The Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria, Chartered has inducted 199 new members into its various professional cadres, with speakers at its 2026 annual conference urging African leaders, policymakers and professionals to embrace strategic leadership, innovation and enterprise as catalysts for the continent’s sustainable development.
The induction, held in Lagos on Thursday, as part of the institute’s annual conference, saw 34 associates, 131 full members and 34 fellows admitted into the institute.
The conference, themed “Igniting Africa’s Renaissance: Strategic Leadership, Innovation and Enterprise for Sustainable Growth,” attracted captains of industry, policymakers, academics, business leaders and strategic management professionals from across the country.
Delivering the keynote address, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, Tony Attah, said Africa’s future would not be determined by the abundance of its natural redevelopment across the continent
Attah, who was represented by the company’s Vice-President, Production, Mesh Maichibi, said Africa’s greatest challenge was not a shortage of talent or opportunities but the inability to consistently convert its enormous potential into measurable results.
He said, “When people speak about Africa’s future, the conversation often begins with the continent’s immense potential. We speak about our youthful population, our entrepreneurial energy, our abundant natural re
“Yet history teaches us that potential, by itself, changes nothing. Potential is not prosperity. Potential is not development. Potential is not transformation. Potential is merely possibility. The difference between possibility and reality is leadership.”
Attah noted that countries that had transformed their economies over the years did so because they deliberately built institutions capable of translating vision into execution.
“Our greatest challenge is the ability to consistently translate potential into performance through deliberate leadership, disciplined execution and strategic thinking,” he said.
According to him, Africa’s renaissance would not be defined by the volume of res, institutions and innovations built by Africans
“The future belongs to societies that can create value, not merely possess re innovations developed elsewhere. Most importantly, it belongs to societies whose leaders understand that true leadership is transformational,” he added
The Renaissance Africa Energy boss noted that indigenous African companies had continued to demonstrate their capacity to compete globally, citing Renaissance’s emergence as Africa’s leading independent oil and gas producer.
He also referenced the company’s recent hydrocarbon discovery and long-term gas supply agreement with Indorama Fertiliser FZE, saying both developments reflected the importance of strategic thinking, innovation and long-term value creation.
Attah stressed that Africa’s development would require stronger collaboration among governments, businesses, academic institutions and professional bodies to build an ecosystem that encouraged innovation and enterprise.
“We need leaders who can see beyond election cycles. We need executives who can see beyond quarterly results. We need institutions that can think in decades rather than months,” he said.
He added that Africa’s renaissance would require intentional leadership, courageous innovation, resilient enterprises and institutions committed to excellence.
“I remain optimistic because the evidence is increasingly visible. Across the continent, we see businesses expanding, entrepreneurs innovating, professionals raising standards and institutions strengthening their capabilities,” Attah said.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Ardova Plc, Abiola Babatunde-Ojo, challenged Africans to invest more in people, innovation and entrepreneurship, describing human capital as the continent’s greatest asset.
Represented by the company’s General Manager, Strategy and Transformation, Aderonke Akilo, Babatunde-Ojo said Africa possessed enormous re
She said, “Our greatest rereativity, resilience, ambition and energy of our people.”
According to her, the future of Africa would be shaped by deliberate investments in education, skills development, healthcare and leadership.
“The future of Africa is not hidden somewhere waiting to be discovered. It is being built every day through the choices we make about our people. When we invest in people, we invest in the one asset that appreciates with time,” she said.
She described innovation as more than technology, noting that genuine innovation must solve practical problems and create sustainable value.
“Africa does not need innovation for conference presentations. Africa needs innovation that survives long after the conference photographs have been taken. If it solves a real problem, it is innovation,” Babatunde-Ojo said.
She urged participants to embrace entrepreneurship across agriculture, manufacturing, technology, fashion, entertainment and other sectors capable of creating jobs and wealth.
On leadership, she said titles alone did not make leaders, stressing that true leadership began with the determination to make every situation better.
“Leadership is not about the size of your office. It is about the size of your influence. Open doors for others. Give the underdog a fighting chance. Create opportunities because trust remains Africa’s most valuable currency,” she said.
She also urged participants to innovate with purpose, build with courage and lead with integrity, adding that Africa’s future depended on decisions taken by Africans themselves.
Earlier, President and Chairman-in-Council of the Institute of Strategic Management of Nigeria, Alex Enebeli, said the annual conference remained the institute’s flagship platform for promoting strategic thinking and strengthening professional leadership across sectors.
He said the induction of 199 new associates, full members and fellows reflected the institute’s commitment to producing strategic management professionals capable of contributing meaningfully to national development and Africa’s economic transformation.
Enebeli urged the newly inducted members to uphold the institute’s ethical standards and apply strategic management principles in advancing good governance, organisational excellence and sustainable development.
Olawale Franklin Akinselure is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with 12 years of experience covering education, politics, health, environment, judiciary, metro, and community beats. He specializes in producing insightful, wide-ranging reports that inform and engage readers. His reporting reflects practical newsroom experience, editorial insight, and a dedication to accurate, reliable journalism.
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