Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ) has unveiled its 25th anniversary logo, marking a quarter-century of advancing women’s leadership, enterprise development and economic empowerment, while setting out priorities for its forthcoming annual conference.

The organisation made the announcement at a press conference held recently at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Innovation Centre in Lagos. The event also provided an opportunity to reflect on WIMBIZ’s achievements over the past 25 years and outline its next phase of impact across Nigeria, Africa and the global business community.

As part of the announcements, WIMBIZ named corporate governance and strategy professional, Bennedikter China Molokwu, as chairperson of its 25th Annual Conference. A past president of the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria, Molokwu has served on more than 15 boards, bringing extensive experience in corporate governance, risk management and women’s empowerment to the role.

The press conference attracted WIMBIZ founders, members of its Board of Trustees, the 25th Anniversary Committee, the 2026 Conference Planning Committee, media representatives and partners, including IWOSAN and the Enterprise Development Centre (EDC).

Reflecting on the organisation’s journey, a member of the WIMBIZ Board of Trustees, Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani, acknowledged progress in women’s advancement but stressed the need to accelerate change.

“Women are certainly on track, but the reality is that the world is not,” she said, noting that women remain underrepresented in management and political leadership despite decades of advocacy and progress.

Another trustee, Osayi Alile, emphasised that advancing women’s leadership requires collaboration across sectors, describing gender inclusion as both an economic imperative and a strategic priority.

“Gender is not only nice to have. It is a strategic thing. It is an economic thing as well,” she said, urging stakeholders to recognise women’s participation as a driver of economic growth and sustainable development.

WIMBIZ also called on the media to amplify the stories of women creating change, strengthen public understanding of gender inclusion and support efforts to expand opportunities for women in Nigeria and beyond.

A key moment at the event was the unveiling of the anniversary logo by chair of the WIMBIZ 25th Anniversary Committee, Awuneba Ajumogobia. The new identity celebrates the organisation’s legacy while signalling a renewed commitment to creating measurable impact for future generations of women.

Ajumogobia said the milestone represented the collective achievements of women who had found their voices, built businesses, assumed leadership positions and supported others to succeed.

“Behind every figure, behind every number, is a woman who has found her voice, who has taken her seat at the table, who has built her business, or who has reached back to lift up another woman,” she said.

She explained that the anniversary identity was built around the concept of impact, reflecting both the organisation’s achievements and the work that remains. According to her, the logo symbolises solidarity among women and the importance of creating opportunities for more women to lead and succeed.

“A logo is a promise that you can see. I will say that we have been impacting women for 25 years. What comes next will be different,” Ajumogobia added.

Looking ahead, WIMBIZ is placing greater emphasis on practical solutions to the barriers facing women entrepreneurs, particularly limited access to finance. Funding constraints continue to affect the ability of many women-owned businesses to expand, attract investment and compete in larger markets. The organisation is expected to provide further details of its initiatives at the annual conference.

Scheduled for November 5–6, 2026, at Eko Hotels & Suites, Lagos, the WIMBIZ 25th Annual Conference will convene women across business, management and public service to discuss leadership, innovation, enterprise growth and global competitiveness.

Chair of the 2026 WIMBIZ Conference Planning Group, Ronke Onadeko, said the conference would encourage women to move beyond participation towards building and leading enterprises capable of competing internationally. She urged women to think bigger, cultivate strategic relationships and position themselves within Africa’s expanding economic value chains.

“We are born in Africa, and we are built for the world,” she said, highlighting the capacity of African women to create, lead and compete on the global stage.

The conference programme will examine critical issues affecting women’s economic advancement, including access to capital, business growth, investment readiness, the creative economy, intellectual property protection, health and wellbeing, and strategic networking.

Through partnerships with the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University and IWOSAN, participants are also expected to receive practical guidance on areas such as finance, logistics, and supply chain management. Discussions will further explore how women can attract investment, build globally competitive businesses, access strategic networks and leverage emerging opportunities across Africa and beyond.

The conference is supported by FirstBank and Dentsu Agyle as headline partners, alongside other sponsors and partners.

Another major announcement was the 2026 WIMBIZ Impact Investment Opportunity, which will offer grants of up to ₦6 million and two solar power systems to support outstanding women entrepreneurs in the food and beverage, sustainability and innovation sectors. The initiative is sponsored by Nigerian Bottling Company, Unilever, Coca-Cola and AllOn.

WIMBIZ Executive Director, Omowunmi Akingbohungbe, described the 25th anniversary as both an opportunity to reflect on the organisation’s achievements and a platform to renew its ambition for women’s leadership.

“Twenty-five years is a milestone; it is a moment of reflection and renewed ambition. At this milestone, we are celebrating women who are grounded in Africa, advancing with purpose, and equipped to compete and contribute globally,” she said.

As WIMBIZ marks 25 years of advocacy and leadership development, the anniversary presents an opportunity to assess the progress made in advancing women while strengthening efforts to address persistent inequalities in leadership, business ownership and access to economic opportunities.

Registration for the WIMBIZ 25th Annual Conference is ongoing. Interested participants can register at https://wimbiz.org/25th-annual-conference/.