Public and Private Sector Stakeholders convened for the 2024 Lead the Future conference held on November 22-23. The conference featured high-power networking sessions with series of discussions, mentorship sessions, and networking opportunities to empower leaders to navigate disruption and position themselves for success. The theme of this year’s conference is: Strategic Positioning: Leadership and Competitiveness in an Era of Disruption. The two-day event took place at Lagos Oriental Hotel in Victoria Island, and brought together a dynamic group of business leaders, executives, and change-makers from diverse sectors, all eager to share insights and strategies for thriving in an ever-evolving global landscape.
Attendees and featured speakers and mentors include Bright UK, CEO of ScribeTribe Africa and the convener of the Lead the Future conference, Niyi Adesanya, CEO of FifthGear Plus, Adeola Azeez, Board Executive, Social Policy Advocate, Founder, AACCF, Odunayo Sanya Executive Director, MTN Foundation, Emmanuel Asika, Country Head for Nigeria, HP Inc., Victor Afolabi, Founder & CEO, Eko Innovation Centre and Olaniyi Yusuf, Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group.
Speaking at the event, Bode Agoro, Head of Service, Lagos state government, who was represented by Mrs Olasinkanmi Mopileola Oyebola, Permanent Secretary, public sector services, Lagos state government explained the impact of Lagos state government in building future leaders in recent times. “As a smart city, Lagos is pushing technology across all sectors. Every office is equipped with technology, and the workforce includes a growing number of Gen Zs. Also, the Lagos State government is constantly addressing the skills gap to build the future of the city. Recently, the government graduated over 5,000 citizens who have been empowered with skill acquisition. While we recognize that we cannot do it alone, we have collaborated with private organizations to train our officers,” she said.
Also speaking at the conference, Odunayo Sanya Executive Director, MTN Foundation emphasized the importance of balancing profitability and sustainability equation. “Businesses today need to be purpose-driven and ready to give back to the communities where they operate. While the soul of business is profitability, it is not profitability alone that should matter to stakeholders. The natural environment must not be neglected in the process of conducting business. We need to be conscious of sustainability to ensure we do not negatively impact future generations. For instance, at MTN Nigeria, there was a time when we used large packs for our SIM cards. Years later, we reduced the size of the packaging. Just a few weeks ago, we launched the first-ever biodegradable SIM cards to replace plastic cards, all in an effort toward sustainability”, she said.
Sanya also spoke on the impact of MTN Nigeria foundation on communities across the country. “In 2004, we established the MTN Nigeria Foundation. Twenty years later, we have awarded more than 14,000 scholarships, renovated over 200 primary health care centers, upgraded more than 200 college laboratories, and trained over 15,000 women in empowerment programs. While I am not here to advertise the MTN Foundation, I mention these achievements as part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability. Businesses need to take the issue of sustainability seriously. We must avoid cases of “greenwashing,” where companies make misleading claims about their environmental efforts to appear more sustainable than they really are. These claims often turn out to be superficial or entirely false. It is through genuine efforts to give back to the community that businesses can ensure their long-term protection and trust within the environments where they operate,” she said.
The speakers led thought-provoking sessions on leadership excellence and organizational adaptability in a world of constant change.