Stakeholders task female corporates on institutional legacy

Female corporates have been tasked by stakeholders to build institutional legacy across sectors to sustain inclusive leadership.

The stakeholders made this call recently in Lagos during the Ascent Top 100 Career Women in Africa Award hosted by Ascent Club in recognition of female excellence in the corporate space.

Yemi Adesanya, financial controller, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, emphasised the need to build these legacies through lasting structures that outlive physical presence.

“The structures determine how far you last and go, and that is the focus of today’s conversation, which is ‘Building Institutional Legacy: the next frontier of African female corporate leadership”

“These demands don’t just present power and prestige, but we deliberately need to build those things that can outlive us,” Adeasnya said.

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According to her, building institutional legacy does not happen by accident but requires women not just to perform excellently within the systems but to redesign those systems through their inputs.

“We must embed our values, making our voices heard in practices and policies, pipeline development, and leaving legacies that endure after we as individuals have exited the stage.”

Adesanya tasked institutions to invest in women who drive businesses and prepare them for leadership positions across sectors, noting that female leadership cannot be left behind with its potential untapped.

According to her, “Africa’s next economic frontier will not be written by resources alone but by leaders who are bold enough to build a situation that has lasted, written by all of us through the contributions we made to the practices, policies and cultures around us.”

She, however, encouraged the women to continue building a useful, inclusive and sustained workplace culture that allows them to thrive.

Adanma Uduanochie, Joint Venture Asset Manager at Shell, delivering her speech, emphasised the need for courageous leadership and collaborative professional networks, urging women to move beyond silent performance to occupy decision-making spaces while describing confidence and authenticity as key to leadership.

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Udoanichie added that strong networks increase the chance of attaining executive roles, encouraging women to intentionally build relationships and support one another.

According to her, “inclusive leadership remained central to building resilient organisations”, referencing progress in female representation within Shell’s global operations.

Glory Edozien, Founder of Ascent Club, during her remarks, noted that the “Top 100 Career Women in Africa” initiative was built to recognise and reward exceptional women across the continent.

According to her, many women remained under-recognised despite their contributions, limiting their access to leadership and boardroom opportunities.

Edozien said the programme, now in its sixth year, has recorded significant impact, with past recipients advancing to C-level positions, gaining global recognition and securing international opportunities.