Though the third edition of the Family Business Summit in Lagos, which featured the country’s most distinguished family enterprises might have come and gone, it left in its trail, a renewed call to family-owned enterprises to embrace adaptability and structure.
Convened by Oghenevwoke Ighure of MyFamily MyBusiness, an initiative designed to help family-owned businesses thrive and preserve their legacies, the summit, themed: “Wealth Diversification and Resilience in Uncertain Times,” explored how Nigerian family-owned businesses can remain agile, purpose-driven and innovative while preserving their heritage in today’s unpredictable economy.
The event opened with the unveiling of the Family Business Journal, the Family Enterprise Network Nigeria (FENN), an association supporting family businesses with a board of next-generation leaders and family business owners, and a documentary on the life and legacy of Chief Adeola Odutola, one of Nigeria’s pioneering industrialists.
Ighure noted that the summit has evolved from an advocacy platform into a movement promoting structure. “This platform is not only bringing family businesses together but also advocating for all things related to family enterprises. Legacy is not merely inherited but intentionally built through systems that outlive individual success.”
The Publisher of BusinessDay, Frank Aigbogun, urged family-owned enterprises to embrace adaptability and structure. Representing Sam Abu, Country Senior Partner at PwC, Pedro Omojume shared findings from the PwC Family Business Survey, highlighting a shift from profitability to purpose-driven growth.
Two engaging fireside chats followed. One between Faysal El-Khalil, Chairman of Seven-Up Bottling Company, and his son Sari El-Khalil, explored cross-generational leadership. Another with Lanre Fatimilehin of Diya Fatimilehin and Co focused on protecting and growing family wealth through real estate.
A high-level panel featuring Zipo Lai of Invest Hong Kong, Angel Chia of the Hong Kong Academy for Wealth and Legacy, and Sameer Vaswani, moderated by Kemi Ojenike of Meristem, emphasised alignment, succession planning and creativity in sustaining multigenerational success.
The cross-generational leadership panel, moderated by Weyinmi Oritsejafor of Henley and Partners UK, featured Greg and Iroghama Ogbeifun of Starz Investments, Neya Kalu of Slok Group, Gboyega and Lanre Fatimilehin of Diya Fatimilehin & Co, and Dr Larry and Debbie Izamoje of Brila Media Group. Their stories highlighted how legacy thrives where stewardship meets structure and where the next generation is empowered to lead.
Day Two, themed: The NextGen Bootcamp, focused on equipping emerging leaders to preserve family legacies, while driving innovation. Speakers included Ziad Maalouf, Sameer Vaswani, Oyinkan Akintola Bello-Edet, Victoria Fabunmi, Ife Bakare, Zipo Lai, Tomiwa Idowu, and Idowu Thompson, who shared insights on balancing tradition with transformation in modern enterprise.
The 2025 edition was supported by Diya Fatimilehin and Co, BusinessDay, Mauritius Commercial Bank, Capital Advisors and Management Company, Adenia, SevenUp Bottling Company, Meristem, NITDA, Daily Need Group, PwC Nigeria, BusinessDay, InvestHK, Henmil Group Family Office, The Sun, Brila Media Group, Hong Kong Academy for Wealth Legacy, and Blanche Aigle Communications.
