Lead the Future Conference holds in Lagos this weekend with AI on the agenda
- The Lead the Future Conference 2026 runs on October 23 and 24 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.
- Its theme is building globally competitive, future-ready organisations through people, AI and innovation.
- NGX Group chairman Umaru Kwairanga chairs the event; former CBN deputy governor Tunde Lemo is among speakers.
Founders, executives and public-sector leaders will gather in Lagos on Friday and Saturday for the Lead the Future Conference 2026, a two-day meeting on how Nigerian organisations can stay competitive as artificial intelligence changes how businesses work.
The event holds on October 23 and 24 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island. Its theme is “Leading Globally Competitive and Future-Ready Organizations: People, AI, Innovation.”
Dr Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), chairs the conference. The speakers include Dr Tunde Lemo, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, and Tayo Ayinde, Chief of Staff to the Lagos State Governor.
Others on the list are Dr Yetunde Anibaba of Lagos Business School, Niyi Adesanya of FifthGear Plus Consulting, Foluso Phillips of Phillips Consulting, and Ademola Adebise, former Managing Director of Wema Bank. Technology and business figures include Abideen Yusuf of Microsoft Nigeria and Ghana, Emmanuel Eze of HP Nigeria, Kunbi Adeoti of Leadway Group and Ireayomide Oladunjoye of Endeavor Nigeria.
Why it matters for workers and small businesses
The organisers say the sessions will focus on how leaders should prepare their staff and institutions for new technology, rather than chasing short-term results alone. For ordinary Nigerians, the decisions discussed at such events can shape hiring, staff training and how quickly companies adopt tools that affect prices and service.
Bright ‘UK’ Ukwenga, the convener, said the future of leadership will be judged by how deliberately leaders prepare their people for change.
“The future of leadership will be defined not just by how well leaders respond to change, but by how deliberately they prepare their people and organisations for it,” he said.
The programme includes keynote addresses, panel discussions and networking sessions. Registration details are on the conference website, weleadthefuture.com, and enquiries can go to 0904 491 1000.
What happens next
The conference opens on Friday, October 23, and ends on Saturday, October 24. Beyond the speeches, the test will be whether the ideas shared translate into training and technology plans inside Nigerian companies.
