Amid Nigeria’s sustained economic and security challenges, Dr. Princess Kelechi Oghene, the visionary founder of the Global African Heroes (GAH) Awards & Business Summit, has issued a passionate and strategic appeal for intensified international collaboration and foreign investment, declaring the annual event open to global partners as it resolutely positions Africa as a re-emerging powerhouse.

Speaking at the 13th edition of the summit, which convened key policymakers, entrepreneurs, and global stakeholders on December 12 at the prestigious Eko Hotels and Suites in Lagos, Princess Oghene emphasized the continent’s vast, untapped potential and the critical need for collective action to actively reshape Africa’s global narrative from one of dependency to one of definitive opportunity.

“Africa re-emerging is not just a theme but a comprehensive movement. It is telling everyone, unequivocally, that Africa is no longer a sleeping giant. We are all doing the foundational work. Now is the time to come together and strategically reposition African descendants,” she stated.

“If each one of us, in our own capacity, champions excellence across all sectors, the world will inevitably start changing its long-held negative narrative about Africa and, consequently, begin to solve the persistent problems we are facing. Africa possesses the undeniable potential, the requisite capacity, and the boundless creativity to excel on a global stage.”

Oghene described the re-emerging Africa movement as being intentionally aimed at showcasing the continent’s readiness and, most critically, geared towards systematically changing the wrong, often outdated narratives that people currently hold about the continent. This bold declaration served as the central theme, energizing the high-profile gathering and setting the stage for a new narrative of self-reliance and global partnership.

The summit, a cornerstone of this re-emergence strategy, honoured prominent Nigerian leaders and nation-builders—including Katsina State Governor Dr. Dauda Lawal (who received the GAH Human Capital Development Award 2025), Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo (honoured with the GAH Diplomatic Excellence Award), and Her Royal Majesty Olori Aderonke Ademiluyi Ogunwusi (recognized with the GAH Cultural Heritage Advocate Award)—serving as a vital platform to celebrate resilience, highlight transformative leadership, and underscore genuine investment opportunities within the region.

Princess Oghene, reflecting on her decision to stage an event of such high magnitude in Nigeria despite the prevailing economic hardships, firmly reaffirmed her unwavering faith in the country’s prospects: “Nigeria is home for me; this is my fatherland. No country is better than Nigeria in terms of sheer human spirit. We are born to hustle, and at the end of the day, we survive and thrive. My major, multi-sector investments are here,” she explained.

“If we don’t invest here and commit to this place, who else is going to do that for us? It is not just about investment capital alone; we have a moral and economic responsibility to create platforms where others can sustain themselves and ultimately thrive.”

She further extended a clear and open invitation to foreign investors and international development partners, noting that the GAH platform is proactively “open to international collaboration” as it continues “going from strength to strength, year after year.”

This invitation is strategically framed not simply for capital inflow, but for genuine partnership in building resilient ecosystems that can accelerate continental growth.

When pressed on the drive behind her continuous faith in the Nigerian dream, especially coupled with the logistical difficulties of staging an event of such magnitude amidst the country’s challenges, Princess Oghene steadfastly maintained that Nigeria provides the right and enabling environment, including an entrepreneurial spirit and demographic dynamism, that is unmatched compared to many other places in the world.

The event also unveiled several new and strategic initiatives within the GAH ecosystem, designed to expand its continental influence, including the GAH Elite Club—an exclusive networking and advisory body for top businesswomen and policymakers—GAH Media, GAH Sport, and the immersive GAH Experience Zone, all aimed at systematically nurturing innovation, celebrating culture, and developing next-generation leadership across Africa.

As the summit concluded, Princess Oghene expressed palpable optimism for the future, stating confidently that “the journey has just started” and that the standards of excellence championed by GAH will continue to rise, signalling a broader, coordinated push for African self-reliance fused with impactful global partnerships.

“Africa’s future will not be written by chance,” she asserted to the attendees. “It will be written by visionaries, by dedicated builders, by doers and innovators, who fully understand that progress is not a gift or an entitlement. It is, fundamentally, a responsibility.

“We cannot speak of a reimagined Africa without acknowledging, supporting, and celebrating the people who make that vision possible through their relentless work,” she said.

Executive Governor of Zamfara State, Dr. Dauda Lawal, represented by his Chief of Staff, Muktar Lugga, reinforced the summit’s core message upon receiving the Human Capital Development Award.

Dr. Lawal, in alignment with the summit’s overarching theme, noted: “Nigeria and Africa are indeed ready. We are no longer leeches on the global economy. We are going to stand up, take decisive control of our destiny, and drive our own development.”
He further posited that “Africa stands at a critical intersection where demographic dynamism, rapid technological advancement, and a swiftly shifting global economic landscape offer both unprecedented opportunities and urgent challenges.

“To reimagine Africa is to question outdated assumptions, disrupt apathy, and wholeheartedly embrace a developmental model anchored firmly on knowledge productivity and widely shared prosperity for all our citizens.”

Representing the critical role of the aviation industry in Africa’s reemergence, Chief Executive of Air Peace, Dr. Allen Onyema, delivered a detailed progress report at the summit, highlighting the monumental impact of an indigenous airline and the vital relevance of governmental support.

He proudly noted how, under the current dispensation, an indigenous airline “fought the world and crashed prices,” citing a specific instance where international travel fares dropped by “about 70%” within 24 hours of intervention, a success he attributed to the “support we received from the federal government and the minister.”

Despite this victory in crashing prices, he warned that many areas of operation still require urgent attention, particularly noting that excessive taxation continues to hinder connectivity and the capacity development of the airlines, a challenge he believes the present government is thankfully “listening to us” on.

Onyema addressed the severe historical prejudice faced by Nigerian airlines, lamenting the fact that for the past 50 years, the global leasing world had “stigmatized” Nigeria, citing poor security, which forced Nigerian carriers to essentially “must own that aircraft” themselves.

He sharply contrasted this with global airlines that simply order planes, with financiers and leasing companies stepping in to buy and lease them back, enabling vast fleets of “800 to 1,000 planes,” stressing that for African integration to drive gatherings such as this, the industry must overcome this stigma and adopt the international leasing model.

Lagos State Special Adviser on Works Dr. Adekunle Olayinka, believes that Africa can achieve sustainable growth and development through inclusion, transformational leadership, right policies and good governance.

He agreed that Africa’s renaissance requires not only economic expansion but also social equity, cultural pride, and environmental stewardship.

Alluding to the five leadership actions that transform infrastructure into inclusive growth, Adekunle, during an interactive session, said a clear strategic spine should be set, outlining that leaders should identify a limited number of high-impact corridors where transit, affordable housing, and utilities are delivered together.

He said corridor packages can create immediate mobility gains and concentrated opportunities for jobs and services.

Olayinka said this sequencing makes projects investible and fast to deliver. He went ahead to present his submissions as evident in the BRT corridors’ catalytic effect on mobility and emissions reductions when well implemented.

He also emphassed on the use of Digital platforms and fintech integration: Use Lagos’ strength in fintech and mobile adoption to modernize revenue collection, digital land records, utility metering, and fare systems, improving service delivery and inclusion across the informal and formal economies. The city’s vibrant tech ecosystem is an asset to scale these innovations.

During the interactive session, Olayinka addressed critical questions on urban resilience and infrastructure planning

While asked about the kind of innovative model African cities should adopt to become more resilient, efficient, and future-ready, he said for Lagos and Nigeria, there should be an adoption of integrated, incremental, digital-enabled, and climate-smart city model that centers on mobility, housing affordability, and inclusive livelihoods.

On how leadership in infrastructural planning can transform urban spaces into engines of economic growth and social inclusion, Olayinka said for Lagos and Nigeria, it could be done by translating strategic vision into bankable projects, prioritizing mobility-first, investments, institutionalizing participatory planning, and using blended finance to scale inclusive infrastructure and energy projects.