The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030. Through the pledge to Leave No One Behind, countries have committed to fast-track progress for those furthest behind first.
The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres has called for a decade of action to deliver the Global goals 2030 as next year marks the 10-year countdown to achieving this Global Goals.
This year, BusinessDay is reinforcing the bridge between the private sector, DFI’s, government and business by featuring a myriad of speakers that represent the various stakeholders needed to successfully achieve the SDGs by the year 2030 through impact investments which are defined by investments made with the intention to generate positive, measurable social and environmental impact alongside a financial return. Impact investments can be made in both emerging and developed markets, and target a range of returns from below market to market rate, depending on investors’ strategic goals.
By some estimates, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 will require mobilizing an additional $2.5 trillion per year from diverse sources, such as development aid, domestic budget, and private investment. $ 34 billion of that funding will need to come from the private sector. With various important stakeholders present, this panel session moderated by LehléBalde aims to discuss the question “How do we realistically fund SDGs in Nigeria”?
The panelists for this session are:
Mr Innocent Chukwuma, Director, Ford Foundation West Africa.
Chukwuma oversees all grants making in the sub-region from the Lagos office, whose mission is to ensure that all people have equal access to economic and social opportunities. In this position, Innocent manages the work on issues of democratic and accountable government, freedom of expression, and sexuality and reproductive health and rights issues. In addition, Innocent makes grants to support arts and culture.
He is the recipient of numerous honours, including the Reebok International Human Rights Award. He is a globally renowned advocate for human rights and good governance. He holds a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Leicester and a bachelor’s degree in Religion from the University of Nigeria. Prior to joining the foundation in January 2013, he founded and led the CLEEN Foundation to promote public safety, security and accessible justice in West Africa. CLEEN was the first African NGO to receive the prestigious MacArthur Foundation Creative & Effective Institutions Award. In addition, Innocent has held various posts within the Civil Liberties Organization, one of Nigeria’s first human rights organizations. He was also the chair of the Altus Alliance, a global network of nonprofits; Chair, Altus Global Alliance and visiting lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, where he designed and taught a course on management of nonprofits in the Global South.
Yinka David-West, Academic Director, Lagos Business School
Professor Olayinka David-West is an Information Systems professional with over two decades of experience in the IT and financial services industry and is a passionate advocate for digital transformation and inclusive finance. Her research and practice engagements involve policy and strategic management interventions towards digitally transformed businesses and society.
Professor David-West is the Academic Director at the Lagos Business School (LBS), the premier business school in Nigeria and sits on the school’s Management Board. She leads the Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Financial Services (SIDFS) initiative, a research and advocacy department dedicated to enhancing financial inclusion in Nigeria. She is also a member of the Pan-Atlantic University senate and a governing council member of the Fintech Association of Nigeria.
She is a Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT), and the academic advocate to the Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA). She is also a qualified practitioner of the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) and a digital money specialist certified by Digital Frontiers Institute and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University.
Professor David-West frequently participates in global events providing African insights and expertise through keynote addresses, panel discussions and technical moderation.
She holds a Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) from Manchester Business School; an MSc in Business Systems Analysis and Design from City University, London; and a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Lagos
Abasi EneObong, CEO, 54 Gene
Abasi Ene-Obong is the founder and CEO of 54gene and has extensive experience operating in the US, UK and Nigerian healthcare industries. Prior to 54gene, Abasi worked with leading healthcare organizations, including Fortune 100 pharmaceutical companies, academic and research institutions, and governments as a management consultant with PwC and IQVIA (formerly QuintilesIMS). Previously, Abasi worked as a cancer researcher and published a seminal paper on pancreatic cancer immunology in the journal, Gastroenterology. He holds a PhD in Cancer Biology from the University of London, a master’s degree in human molecular genetics from Imperial College London and a master’s degree in business management from the Claremont Colleges California.
Maryam Uwais, Special Advisor to the President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investments
Maryam Uwais, MFR is the current Special Advisor to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Investments. She is a legal practitioner and human rights activist with over 36 years cognate law practice experience including the Kano State Ministry of Justice, the Nigerian Law Reform Commission and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Mrs Uwais studied at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1981 and obtained an LLM in 1985. She was awarded a certificate in Advanced Practice and Procedure in 1985 and Legal Drafting in 1989, from the Nigeria Institute for Advanced Legal Studies.
Mrs Maryam Uwais, MFR served as a Principal Partner of Wali Uwais & Co, an Abuja-based law firm. Before then, she had served on the Council of the National Human Rights Commission, where she also worked as Special Rapporteur on Child Rights; the Board of the Justice Research Institute, the Kukah Centre as well as the Coalition Against Tobacco, amongst others. She also served on state, federal and continental committees such as The Kano State Almajiri Committee, President Goodluck Johnathan’s Presidential Advisory Council, The Northern Nigeria Governor’s Committee on Reconciliation, Security Healing, as well as the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child for five years.
She founded the Isa Wali Empowerment Initiative in December 2009, which targets the conditions of women and children in education, healthcare and empowerment.
Maryam Uwais has also worked as a consultant to the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, UNICEF, the World Bank, and DfID. She has written and published several articles on economic and social rights, interfaith dialogue, child justice administration and good governance.
She was before her appointment a Non-Executive Director and Member of Board of Directors of Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC. She was also a member of the Editorial Board of Thisday newspapers.
Keynote Speaker – Sam Nwanze, Chief Investment Officer at Heirs Holdings
Sam Nwanze is the Chief Investment Officer at Heirs Holdings responsible for the administration and management of Heirs Holdings’ overall financial activities and investment programmes.
Prior to joining Heirs Holdings, Sam worked in banking institutions in various roles where he oversaw strategy, financial control, performance management, and treasury. He also played a key role in the STB-UBA merger. Sam has a Masters degree in Finance and Management from Cranfield School of Management in the United Kingdom.
Sam has served on the global board of Global impact investments and will bring validation to the session from a practical and technical experience perspectives.
To be a part of this event, you can register with this link: https://socialmediaweeklagos2020.sched.com/event/YXPK
