Managing Director of BusyBee Events, Bisi Sotunde, has been recognised internationally for her contributions to event planning and her role in mentoring professionals in Nigeria’s creative sector.
Sotunde recently received two honours: the Event Planning Company of the Year Award (Nigeria–Africa Category) from Prestige Awards in the United Kingdom, and the African Women Change Makers 2025 Honourary Award at the African Women Achievers Awards and Summit hosted by Mayorkings Agency in South Africa.
Speaking after the recognition, Sotunde described the awards as an affirmation of her team’s work and the growing relevance of the Nigerian events industry.
“This recognition is a call to keep raising standards in the industry and supporting more professionals to succeed,” she said.
Under her leadership, BusyBee Events has expanded from a small enterprise into a firm providing services to corporate clients and private individuals, while also running training and coaching programmes for entrepreneurs in the creative sector.
Her influence extends through the BusyBee Event Business Summit, an annual forum that gathers industry professionals to share ideas and build capacity, and the BusyBee Academy, which has trained and mentored hundreds of practitioners now managing their own ventures. Sotunde also leads a professional community of more than 500 event specialists focused on collaboration and business growth.
Her mentorship role is not limited to Nigeria. She has contributed to international initiatives through organisations such as the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN Nigeria), the Tony Elumelu Foundation, and the Cherie Blair Foundation. She is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Mentoring and Coaching in Nigeria, and actively participates in the Nigerian-British Chamber of Commerce (NBCC) and Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).
Sotunde has previously been named Mentor of the Year by both the Association of Professional Party Organisers and Event Managers in Nigeria (APPOEMN) and the Association of Event Vendors in Nigeria (ASSEV).
“I am honoured to be recognised for the work I am passionate about. These awards encourage me to continue helping others and creating opportunities for growth in the industry,” she said.
With Nigeria’s creative economy expanding, Sotunde’s dual role as planner and mentor underscores the growing recognition of event professionals as contributors to innovation, entrepreneurship, and employment in the wider sector.
