Business leaders chart future at Lagos roundtable

By Adebowale Johnson

In an era where artificial intelligence, economic volatility, and workforce transformation are fundamentally reshaping the landscape of business, Nigeria’s leading minds convened in Lagos to map out the future of successful leadership for the next decade.

The SixthSense Leadership Business Leaders Roundtable, held recently in Lagos, drew together top executives, consultants, and thought leaders under one roof to focus on a compelling theme: “Surviving and Thriving in the Next Decade: People, Tech, and Strategy Systems.”

Bright ‘UK’ Ukwenga, Principal Consultant at SixthSense Leadership and convener of the event, delivered a keynote challenge for leaders to rethink how they prepare their organisations’ people, processes, and technology amid unpredictable change.

“The next decade belongs to leaders who can see beyond today, build systems that adapt quickly, and harness both people and technology for growth,” Ukwenga urged.

He highlighted the deep interconnection between the health of Africa’s economy and the strength of its businesses and leaders. “The success or failure of a company impacts society at large,” he said.

He warned that without bridging leadership gaps or rapidly innovating, African firms risk economic stagnation in an evolving market landscape.

The roundtable attracted executives from diverse sectors, including insurance, technology, and human resources, and featured a mix of strategic insight and practical approaches to the challenges ahead.

Abayomi Molehin, Group Chief Strategy Officer at Continental Reinsurance, led a session on “Business Strategies for Thriving in Uncertainty.” He boiled down strategy to three essential pillars: the best route, desirable ends, and available means.

“Strategy is choosing the best route to achieve your desirable ends with available means,” Molehin explained. He noted that resources are not limited to money but include people, skills, and superior technology. “The smartest organisations are those that maximise what they have to get where they need to be.”

A distinctly futuristic perspective was brought by Ismail Olasunkanmi, CEO of Deveote, who discussed, “How Technology Will Shape Business in the Next Decade.” He identified emerging technologies such as agentic AI, quantum computing, hyper-personalisation, cloud-edge integration, and Automation 2.0 as game changers.

“AI will no longer just recommend decisions, it will make them in milliseconds,” Ismail stressed. “Businesses that embrace these changes will thrive; those that resist will fade.” He urged Nigerian companies to adopt proactive mindsets toward technology, calling it “the single most important determinant of business survival in the next ten years.”

Adding a vital human dimension, Samantha Ifezulike, Head of Operations at Jobberman Nigeria, spoke on “Finding, Nurturing, and Retaining Talents in Your Organisation.”

“Even the best technology is useless without motivated and skilled people,” she noted. For her, people remain the biggest asset; the future success of any organisation depends heavily on how well it invests in and retains its talent.

“In today’s fast-changing economy, it’s skill, not strategy, that separates the winners. Organizations that invest in talent consistently outperform their peers in productivity.”

Beyond high-level talks, the Roundtable served as a space for leadership renewal, a platform for reflection, peer learning, and collaboration. Ukwenga positioned the event as part of a grander vision for Africa, one where empowered leaders and resilient institutions fuel inclusive and sustainable prosperity.

He concluded with a powerful call to action: “Let these conversations spark innovation and collaboration. The goal is not just to survive disruption, but to build organisations that thrive, adapt, and endure.”

Speaking after the event, some attendees described it as “eye-opening” and “a wake-up call” for Nigerian business owners to think ahead, embrace innovation, and strengthen their strategy systems.

This gathering at Lagos reaffirms that the future of business leadership in Nigeria, and indeed Africa, hinges on visionary thinking, adaptive technology, strategic resourcefulness, and, crucially, people-centered leadership. The roadmap for thriving over the next decade is clear, and leaders here are already paving the way forward.