At the Amphitheatre, UBA House, Lagos, where participants gathered for the African Conversation yesterday, innovation, resilience, enterprise, can-do spirit, and, of course, limitless potential of Africa, seized unusual attention.
Africans had the opportunity to discuss pan-African issues at the event organized by United Bank for Africa Plc as part of their celebration of Africa Day.
Additionally, it was a rare chance for women to talk openly about the difficulties faced by women, their accomplishments, and their strength in guiding the much-desired growth of the continent. Additionally, the panelists, who were all accomplished female CEOs and business owners, each had their own distinct viewpoints on the continent of Africa.
Oliver Olawuba, Group Managing Director of UBA, set the tone for the debate by telling the audience that the talk would center on the discrepancy between Africa’s economic, business, and human issues and prospects.
Olawuba emphasized the historical role the bank has played in achieving the entrepreneurial aspirations of young Africans and creating a robust economy. He also promised that the financial institution would keep creating products that deal with “African challenges” and advance the continent’s economy.
He claimed that the bank had the largest percentage of women on its board—more than 50%—which is a topic that has attracted attention on a worldwide scale.
In fact, the bank has had a presence in African business thanks to its trappings.
For instance, the annual grants of its Group Chairman, Tony Elumelu, who attended the discussion “to observe,” have assisted thousands of young entrepreneurs across the continent.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation (TEF) chooses beneficiaries each year from a pool of challenging and inspirational business pitches. Each winner receives $5000 in addition to access to mentorship programs and other tools to help them expand their enterprises.
Abiola Bawuah, President/Group CEO of UBA Africa and the first bank CEO in Ghana, as well as Folusho Gbadamosi, a technologist, Banke Kuku-Lawson, Creative Director/Founder of Banke Kuku, and Hilda Bassey, now a well-known foodpreneur and chef, all spoke at the African Conversation to highlight the opportunities in the regional economy for those who dare.
The amazons have many narratives to share regarding their paths to prosperity. But there was a general agreement that those that dared, aspired, and never stopped innovating or reinventing their businesses, not even when they are at the height of their careers, had no ceiling.
