WIMBIZ 24th Annual Conference Pushes Women to Take Ownership of Nigeria’s Future

The 24th Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) Annual Conference took place on November 14–15, 2025, at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, gathering thousands of women leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and professionals from across Nigeria and the diaspora.
With the theme “O.W.N – Own, Walk, Nurture,” this year’s conference served as a powerful reminder of the responsibility women carry in shaping a new era of leadership rooted in authenticity, courage, and collective progress.

Leadership, ambition, and resilience took center stage as speakers urged women to embrace ownership of their journeys while nurturing systems and communities that support gender equity and national development.

In his goodwill message, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by Commissioner Folashade Ambrose, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to women’s leadership, equity, and inclusion. He praised WIMBIZ’s 24-year legacy of empowering more than 15,000 women through mentorship, capacity-building, and leadership programs, calling the organisation “one of Africa’s most respected voices for women’s contribution to growth and innovation.”

Sanwo-Olu stressed that true leadership goes beyond ambition, requiring stewardship, humility, and a commitment to legacy. Highlighting Lagos State’s progress, he revealed that over 40% of his executive council and more than half of the state’s permanent secretaries are women—describing this as an unprecedented milestone. He also announced new gender sensitivity frameworks and unconscious bias training across ministries to strengthen inclusive governance.

“When women rise, economies grow; when women lead, communities thrive; and when women own, walk, and nurture, nations transform,” he concluded.

Conference Chairperson, Hon. Justice Amina Augie (Rtd.), set the reflective tone, urging women to embrace authenticity as the foundation of meaningful impact. “Authenticity is not optional,” she noted. “It is the foundation upon which impact is built.”

Returning to the WIMBIZ stage after 14 years, former World Bank Treasurer and renowned economist Arunma Oteh delivered the keynote address. She challenged women to intentionally own their journeys, linking collective leadership to national development.

Oteh celebrated WIMBIZ’s growth, 340,000 women impacted, 78,000 families supported, and 10,000 girls mentored, describing the organisation’s footprint as transformational. But she also emphasized Nigeria’s alarming gender gap in political representation.

“Nigeria ranks 143 out of 144 countries in women’s political representation. We have no female president, no female vice president, no female senate president, and only four female senators out of 109. That is unacceptable,” she declared.

Her message was direct: Nigerian women must prepare for the 2027 elections, get registered, obtain their PVCs, and organise with strategic urgency equal to the men already preparing.

Oteh outlined her leadership pillars, Character, Competence, Compassion, and Courage, urging women to cultivate excellence, clarity of purpose, and boldness. “Define success on your own terms,” she said. “No one else can do your push-ups for you.”

WIMBIZ Executive Director, Omowunmi Akingbohungbe, reflected on her time leading the organisation, describing it as transformative. Under her leadership, WIMBIZ has strengthened collaboration and advocacy, forming the Women in Leadership Coalition with WISCAR and the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to push for 35% female representation on corporate boards and in government.

She also advocated progressive labour reforms such as 16 weeks maternity leave with full pay and two weeks paternity leave, stressing that caregiving should not rest solely on women. Major institutional advances, including acquiring a corporate headquarters and a hectare of land on the Lekki-Epe Expressway for a future WIMBIZ Resource Facility—were highlighted as steps toward long-term sustainability.

One of the most emotional sessions came from Olori Atuwatse III, Queen Consort of the Warri Kingdom, who spoke candidly about identity, self-worth, and the power of authenticity. Sharing her personal journey from insecurity to confidence, she encouraged women to silence the inner critic and detach their identity from societal expectations.

“You are already capable. You are already enough. Let your light shine and pull another sister up as you rise,” she urged.

The newly appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees, Ebisan Akinsayan, pledged to expand WIMBIZ’s influence across Africa and continue shaping conversations around gender-responsive leadership.

Across four powerful plenary sessions, experts shared insights on economic empowerment, leadership development, resilience, wellness, and intergenerational collaboration:

Key Panel Highlights

• Economic Empowerment & Sustainability:
  Sola Adesakin, Richmond Bassey, Natalie Beinisch, Dr. Folasade Femi-Lawal, Olaitan Martins, and Adetumi Atayero dissected financial systems, investment strategies, digital innovation, and women’s economic power.
• Inner Leadership & Purpose:
  Iphie Chuks-Adizue, Dr. Soromidayo George, Hilda Manyo-Dickson, Dr. Busola Tejumola emphasized balancing ambition with vulnerability, and leading with purpose and clarity.
• Impact Beyond the Spotlight:
  Chioma Ude, Ruqayya Tofa-Basheer, Nonye Nweke, and Oreoluwa Atinmo shared stories of resilience and purpose-driven leadership away from public recognition.
• Wellness & Wholeness:
  Ebunoluwa Collins, Mosunmola Dosunmu, Bunmi George, Dr. Agility Obi-Ihesie, and Unoma Grant recentered health as a vital component of sustainable leadership.
• Intergenerational Collaboration:
  Eni Adeoluwa, Olusiji Adeyinka, Dr. Morenike Molehin, Adesuwa Onyenokwe, and Iroghama Ogbeifun highlighted mutual respect, mentorship, and collaboration as bridges across age divides.

The event closed with a tribute to pioneers in the legal profession, including Dame Priscilla Kuye, Justice Aloma Mukthar, Chief Folake Solanke, Justice Rose Ukeje, and Catherine Edeh—women who broke barriers and paved the way for future generations.