Lagos Business School Alumni Seek Leadership, Capital, AI-Driven Innovation to Boost Nigeria’s Economic Growth
Funmi Ogundare
The Lagos Business School Alumni Association (LBSAA) Monday called for stronger leadership, increased capital mobilisation and the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-driven innovation to accelerate Nigeria’s economic growth.
The President of the Owner Manager Programme of the association (OMP 40) and Chief Executive Officer of Microwave Solutions Limited, Michael Ekeagbara, made the call while briefing journalists on the association’s forthcoming homecoming activities, which will feature an Alumni Day Conference themed, ‘Driving Nigeria’s Economic Transformation through Leadership, Capital and AI-driven Innovation’, and a president’s dinner themed, ‘Leadership and Resilience in the New Frontier,’ scheduled to hold on November 12 and 13 at Harbour Point, Victoria Island, Lagos.
He said the meeting was designed to move conversations about Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy beyond rhetoric by bringing stakeholders together to develop actionable policy recommendations that could influence national economic planning.
He explained that leadership, capital and AI were deliberately selected as the three pillars of the conference because of their importance to sustainable economic development.
According to him, “Leadership provides the vision and direction required to drive economic policies and ensure effective execution, while capital remains essential for financing initiatives capable of transforming the economy.”
On AI, Ekeagbara said no economy aspiring to remain competitive could afford to ignore the technology, stressing that rather than making people lazy, AI would change how work is done and promote smarter productivity.
The meeting, the president noted, would feature keynote presentations, fireside chats and panel discussions involving experts across leadership, finance and technology, with a view to developing practical recommendations for policymakers.
He noted that the association, with more than 10,000 members drawn from the public and private sectors, including industry leaders and policymakers, was strategically positioned to contribute to national development.
He said the gathering was also an opportunity for alumni to leverage the knowledge, experience and resources acquired through their association with the institution to give back to the country.
“This is not just an event for LBS alumni to come and discuss. It is an event with the objective of giving back inputs that will help shape Nigeria’s policy towards economic growth,” he said.
The President of the Alumni Association and Chief Executive Officer of Neimeth Pharmaceuticals PLC, Valentine Okelu, said the gathering would provide a platform for members and other influential stakeholders to exchange ideas and develop principles that could shape governance and economic policies in the country.
He explained that the conference would bring together members of the association, alongside non-members occupying strategic positions in the political, economic, social, entertainment and academic sectors, to discuss issues affecting national development.
According to him, “The objective is to harness the diverse experience and expertise of participants to generate ideas that could influence how the country is governed and its economy managed.”
He described the conference as the intellectual and academic component of the homecoming, noting that participation would extend beyond alumni members to other stakeholders interested in the issues under discussion.
Okelu noted that the president’s dinner will provide an opportunity for alumni members and invited guests to network and strengthen professional relationships, adding that it would also feature the inauguration of the association’s new executive committee, which he leads as president.
Also speaking, the vice-president of the association, Wole Abu, said the conference was designed to provide a platform for stakeholders across different sectors to examine critical national issues, exchange ideas and identify opportunities for businesses to thrive.
He noted that national development should not be left to government policies alone, stressing the need to create an enabling environment for enterprises to grow, generate employment and contribute to economic prosperity.
“Developing a country is not just about government policy; it is also about making sure that enterprises can thrive and grow, employ and contribute to the economy. And that’s what the alumni day does,” he stressed.