It is the 12th edition of Inspiring Woman Series Conference, and this year promises to be amazing with our distinguished line up of speakers. Themed: The Purpose-Driven Woman In Leadership, we will be exploring different enlightening panels, questions and answers, and speeches. It will also be an opportunity to network, be inspired and fired up for the New Year. Venue is at the Civic Centre Ozumba Mbadiwe, VI, Date is 13th of December and time is 9:30am. Only registration guarantees entry. Register for the few seats left at https://bit.ly/Inspiringwoman12. See you soon!
Daphne Mashile Nkosi
Executive Chairperson of Kalagadi Manganese
Conference Chairperson
Daphne Mashile Nkosi is the Executive Chairperson of Kalagadi Manganese.
Kalagadi Manganese (Pty) Ltd is a black women-led South African mining company. It is owned by Kgalagadi Alloys (44%) Kalahari Resources (36%) and the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Limited (IDC) (20%).
The company was founded in 2007 and operates a mine which boasts the largest sinter plant in the world. Located at the Kalahari Basin, Northern Cape, South Africa’s largest province by land area, the mine features a shaft, ore preparation plant, sinter plant, rails and water dams.
The three farms on which they hold new order mining rights contain approximately 960 million tons of manganese ore deposits.
They have an underground mine to produce three million tons of Manganese ore (38% Mn) per annum, and an ore preparation facility and sinter beneficiation plant which will process the three million tons of ore to produce 2.4 million tons of a high grade sinter (44% Mn) per annum.
Daphne is also the executive chairperson and founder of Kalahari Resources and also giving business leadership at Exxaro, while at Eyesizwe Coal, she is a founding shareholder. Others include Women’s Development Bank Trust, Development Bank Investments Holdings (Pty) Ltd, Temoso Telecommunication (Pty) Ltd, Bhakhazi-Banalima (Pty) Ltd and FirstRand Empowerment Trust.
She was directly involved in the successful structuring of Cell C, the third mobile network operator in South Africa. She has a background in the banking, politics and gender issues.
Mashile-Nkosi started her career with the Women’s Development Bank Micro Finance in 1990. Prior to that, she was an activist with a strong commitment and a long history in community development which led to her being nominated to study development economics in 1993, in Nagoya, Japan. She has a keen interest on gender issues and encourages the business community to invest in improving the quality of life of poor communities and the nurturing of women entrepreneurs and business leaders. Among other things, she is a strong proponent of infrastructure investment with spill-over effects on communities and has continuously proposed new funding models for entrepreneurs.
H. E. Monique Nsanzabaganwa
Deputy Chairperson for the African Union Commission
Keynote Speaker
H.E. Monique Nsanzabaganwa is the Deputy Chairperson (DCP) for the African Union (AU) Commission. She is in charge of Administration and Finance and assists the Chairperson in the execution of his functions to ensure the smooth running of the Commission, and acts as the Chairperson in his absence.
Nsanzabaganwa holds a Ph.D. in Economics, and a Honorary Doctorate of Commerce, from the University of Stellenbosch.
She has over twenty years’ experience developing and leading programs that drive financial inclusion and economic prosperity for all, with a particular passion for women’s economic empowerment.
Monique leads the implementation of institutional reform of the African Union aimed to achieve a lean, efficient, effective and sustainably financed organization. She also spearheads a number of AU Programs, Policies and Initiatives including Implementation of Agenda 2063, Women and Youth Financial and Economic Inclusion (WYFEI 2030), AU-UN High-Level Strategic Dialogue on Sustainable Development, Digital Transformation, and Diaspora engagements among others.
Prior to her election as Deputy Chairperson of the Commission, she held senior positions in the Government of the Republic of Rwanda including Minister of State in charge of Economic Planning, Minister of Trade and Industry and Deputy Governor of the Central Bank.
Nsanzabaganwa has supported and continues to support various Gender Empowerment initiatives through her memberships in the Alliance for Financial Inclusion Gender Committee, Women’s World Banking African Advisory Council, the Graça Machel Trust Expert Group on women’s financial inclusion and the digital economy in Africa, New Faces New Voices Rwanda chapter, Unity Club (Rwanda), and Rwanda Women Leaders Network/AWLN among others. Together with a friend, she co-founded Friend Indeed Organisation (FIO), a not-for-profit organization with a mission to fight violence against women and children focusing on single and/or early mothers and their children.
Nsanzabaganwa was elected by the 34th African Union Assembly for a four-year term renewable once. She is the first woman to hold the position of Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Nsanzabaganwa is blessed with a husband, two sons and a daughter.
Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim
Hon. Minister of State for Police Affairs
Special Guest Of Honour
Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim is an indigene of Nasarawa State, and a consummate professional with a distinguished career spanning over two decades across diverse sectors, including the public, private, and development spheres.
Imaan earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology from the University of Abuja in 1999. Her academic pursuits exemplify her dedication to knowledge, as she obtained two Master’s degrees—an MBA and an MA in Management—from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri, at the age of 21 in 2001.
She participated in the one-year Executive Management Intelligence Course 14, which earned her the distinguished title of Fellow, Institute of Security Studies (fsi). As a respected Fellow of the National Institute for Security and Strategic Studies, she embodies the attributes of a seasoned professional and a visionary thought leader.
Further demonstrating a relentless thirst for learning and a fervent passion for advancing national security, she is presently engaged in pursuing a Doctoral degree in Security and Strategic Studies at the prestigious Nigeria Defence Academy, underscoring her dedication to remaining at the vanguard of her field. Her fellowship and the doctoral studies enhances her capacity to make substantial contributions to endeavors dedicated to navigating the intricate landscape of security challenges in Nigeria.
Imaan’s profound grounding in security studies underscores her alignment with the role of Minister of State for Police Affairs.
Serving as a member of the Nasarawa State Investment and Economic Advisory Council from August 2019 to May 2023, she made significant contributions to programme development, policy formulation, and strategic planning. Her insights were instrumental in driving major investments, increasing the state’s revenue, and advancing healthcare and education outcomes.
Korede Adenowo
CEO, First Bank UK
Korede Adenowo is currently CEO, First Bank UK. Until his recent appointment, he was CEO, Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) Nigeria.
Prior to being CEO of SCB, he had been Co-Head Africa Financial Institutions, Managing Director, Head, Corporate and Institutional Banking for Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) West Africa 4, comprising Cameroon, Cote D’ Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Senegal and Gabon and also served on the Board of Directors of Standard Chartered Bank Cameroon as Deputy Managing Director
He had prior to this been the Director and Deputy Head (Responsible for Sales) Corporate and Institutional Banking in Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria
A pioneer staff of SCB Nigeria (1999), he was responsible for building half of the banks corporate banking portfolio from 1999 to 2006.
A Chartered Accountant by profession, he became fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria in 2000 and obtained an MBA in 1999 from the Lagos Business School (International Graduate School of Management, University of Navarra, Barcelona Spain)
A multifunctional player with strong leadership and business development skills, acquired over 34 years of working experience,strong in networking, leading teams locally and across borders and managing multiple stakeholders in an organisation.
Furthermore, he has acquired extensive expertise and trust within the corporate world where he has served by being a thought leader, trusted adviser and providing Transaction Banking, Commercial Banking, Financial Markets and Corporate Finance solutions with Standard Chartered and two local Nigerian banks. This has been combined with 5 years experience gained at Akintola Williams Deloitte, were he consulted in audit, accounting and business financial services.
A motivator and a great team leader who exhibits strong inter-personal skills, he is result oriented and has a focus on the bottom line.
Solomon Quaynor
Vice President, Private Sector, Infrastructure and Industrialisation Complex at AfDB
Solomon Quaynor is the Vice President for Private Sector, Infrastructure & Industrialization at the African Development Bank (AfDB). He joined AfDB in May 2020. He has over 25 years’ experience in development finance and investment banking.
From 2018-2020 after Quaynor left IFC to join the private sector, he provided specialised advisory services in emerging markets as: Senior Advisor to Rothschild Global Advisory for Africa (excluding SA); Senior Advisor to IFU (Danish DFI) for sub-Saharan Africa; Investment Committee member and Senior Advisor to a $350 million African PE Fund; Senior Advisor to an African infrastructure fund; and, served on the boards of InfraCredit Nigeria and Verdant Ventures.
Quaynor previously worked at IFC in various capacities for several years and there he became an emerging markets specialist investor with experience developing business and investing across financial institutions including banks & NBFIs, Telecoms Media & Technology, Infrastructure including Energy, Manufacturing, Agribusiness & Services. He has experience supporting senior executives and board leadership of corporates in strategy development, key government/regulatory engagement and private sector partnership development, and often served as trusted advisor to the C-Suite with companies across multiple sectors in Africa.
Before IFC, Quaynor worked in the US in investment banking on Wall Street, providing corporate finance advisory services to large and medium corporates. He worked for Merrill Lynch and Bear Stearns, respectively, in New York City as an Associate and Vice President in the generalist and media & communications groups. Before business school, Quaynor was a college professor at the Atlanta University Center in Math and Engineering.
Quaynor is a graduate of the J L Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He also holds an MSc in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as a BS in Applied Physics from Atlanta University Center.
Frank Aigbogun
Publisher/CEO of BusinessDay Media Limited
Frank Aigbogun is the Publisher/CEO of BusinessDay Media Limited, which he founded in 2001.
BusinessDay is West Africa’s leading provider of business intelligence and market-moving news, empowering decision makers with insightful and accurate information about the continent’s business finance environment and beyond.
BusinessDay has consistently helped millions across the continent stay ahead of the curve with the latest trends, opportunities and challenges, enabling them to make informed decisions that drives growth and innovation.
What initially began as a daily, BusinessDay now carries out its mission across multiple platforms and brands – including digital and print media, BusinessDay conferences and events, as well as BusinessDay Research and Intelligence Unit. BusinessDay also maintains content partnerships with Financial Times, the Economist as well as the Harvard Business Review.
Frank began his journalism career at the Guardian in 1982 and moved on to Vanguard where he rose to the position of Editor of the paper.
Aigbogun is a graduate of Mass Communication and an alumnus of the Lagos Business School.
He is a member of the Board of Nigerian Economic Summit Group, (NESG).
Frank has demonstrated an exceptional understanding of the complexities of the media industry. With an extensive background as a journalist spanning over 4 decades, his insight and expertise have been integral in shaping BusinessDay’s direction and standing in the industry.
His leadership has been pivotal in navigating the evolving landscape of business journalism, driving the daily to embrace digital transformation while upholding the principles of investigative reporting and high-quality content.
An orator, Aigbogun’s strategic vision and ability to adapt to changing market dynamics underscore his role as a distinguished publisher.
Oluwayemisi Olorunshola
Chairman, Board of Directors, WEMA Bank
Oluwayemisi Olorunshola is Chairman, Board Of Directors, WEMA Bank.
Olorunshola joined Wema Bank as a Non-Executive Director in 2022 and until her appointment as Chairman, she was the Chairman of the Board’s Nomination and Governance Committee. Prior to her joining the bank, Olorunshola had worked with Unilever Nigeria Plc for 15 years, with experience spanning across supply chain, business re-engineering and process management. She has over 10 years of boardroom experience and business management.
She possesses a B.Sc. Education degree in Education & Economics from the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, a Master of Business Administration degree from University of Liverpool, UK, and a Doctorate degree in Business Administration from Walden University, USA.
Olorunshola is trained in various aspects of business management and corporate governance practises from various training facilities such as Four Acres Training Facility, Unilever UK, FITC, Leighton Academy, and H. Pierson.
Olorunshola is a director and a fellow of the International Institute for African Scholars, a fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants, a member of the Institute of Directors and a chartered member of the Nigerian Chartered Institute of Personnel Management.
Owen Omogiafo
President/Group CEO of Transcorp
Owen D. Omogiafo is the President and Group CEO of Transnational Corporation Plc (Transcorp). She was the MD/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc, where she drove the completion of the $132m renovation of the Transcorp Hilton Abuja. Owen is the first female and youngest person to hold these positions.
A multi-award-winning professional, Owen has over two decades of experience in Organizational Development, Human Capital Management, Financial Services, Change Management, Hospitality, Energy, Business Transformation, and Strategy. She has held various high-profile roles throughout her career, including being Director of Resources at Heirs Holdings Limited, a Pan-African investment company; HR Advisor to the Group Managing Director at the United Bank for Africa Plc; and as an Organisation and Human Performance Consultant at Accenture, specializing in Change Management.
She holds a B.Sc. (Double Honours) in Sociology & Anthropology from the University of Benin, an M.Sc. in Human Resource Management from the London School of Economics & Political Science, and an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Engineering from the Federal University of Petroleum Resources Effurun. She is also an alumnus of the Lagos Business School and IESE Business School in Spain.
Owen is a member of the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development, UK, a certified Change Manager with the Prosci Institute, USA, a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management, Nigeria, a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Nigeria, and a member of the Boards of AfrilandProperties Ltd, Transcorp Power Ltd, TransAfam Power Ltd, Transcorp Hotels Plc and Abuja Electricity Distribution Company. She sits on the Advisory Board of Heirs Academy and is the Vice President of the Lagos Business School Alumni Association.
Adaeze Oreh
Commissioner for Health in Rivers State
Adaeze Oreh is the Commissioner for Health in Rivers State.
She is a Consultant Family Physician, Public Policy Specialist, Rural and Global Health & Development Advocate and 2023 Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Fellow, with over two decades’ experience in health management in both public and private health care organisations in Nigeria.
As the Commissioner for Health in Rivers State, she is responsible for driving the healthcare policy of the Government of Rivers State.
She oversees a complex network of primary, secondary, and tertiary health facilities and health training institutes for a population of over 9 million people (4% of Nigeria’s population), and the sixth most populous state in Nigeria.
Her role involves tackling health indices such as low life expectancy rates, high general and under-five mortality rates, and one of the highest rates of maternal mortality nationwide.
Adaeze has a strong commitment to enabling and providing respectful, accessible, affordable comprehensive and continuous care at the primary and secondary care levels from a community health perspective.
She is keenly interested in research and analysis focused on health systems policy, financing and strengthening; maternal, new-born, child and adolescent health; mental health and tropical infectious diseases and has authored over 450 health policy briefs.
Ronke Onadeko
Non-Ed Asharami Synergy
Ronke Onadeko brings to an international board her 23 years of board experience across 3 continents. As a serial entrepreneur and a multi sectoral professional in the private, public and not for profit sector and a Financial Times Non-Executive Director diploma holder, she has the tried and tested skill set and experience both in theory and practice.
Her board experience covers impact related not for profit organisations, government, entrepreneurial ventures, large privately owned corporates, international ventures, publicly quoted corporates and educational institutions.
Her experience from boards on 3 continents, multiple sectors, global and local networks are interconnecting and gives an edge she leverages.
A sought-after executive and board coach, her ability to bring frameworks from diverse sectors to bear in unusual ways proffer game changing and positive solutions. Her focus on formulation and implementation of policy, impact and measurement has caused turn around in many dire situations added to her people skill and vision.
With over 30 years of multi sectoral expertise and one of the go-to persons nationally in the oil and gas sector, her experience spans across international financial institutions and conglomerates, and independent businesses and government.
STELLA OKUZU
Managing Partner, EDD Consulting Limited
With over 30 years’ experience managing transformation teams in the financial service industry, STELLA OKUZU currently runs a consulting practice, EDD Consulting Limited.
The company provides market entry strategies for African businesses seeking to expand into the United Kingdom and for companies in the United Kingdom seeking to expand their business footprint to Africa.
For five years up till January 2023, she was the pioneer Head of Personal & Business Banking, Head of Marketing and an Executive Committee member of FCMB Bank (UK) Limited. This was a Bank of England approved role in which she set up and grew the retail banking division of the bank.
Stella sits on the Board of a Nigeria-based non-bank financial institution that leverages modern technology and partnerships to provide clients with loans and payment solutions with specific focus on consumers and SMEs thereby promoting financial inclusion. She is the Chairman of the Audit Committee and is also a Member of the Board Credit & Fintech Committees.
Okuzu has both a science and humanities background with a Bachelor’s degree in Zoology from the University of Calabar, Nigeria and an MBA from IESE Business School University of Navarra, Spain. She is also a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investments (CISI).
A certified Master Coach from the International Institute of Coaches and Mentors, Stella believes in continuous learning and has attended several courses and seminars.
IFEANYI ADEFARASIN
Co-Pastor, All House On The Rock Churches
Founder, Woman To Woman Ministry.
Ifeanyi is a Purpose-Driven Mentor, Humanitarian, Faith Minister, Thought Leader & Life Coach.
Ifeanyi Elaiyne Adefarasin, former banker turned Faith Minister, is a symbol of transformative leadership. Her teachings help people find their purpose, emphasizing individual wholeness.
Through the Woman To Woman Ministry which she founded, she has nurtured leaders, fostered entrepreneurship, and driven social impact for nearly three decades. Noteworthy, amongst several conferences, seminars, and meetings is the Empowerment Seminar which has featured many distinguished speakers. The platform has launched countless entrepreneurs and inspired many to become leaders in various sectors.
Beyond this, Ifeanyi’s work extends to healthcare, education, and vocational needs, offering spiritual and emotional healing.
As Co-pastor of House On The Rock, she promotes diversity and unity, especially through The Experience music concert, founded by her husband, Paul Adefarasin.
Her personal life mirrors her public image, as she celebrates almost three decades of marriage with Paul Adefarasin, with whom she shares three children.
Adefarasin stands as a role model who balances femininity, professionalism, and purpose, highlighting the role of faith and resilience in overcoming life’s challenges.
Seipati Asante Mokhuoa
Founder and Executive Chairperson of Strategic African Women in Leadership (SAWIL)
Seipati Asante Mokhuoa is an accomplished business executive and leadership development expert with over 20 years of working experience, 15 of which were in the financial service industry.
Currently, she is the Founder and Executive Chairperson of Strategic African Women in Leadership (SAWIL) and is responsible for strategy and innovation at HD Afrika.
As a former Senator for South Africa at the World Business Angels Investment Forum (WBAF), she is well-versed in international business and entrepreneurship.
Her invaluable insights into gender equality, parity, diversity, and inclusion have inspired many people. Seipati is a sought-after global keynote speaker who has addressed audiences alongside Presidents, Ministers, and high-profile business
executives in Africa, Europe, and Asia.
Seipati is a philanthropist who is passionate about the development of the African continent, with a particular focus on women and youth.
She is committed to contributing to Africa’s growing startup ecosystem as an Angel investor and ecosystem builder. The youth and women entrepreneurship, according to Seipati, represents a unique and untapped opportunity for the continent.
Ify Umunnakwe-Okeke
Founder/Executive Chair of Lexon Capital
Ify Umunnakwe-Okeke is the Founder/Executive Chair of Lexon Capital, a company she founded to provide infrastructure and real estate advisory services to businesses and institutions.
In over a decade, Lexon Capital has worked with investment companies, developers, private equity firms and co-operatives.
Lexon Capital has an extensive client base of companies, developers, domestic and international investors seeking opportunities in sub–Saharan Africa and Europe. Since inception, Lexon Capital has participated in transactions worth billions in naira, with a consistent strong and healthy deal flow.
As the Chief Strategist of the company, Ify drives strategic change, growth, and innovation within Lexon Capital. With over 23 years’ experience in law, investment banking and project financing, she has a diversified outlook to business and development strategies.
After acquiring an MSc Finance, Regulation and Risk Management in 1999 from ISMA Business School, University of Reading, she commenced work at Rakisons Solicitors, a top City of London law firm which later merged with Steptoe & Johnson LLP, an international law firm with its headquarters in Washington DC.
There, she qualified as a solicitor with a focus on corporate law and Mergers & Acquisition. She returned to Nigeria to work with Nigeria’s foremost investment bank, IBTC. Five years later, she joined BGL Private Equity to set up its Private Equity Offshore Funds. Lexon Capital was founded after her stint at BGL Private Equity.
Ify is a member of the Institute of Directors and an independent director at Veritas Glanvills Pension Fund (‘VG Pension Fund’), one of the highly respected PFAs in the country. She is chair of the Board Committee on Risk Management and Corporate Strategy at VG Pension Fund.
Ifueko Omoigui Okauru
Managing Partner, Compliance Professionals Plc.
Ifueko Okauru is a strategy and change management consultant and entrepreneur committed to bringing positive change to the world with a leaning to fast tracking development in Africa.
She is a chartered accountant, chartered tax practitioner and management consultant.
A graduate of the University of Lagos, Nigeria, Imperial College, London, and Harvard Kennedy School, Cambridge, MA, she is the part-owner and Chief Executive Officer of Compliance Professionals Plc, Nigeria.
She serves as non-executive director at MTN Nigeria, PZ Cussons and Nigerian Breweries PLC. She is also a member of the board of ReStraL Ltd, a firm of management consultants, which she founded in 1996.
She is a member of the executive committee of Women in Management, Business and Public Service, and a member of the Board of DAGOMO Foundation Nigeria (Limited by guarantee), a family-based social enterprise.
As executive chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service of Nigeria from May 2004 to April 2012, Okauru championed tax reforms and the modernisation of the Nigerian tax administration system. During her tenure, she spearheaded comprehensive tax reforms that led to the development of a national tax policy for the very first time and the modification of nine principal tax legislations, of which five were passed into law.
She was a part-time member of the United Nations (UN) Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters from August 2009 to July 2013, where she was chairman of the sub-committee on capacity building.
Olori Boye-Ajayi
President, Borderless Trade Network
Olori Boye-Ajayi is a visionary leader and catalyst for change, dedicated to driving Africa’s trade transformation and empowering women across the continent. With almost 15 years of experience in trade and investment, women empowerment, and sustainable development, she has established herself as a thought leader and expert in Africa’s structural transformation strategy.
She is an author and a current student at the prestigious Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford, pursuing a Public Policy program. Olori is currently a Member of the Working Group, AfCFTA Trade, and Industrial Development Advisory Council, and serves as a Board Member for Made in Nigeria Commodities Export. In addition to her strategic insights, she has successfully secured funding and trade finance exceeding $1,000,000 for women in the export community and facilitated exports to Australia, the U.S., and the United Kingdom.
Her impact extends beyond her advisory roles. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to women’s empowerment and trade development across the continent, she was recognized as an Honoree in the Excellence in Trade and Investment category at the African Achievers Award, 2023 which held at the Palace of Westminster, Houses of Parliament, UK. She was also a Finalist for the 30 leading women in the African Supply Chain Industry in 2023. She has been a Facilitator, Mentor, and a Project Partner with the Academy for Women Entrepreneur (AWE), a White House initiative to enhance the economic development of female entrepreneurs from 2019 to 2022.
In 2021, she was appointed by the Honourable Commissioner of Trade and Investment of Vanuatu to Nigeria and South Africa to execute the ‘Women in Investment – WINher’ program. Olori’s influence extends to academia, where she served as a Guest Lecturer at the Lagos Business School, teaching the Executive MBA class on International Trade topics from 2018 to 2022.
Her achievements also include being the first female Ambassador for Afreximbank MANSA Ambassador in Nigeria in 2021 and earning a place in the Top 100 Inspiring Women in Africa Award by Leading Ladies Africa in 2021 and 2023.
Throughout her career, Olori has made significant contributions to trade facilitation and economic growth. As the Managing Director of Borderless Trade, she spearheaded empowerment and trade facilitation programs for thousands of women entrepreneurs. Passionate about empowering women in business, she founded the Borderless Trade Network Nigeria & Liberia, establishing a network of thousands of women across various industries. Through strategic partnerships, she has delivered impactful workshops, seminars, and capacity- building programs, making a significant impact on these women. Her initiatives have fostered collaboration, networking, and support among women, leading to the achievement of their business goals.
Biola Alabi
General Partner at Acasia Ventures
Biola Alabi is a General Partner at Acasia Ventures, a Venture Capital Fund with offices in Cairo, Lagos and Dubai providing early-stage capital to technology and technology-enabled start-ups in Africa, solving local, regional, and global challenges.
She is an active angel investor and advisor to African technology and media companies. She is involved in numerous start-ups as a board member, advisor, and investor.
True to her reputation as a leader in the community and fuelled by her passion for supporting up-and-coming talent, Biola is also the founder of Grooming for Greatness (G4G), a fellowship and mentorship program aimed at cultivating leadership skills in young, aspiring professionals and entrepreneurs.
She is an award-winning executive producer and founder of Biola Alabi Media – a pan-African media and technology advisory firm that has worked extensively with local and global companies, governments, and development agencies in the Telcom, Media, and Technology (TMT) space.
She is the publisher of The Adventures of Lara and Dara (named Young Readers Library’s Book of Summer, 2019), the executive producer of two award-winning feature films currently streaming on Netflix, and the executive producer of numerous television shows, including Big Brother Africa and the documentary series, Great Africans.
As Managing Director of M-Net Africa, Biola transformed the continent’s broadcasting and film industry, launching seven Africa Magic channels and the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, widely regarded as the “African Oscars.”
Biola graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Public and Community Health degree and has completed executive education programmes at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Yale University’s Jackson Institute of Global Affairs, and Said Business School, University of Oxford.
Rosario Osobase
MD, Tenaris Nigeria
Rosario Osobase is a well-rounded professional with nearly two decades of experience across several industries including Banking, FMCG, and Oil & Gas where she has over the years developed expertise in energy, leadership, commercial strategies, operations, public relations and so on.
She heads Tenaris Nigeria’s Commercial & Institutional portfolio as the first female MD and she is responsible for their strategic, commercial, and institutional agenda for the business in Nigeria.
This role enables her to manage their commercial agenda, define strategic engagement with government regulatory and industry stakeholders, and execute commercial & operational strategies for Tenaris’ long-term sustainability.
She has been instrumental in enabling Tenaris to increase its human capacity development and local infrastructural deployment in Nigeria and her team’s collective results are impressive and sustainable.
Furthermore, she is the first female Chairperson of the Petroleum Contractors Trade Section (PCTS). The PCTS is made up of key stakeholders in the Oil & Gas industry who provide technology and services across the oil & gas value chain in Nigeria.
Frank Edoho
Host, Who Wants To Be A Millionaire Nigeria
Anchor
Frank Edoho was born on the 8th of July, 1972 in Kano State to a mother from Cross River State and a Father from Akwa Ibom State.
He attended St Louis Primary School, Kano and moved on to his secondary education in St Patrick’s College, Calabar.
Frank got admission to study Animal Science in the faculty of Agriculture at the University of Calabar where he also began his broadcasting career side-by-side.
He became a part-time presenter on Cross River Radio and also moonlighting as a TV Host of a weekend breakfast show on NTA Channel 9, Calabar.
After graduating, Frank migrated to Lagos and got a job as Presenter on DBN TV, and a year later in 2000, got a job as an announcer, Presenter and Newscaster with Metro FM, Radio Nigeria where he cut his broadcasting teeth.
He auditioned for the role of Host of ‘Who Wants To Be A Millionaire’, the worldwide game show phenomenon, and he hosted the show from 2004-2017.
The show went on a hiatus for 5 years and the license went to new producers who asked Frank to reprise his role as host and in 2022, the show returned amid immense excitement and wanton revelry.
Frank is also a cinematographer and a Blackmagic Design-Certified Colourist.
He is a leading interior design photographer in Nigeria and also a producer and director.
His hobbies are travelling, playing football and working out.
Frank has hosted quite a number of events Like Zenith Bank Awards night, Oceanic Bank Awards, Vanguard Awards for Banks, launch of Microsoft Vista, Shareholder’s Dinner for the proposed Merge of Stanbic IBTC Bank plc, Nite of a thousand laughs, Launch of DSTV mobile, Calabar Carnival Queen Pageant, First Bank awards Nite, Lagos Business School Alumni Dinner, BAT Conference in Abuja, AY Live comedy show to mention a few.
Oremeyi Akah
Chief Customer Success Officer for Interswitch
Moderator
Oremeyi Akah is a two-decade hands-on customer success leader with proven experience working with multi-disciplinary professionals in Fintech, Payment & Processing Operations, Payment Consulting, Payment Card Products & Customer Centricity across emerging markets and SSA for the purpose of scaling to meet growing business demands.
She started her career as an implementation engineer, she worked directly on the set up of the ATM and payment card infrastructure of some of the biggest banks in SSA.
With her experience, she became known for her ability to drive results and strong business acumen. She has grown through the ranks while developing relevant team building and leadership skills.
As the Chief Customer Success Officer for Interswitch, she is currently driving a thorough definition and delivery of a customer centric experience blueprint across all customer touch points, aligned with their corporate core values and quality standards in line with their brand and business strategy for each of the six business lines in Nigeria, Germany, Kenya and Uganda- whilst, partnering with customers in their growth journey to unlock shareholder value.
Oremeyi is also co-spearheading a culture-based transformation with a focus on the experience of the customer across all touch points of interaction.
Akah currently sits on the board of SHECAN Nigeria and is the co-founder of AfricanBuild Africa. She holds an MBA from Judge Business School University of Cambridge, UK and she is a certified E-payment trainer.
Wola Joseph-Condotti
Chief, Legal & Company Secretariat, EKEDP
Moderator
Wola Joseph-Condotti is a highly innovative, result-focused, and commercially minded business leader with extensive experience in driving business and operational direction in the energy and finance sector.
Wola applies a wealth of transferable knowledge and management skills to enable optimised and seamless operations across multiple business functions.
She was appointed as the pioneer Chief, Legal, and Company Secretariat at Eko Electricity Distribution Plc (EKEDP) and at different times doubled as Head, Regulatory Compliance, Chief Human Resources Officer and Supervising Chief of the Customer Service Department.
Throughout her career, she has supported multiple projects and business initiatives, in accordance with board level direction and her own personal influence, to drive business growth opportunity, increased capacity, and maximised productivity. She is skilled with identifying issues, trends, and organisational exposure across customer centric environments, developing and communicating strategy to realise business objectives and deliver exemplary outcomes.
Joseph-Condotti is a renewable energy enthusiast and a recognised thought leader on the subject. She actively participates in policy engagements at both national and state levels, advocating for the development of sound legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks to drive and accelerate Nigeria’s energy transition plans.
Academically, Wola attained a law degree from the University of Ibadan, an LLM (specialising in International Finance) from Harvard Law School, Massachusetts, USA, and an MBA from INSEAD Business School.
Kemi Ajumobi
Convener/Associate Editor, BusinessDay
Moderator
Kemi Ajumobi is an experienced Editor with a demonstrated history of working in the media industry for over 15 years. She is passionate about health awareness, youth empowerment, women development, advocacy and advancement. She is skilled in poetry, leadership, music and public speaking.
An ASSOCIATE EDITOR, she also edits the Leading Woman, Women In Business pages, and WOMEN’S HUB magazine in West Africa’s leading financial daily, BusinessDay.
Ajumobi is the host of her weekly women’s talk show on her Instagram page called ‘Inspiring Woman Series With Kemi Ajumobi’, where she has conversations with women who share their stories.
Kemi is a member of the Editorial Board in BusinessDay, and the convener of the annual Inspiring Woman Series Conference currently in its 12th year.
Ajumobi expanded her passion for womenfolk to radio, in order to reach more women by anchoring her own radio show called ‘Inspiring Woman with Kemi’. The show has been on 92.3 Inspiration FM and 99.3 Nigeria Info.
In 2013, she produced and directed her first documentary on people living with HIV/AIDS titled ‘Why HIV/AIDS Cannot Be Ignored.’
She also featured in a film by the award-winning actress and producer, Stephanie Linus, titled DRY. The film focuses on Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) condition and under-aged marriage among young women.
Kemi hosts #THEEXCLUSIVEWITHKEMI show where she speaks with amazing leading men and women who share their exclusive stories like never before.
Her Single ‘lt Is You’ is available on major digital platforms (audio and visual). She rendered the Nigerian National Anthem at The World Economic Forum (Africa) when it took place in Nigeria and also at the Nigerian Centenary Pageant in Bayelsa State.
A ForbesBLK member, she won the Smart Stewards Awards For Excellence in Media, 2023, recipient of the G.A.M.E Award for her contribution to women’s development, named one of 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria by Leading Ladies Africa, one of MOGULETTES AFRICA’S 100 Most Inspiring Women in Nigeria and one of ‘100 Women Creating A Better Africa’ by WEFORGOOD International. She is an ALI Fellow.
