Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) is marking its 25th anniversary with a renewed commitment to advancing women’s leadership, strengthening women-owned businesses and expanding economic opportunities across Nigeria, Africa and the global business community.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, the organization has unveiled a new logo and announced plans for its 25th Annual Conference, scheduled for November 5 and 6, 2026, at Eko Hotels & Suites in Lagos.
The conference will bring together women from business, management and public service to discuss leadership, innovation, enterprise growth and global competitiveness.
Corporate governance and strategy professional Bennedikter China Molokwu has been appointed chairperson of the conference. A former president of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria, Molokwu has served on more than 15 boards and brings extensive experience in corporate governance, risk management and women’s empowerment.
FirstBank and Dentsu Agyle are the headline partners for the conference, alongside other sponsors.
The two-day programme will address several issues affecting women in business, including access to capital, enterprise development, investment readiness, intellectual property protection, the creative economy, health and wellbeing, and strategic networking.
Through partnerships with the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University and IWOSAN, participants will also receive practical guidance on finance, logistics and supply chain management.
Other sessions will explore ways women can attract investment, build globally competitive enterprises, access strategic networks and take advantage of emerging opportunities across Africa and beyond.
Ronke Onadeko, chair of the 2026 Conference Planning Group, said the conference would encourage women to move beyond participation towards building and leading enterprises capable of competing internationally.
She urged women to develop strategic relationships and position themselves within Africa’s expanding economic value chains.
“We are born in Africa, and we are built for the world,” she said.
WIMBIZ Marks 25 Years of Advancing Women’s Leadership
The anniversary was formally marked at a press conference held at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Innovation Centre in Lagos.
The gathering brought together WIMBIZ founders, members of its Board of Trustees, the 25th Anniversary Committee, the 2026 Conference Planning Committee, media representatives and partners, including IWOSAN and the Enterprise Development Centre.
The event provided an opportunity to reflect on the organization’s achievements over the past 25 years and outline its priorities for the next phase of its work.
Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani, a member of the Board of Trustees, acknowledged the progress made in advancing women’s participation but stressed that the pace of change remained insufficient.
“Women are certainly on track, but the reality is that the world is not,” she said.
She noted that women continued to face underrepresentation in management and political leadership despite decades of advocacy and efforts to improve gender inclusion.
Another trustee, Osayi Alile, emphasized the importance of collaboration across sectors in advancing women’s leadership.
She described gender inclusion as both an economic necessity and a strategic priority, urging stakeholders to recognize women’s participation as an important contributor to economic growth and sustainable development.
“Gender is not only nice to have. It is a strategic thing. It is an economic thing as well,” she said.
WIMBIZ also called on the media to play a more active role in promoting women’s achievements, amplifying the stories of women driving change and strengthening public understanding of gender inclusion.
The organization stressed that media coverage could help challenge existing barriers and expand opportunities for women in Nigeria and beyond.
New Anniversary Logo Signals Renewed Commitment
A major highlight of the press conference was the unveiling of WIMBIZ’s 25th anniversary logo by Awuneba Ajumogobia, chair of the 25th Anniversary Committee.
The new visual identity celebrates the organization’s history while signaling its commitment to delivering measurable impact for future generations of women.
Ajumogobia explained that the logo was developed around the concept of impact, representing both the progress achieved and the work that remains in advancing women’s leadership.
She said it also symbolized solidarity among women and the importance of creating opportunities for more women to lead, build businesses and succeed.
Reflecting on the milestone, she acknowledged the contributions of women who had found their voices, established businesses, assumed leadership positions and supported others along the way.
“Behind every figure, behind every number, is a woman who has found her voice, who has taken her seat at the table, who has built her business, or who has reached back to lift up another woman,” she said.
She described the new logo as a visible commitment to the organization’s mission and its future direction.
“A logo is a promise that you can see. I will say that we have been impacting women for 25 years. What comes next will be different,” she added.
Expanding Opportunities for Women Entrepreneurs
Looking ahead, WIMBIZ plans to place greater emphasis on practical solutions to the challenges facing women entrepreneurs, particularly limited access to finance.
Funding constraints continue to affect the ability of many women-owned businesses to expand operations, attract investment and compete in larger markets.
The organization said further details of its initiatives to address these challenges would be presented at the annual conference.
Executive Director Omowunmi Akingbohungbe described the anniversary as both a moment to celebrate past achievements and an opportunity to renew the organization’s ambition for women’s leadership.
“Twenty-five years is a milestone; it is a moment of reflection and renewed ambition. At this milestone, we are celebrating women who are grounded in Africa, advancing with purpose, and equipped to compete and contribute globally,” she said.
As part of its commitment to supporting women-led enterprises, WIMBIZ has also announced the 2026 Impact Investment Opportunity.
The initiative will provide grants of up to ₦6 million and two solar power systems to support outstanding women entrepreneurs operating in the food and beverage, sustainability and innovation sectors.
Nigerian Bottling Company, Unilever, Coca-Cola and AllOn are sponsoring the initiative.
As WIMBIZ celebrates 25 years of advocacy, leadership development and support for women in business, the milestone offers an opportunity to examine both the progress made and the inequalities that persist in leadership, business ownership and access to economic opportunities.
Through its anniversary activities, annual conference and investment initiatives, the organization is seeking to strengthen its contribution to building an environment where more women can lead, establish successful enterprises and participate meaningfully in economic development.
By Umm e Habiba, Pakistan
