Women in Management, Business, and Public Service (WIMBIZ) has announced the lineup of speakers for its 24th Annual Conference, themed “O.W.N: Own. Walk. Nurture.” The hybrid event will feature a keynote address by former World Bank Vice President, Arunma Oteh, with retired Supreme Court Justice, Hon. Justice Amina Augie, serving as Chairperson.
The conference, scheduled to hold with both virtual and physical participation, is expected to attract women from across Nigeria and the diaspora, including attendees from the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Ghana, Cameroon, and the United Arab Emirates.
According to WIMBIZ, the annual conference remains its flagship platform for dialogue, mentorship, and inspiration for women in leadership, entrepreneurship, and public service.
Chairman of the WIMBIZ Board of Trustees, Bisi Adeyemi, in her opening remarks at the pre-event press briefing in Lagos, described the conference as a call to action for women to own their stories and embrace resilience on their leadership journey.
Executive Director of WIMBIZ, Omowunmi Akingbohungbe, highlighted the organisation’s long-standing commitment to empowering women through capacity-building and networking initiatives.
She disclosed that over 344,000 women have benefited from WIMBIZ’s various programmes and interventions since its inception 24 years ago.
Chair of the 2025 Conference Planning Group (CPG), Abimbola Wright, explained that this year’s theme—Own, Walk, Nurture—was deliberately chosen to inspire women to take control of their narratives, walk in confidence, and mentor others.
She noted that many women, despite professional success, continue to struggle with barriers such as societal expectations, health challenges, and imposter syndrome.
“At WIMBIZ, we believe it’s time to change that narrative,” Wright said. “We are calling on every woman to own her story, walk in power, and nurture the next generation through mentorship and collaboration.”
The conference will feature four plenary sessions, two deep-dive discussions, a fireside chat, and a debate, with topics covering women’s economic empowerment, wellness, leadership, and intergenerational collaboration.
Among the plenary topics are “The Wealth Playbook: Women, Economic Power and Sustainability,” “Protirement: Reimagining the Next Chapter with Purpose,” and “Whole Woman, Whole Life: Wellness as a Journey, Not a Destination.”
WIMBIZ Board of Trustees member, Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani, urged participants to register via the organisation’s website or mobile app, which will also host live sessions and facilitate networking opportunities for virtual attendees.
Akingbohungbe also shared highlights of WIMBIZ’s advocacy activities in the past year, including collaborations with the British Deputy High Commission, Nigerian High Commission, and the Institute of Directors on promoting women’s participation in international trade.
Through its Women in Law initiative, WIMBIZ organised leadership and mentoring programmes for over 3,000 women, including The Leadership Journey webinar and a Stakeholders’ Breakfast Dialogue focused on gender inclusion within the legal profession.
In partnership with WILAN, WISCAR, and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, WIMBIZ also co-founded the Women in Leadership Coalition to advocate for gender balance in governance, labour reforms, and corporate representation.
As anticipation builds ahead of the 24th Annual Conference, Akingbohungbe encouraged women to attend and engage actively, stressing that the event will provide opportunities for collaboration, mentorship, and personal transformation.
For more information and registration details, participants are advised to visit the WIMBIZ website or download the WIMBIZ app.
