Follow Us on Google
… 15 countries to compete in Lagos
By Chukwuma Umeorah
Nigeria will host the International Finals of the Global Management Challenge (GMC) for the first time, with teams and delegates from 15 countries expected in Lagos from November 11 to 13 to compete for the global title.
The competition, which will bring together national champion teams, marks the second time the international finals will be held in Africa since its establishment in Portugal in 1980.
Participating countries include Portugal, China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, India, Spain, Latvia, Estonia, Macao, Angola, Ghana and Kenya, among others.
Organised by Idearise Ltd in collaboration with YD Company, the local organisers, the Global Management Challenge is a business simulation competition operating in more than 30 countries. Organizer say that “It requires teams of university students and young professionals to manage virtual companies and make strategic decisions in areas such as finance, marketing, production and human resources.”
“The competition is designed to test participants’ management skills, strategic thinking, teamwork and ability to make business decisions in a simulated market environment, providing practical exposure to responsibilities associated with running an organisation.”
Since its introduction to Nigeria in 2018, the competition has provided students and young professionals with opportunities to develop management capabilities through experiential learning. The 2026 Nigerian edition attracted more than 500 students from over 10 universities, with seven teams advancing to the National Finals scheduled for November, ahead of the international contest.
Beyond the competition, the Lagos event is expected to bring together country delegates, business executives, partners and media representatives from participating nations, creating opportunities for interaction and exchange among business and education stakeholders. The gathering is also expected to expose Nigeria’s business and education sectors to international participants and media organisations, while creating opportunities for business and education tourism.
The competition’s international reach across more than 30 countries has also made it a platform for management training, allowing participants to apply business concepts to simulated commercial situations rather than relying solely on classroom instruction.
For Nigerian participants, the international finals will provide an opportunity to engage with teams from other countries and test their management decisions against competitors operating under the same simulation conditions.
