AG Mortgage Bank Plc on Thursday hosted a high-powered breakfast business summit themed “Scaling Trade, Unlocking Capital: Nigeria’s Role in Regional Growth”.
The exclusive gathering in Lagos attracted top decision-makers from the public and private sectors, institutional investors, development partners, and industry leaders for a timely and impactful conversation on Nigeria’s strategic position in Africa’s evolving economic landscape.
Delivering a powerful and passionate opening address, Ngozi Anyogu, Chief Executive Officer of AG Mortgage Bank Plc, set the tone for the morning with these memorable words: “We gather this morning not simply to hold a conversation; we gather because the conversation can no longer wait. Africa is moving. Trade corridors are being redrawn. Capital is searching for its next great frontier”.
“And at the very centre of this continental transformation stands Nigeria: a nation of two hundred and twenty million ambitious people, an economy that anchors the entire West African subregion, and a private sector that is proving, day after day, that African enterprise can compete and lead on the world stage,” he said.
Anyogu further emphasised the transformative power of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), describing it as a historic opportunity that has created a single market of 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP exceeding three trillion dollars.
“The question before us today is not whether Africa will grow, it is whether we will be the architects of that growth, or merely its observers,” she challenged participants.
The CEO highlighted that real estate and infrastructure are not mere asset classes but the foundational pillars upon which trade, mobility, and prosperity are built. She noted that this conviction informed AG Mortgage Bank Plc’s decision to partner with Invest Africa to create a platform for honest dialogue and actionable outcomes.
The session was expertly moderated by Lanre Onasanya, Managing Director of H.C. Bonum Limited. The panel of speakers included: Simon Ogwu, Chief Operating Officer, AG Mortgage Bank Plc, Benson Adenuga, Head of Office and Coverage Director, Nigeria, British International Investment; and Binay Saraf, Director, Zone Development, Lagos Free Zone.
Key themes that emerged from the rich discussions included improving access to long-term capital for industrialisation and trade growth, Nigeria’s leadership role under the AfCFTA, the power of public-private partnerships, and the strategic importance of Special Economic Zones and modern logistics infrastructure in attracting foreign direct investment.
Anyogu concluded her remarks on a forward-looking note: “Every voice in this room carries weight, and every insight will matter… Over the next two hours, we will ask difficult questions, explore bold ideas, and — if we are intentional about it leave this room with the seeds of partnerships that could reshape value chains, de-risk investment, and accelerate the kind of inclusive growth Africa deserves. The work will not be finished here. But it will begin here.”
By hosting this high-level engagement, AG Mortgage Bank Plc has further strengthened its reputation as a thought leader and proactive institution committed to Nigeria’s economic development.
The bank continues to champion affordable housing finance, infrastructure development, and initiatives that support sustainable and inclusive growth across the country and the broader African continent.
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