MRS. KADARIA AHMED, M.CIoD

MODERATOR

Mrs. Kadaria Ahmed is a Nigerian journalist and media entrepreneur. She is the CEO of RadioNow 95.3FM and has worked in various media platforms, including print, radio, TV, online, and social media. Kadaria started her career at the BBC in London, producing award-winning programs like Focus on Africa and Network Africa. She was key in shaping the news agenda and reported from several countries, including South Africa, Eritrea, and the United Nations...

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H.E. MR. BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA, CON, SAN

PLENARY SPEAKER  

Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN is a 1987, Law graduate of the University of Benin, and after a 14-year stint in private Law practice as a litigator, has had a public service career that spanned over two decades long.  In that period of public service, he has served as Chief of Staff and Commissioner in the Lagos State Government, two-term Governor of Lagos, and in May 2023 meritoriously concluded serving a second term as Minister of the Federal Government having first been appointed in 2015 and reappointed in 2019...

DR. JUMOKE ODUWOLE, M.CIoD

DISCUSSANT

Dr. Jumoke Oduwole is a distinguished academic advocate known for her impactful contributions to governance and economic development. currently, she is a senior Fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government's Mossavar-ahmani Center for Business and Government. Before joining Harvard, Dr. Oduwole was the Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Ease of Doing Business from August 2019 to May 2023...

 

MR. OLANIYI YUSUF
DISCUSSANT

Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf is the Managing Partner and Lead of the Social Sector practice at Verraki Partners, a company dedicated to accelerating Africa's development through innovative business solutions. Before this role, which he assumed in April 2019, he served as the Country Managing Director of Accenture Nigeria from 2010 to 2019. Niyi is a respected transformation change manager who has advised C-level executives in both the private and public sectors on strategic change and digital transformation...

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MR. FRANK AIGBOGUN, HF.CIoD
MODERATOR

Mr. Frank Aigbogun is an experienced journalist and co-founder of BusinessDay newspaper, which he has been the publisher of since 2001. He began his journalism career at The Guardian and later worked at Vanguard, eventually becoming the editor of all its publications. He also served as the Lagos correspondent for the Associated Press (AP)... 

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MR. JOHN OBARO
PLENARY SPEAKER

Mr. John Obaro is the founder and CEO of SystemSpecs, a Nigerian software company that created Remita, a popular e-payment solution used by the government. Before starting SystemSpecs in 1992, Obaro had a successful 10-year career in software development and IT. He worked as a part-time teacher, computer salesman, and systems developer at various companies, including the United Bank for Africa and the International Merchant Bank of Nigeria...

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MRS. FUNMI OPEKE
DISCUSSANT

Funke Opeke is Managing Director of MainOne, a leading Digital Infrastructure Service provider that built West Africa’s first Open-Access submarine cable system in 2010. In 2015, the company launched its data center operations in West Africa with MDXi with a $40M investment resulting in West Africa’s largest Tier III data center in Lagos, Nigeria, and now with a presence in Accra and Abidjan...

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MRS. OLATOMIWA WILLIAMS
DISCUSSANT

Mrs. Olatomiwa Williams is the CEO of Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana, where she leads the digital transformation of various sectors through cloud and AI solutions. She is a powerhouse in the tech industry with over 20 years of experience, delivering results, from building high-performing teams, and empowering businesses...

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DR. LUCY SURHYEL NEWMAN, CPT,F.CIoD
MODERATOR

Dr. Lucy Surhyel Newman refers to herself as a global citizen who is proudly African and of Nigerian descent. She is an International Consultant, Policy Advisor, and Author, with nearly four decades of experience in executive, non-executive, and consulting or advisory roles. Her work and advisory experience span the private, public, and nonprofit sectors  in Nigeria , including sub-regional, continental, and global professional networks as well as some multilateral agencies. Consequently, her professional and personal travels have provided her with opportunities to visit almost half of African  nations and four other continents on  multiple occasions...

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MRS. OMOBOLANLE VICTOR-LANIYAN
DISCUSSANT

Mrs.Omobolanle Victor-Laniyan is a seasoned expert in Sustainability and Communications with over 17 years of experience. She joined Access Bank in 2008 to lead their Sustainability efforts and has since driven the bank's performance in this area. In 2011, she pioneered the Nigeria Sustainable Finance Week to raise awareness and promote education on Sustainability in the financial sector. This initiative, done in partnership with UNEPFI and DFIs, led to the creation of the Nigeria Sustainable Banking Principles, guiding the sector's sustainability practices...

 

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MS. IVIE IVANA OSAGIE, M. CIoD

PLENARY SPEAKER

Ivana I. Osagie is the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of PWR Advisory – a leading Africa focused ESG/Sustainability and Inclusion consulting firm. She consults for corporate organizations on sustainability/ESG with a focus on strategy, governance, and business integration, and she regularly runs board and management workshops. She is also a co-founder of Rising Tide Africa – a collective of female investors deploying capital into early-stage businesses in Africa...

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DR. FRANKLIN N. NGWU M.CIoD MODERATOR

Franklin Nnaemeka Ngwu is an Economist/Associate Professor in Strategy, Governance and Risk Management with Lagos Business School (LBS), Pan-Atlantic University. He just concluded an engagement as a Senior Policy and Research Consultant with African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and before the AfDB appointment was the Director of LBS Public Sector Initiative. He has a PhD in Law and Economics of Banking Regulation; an MSc in Economics and a PGD in Development Economics from the University of Manchester. He also has an MSc in Comparative Political Economy from Cardiff University and a B.Sc in Sociology from University of Lagos ...

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MRS. OLUYEMISI IRANLOYE
DISCUSSANT
Mrs. Oluyemisi Iranloye is a dedicated entrepreneur focused on sustainable farming and community growth. She founded Psaltery International Company Limited, a top food processing firm in Africa, specializing in cassava products. Originating from Ogbomosho, Oyo State, Nigeria, she aims to improve the lives of smallholder farmers. She earned a B.Tech in Biochemistry from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, and an M.Sc. in Biochemistry from the University of Ibadan

MR. COSMAS MADUKA

MODERATOR