builders Limited, and Joan Tariere Oke, Family Consultant, with Dr Abiola Salami, Principal of CHAMP Global Leadership Consulting, as moderator. The session explored the demands of leadership alongside family responsibilities.

The third breakout session, designed for Delegate Plus participants, was titled “Legacy: Who We Are, What We Have and What We Are Building Next.” It featured Dr Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, Executive Chair of Sahel Group and Co-founder of Wealth4Impact, who explored the ideas of legacy, leadership, and the responsibility of building for future generations.

Insights from the breakout sessions were brought together in a recap titled “Voices from the Rooms We Are Building Into”, featuring Esther Hadiza Ijeaku, Founder and Principal Consultant of Skill Hub Consulting, and Fatima Mohammed-Abacha, CEO of Maison Mohani, as strategic anchors. The session offered an opportunity to reflect on the conversations and perspectives emerging from the different rooms.

The conference also recognised businesses and individuals through its Impact Investment Awards, with support from partners including Nigerian Bottling Company, Coca-Cola, Unilever and Onga.

One of the final highlights was the debate, “Fund It or Mentor It”, which brought together Kikelomo Fischer, Adekunle Adebiyi, Yemi Keri and Dr Tewa Onasanya, with Nkem Begho as moderator. The debate examined what women-led businesses need most to grow: access to capital or guidance and networks that mentorship provides. While the speakers presented arguments for both sides, the discussion highlighted the complementary roles of funding, mentorship, business structure, and accountability. At the end of the debate, Team Fund it emerged victorious.

The conference concluded with acknowledgement of Aderonke Onadeko, Chair of the Conference Planning Group, and recognition of the partners and stakeholders whose support contributed to the successful delivery of the event.

For 25 years, WIMBIZ has remained committed to inspiring and empowering women to attain leadership positions in management, business and public service. Through its programmes, advocacy and platforms for connection, the organisation continues to champion women’s leadership and contribute to conversations shaping the future of business and society.