Nigeria Leadership Initiative (NLI)

NLI is now accepting nominations for its 6th Future Leaders Seminar.

The Future Leaders Seminar is held for emerging public and private leaders within the 25-35 years age group based primarily in Nigeria and Nigerians in the Diapsora. Two classes are held in a May and October each year.  Each class has 3-Day residential seminar sessions at the Protea Oakwood Park Hotel, Lagos and ends with a Dinner for the Seminar participants (Associates).  First Bank Nigeria has sponsored  the Seminars since 2008.

To apply please send the following to [email protected]

1) A brief Bio

2) A CV which should include your DOB and Gender

3) A letter of recommendation from a Professor/Supervisor

4) A half page description of your vision for Nigeria and what you will contribute to the program

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS FEB 1ST, 2010

NLI’s 5th Future Leaders Seminar

NLI hosted its fifth edition of the highly successful Future leaders’ seminar in Lagos. The Future Leaders Seminar brought together some of the most talented emerging public and private leaders in Nigeria and their peers in the Diaspora within the ages of 25 and 35.  Two classes are held in May and October each year.  Each class has a 3-Day residential seminar in Lagos.  To date, we have five classes with a total of 138 Associates. For a list of Associates from this Class, please click here

NLI is thankful for the financial contributions from First Bank Nigeria (lead sponsors of the Future Leaders Seminar), Air France/KLM and Chevron Nigeria in making the Future Leaders Seminar a success.

NLI’s 4th Annual Awards Dinner

NLI successfully held its 4th Annual Awards Dinner sponsored by First Bank Nigeria at the Lagos Oriental Hotel’s Function Room on October 31st, 2009.  The Guest Speaker, His Eminence, Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar was represented by Ambassador Hamzat Ahmadu, CON, the Wali of Sokoto. 

Mallam Adamu Ciroma after accepting NLI's 2009 Values Based Leadership Award

NLI also had the privilege of giving out this years Values-Based Leadership Award to Mallam Adamu Ciroma. Mallam Ciroma. The award honors an outstanding leader whose achievements reflect the high standard of honor, integrity and industry. Mallam Adamu Ciroma will be joining previous recipients, Mr. Akintola Williams, Prof. Bolanle Awe and Chief Emeka Anyaoku.  Details of the Sultan’s Speech can be obtained by contacting NLI’s Lagos Office.

NLI’s Business Plan Competition

NLI’s first  Business Plan Competition (BPC) was successfully completed on the 31st of October.  The Business Plan Competition is an effective program to build entrepreneurship skill and kick start Small & Growing Business (SGB) development.

Objectives include:

(i)             To identify entrepreneurs with high potential business ideas;

(ii)            Provide selected entrepreneurs with training, mentoring and access to capital;

(iii)           Act as a channel for equity and loan funds to the resulting SGBs;

(iv)           Stimulate economic development through the creation of jobs and growth businesses. 

Participants from the competition participated in a one week training session through the Lagos Business Schools’s Enterprise Development Services (EDS) Training Program.  Participants were awarded a Certificate on completion after the training program from EDS.

Participants of NLI's First Business Plan Competition after the completion of the EDS Training

After the training program, participants re-evaluated their Business Plans and presented their Business Porposals to a panel of judges:

1) Mr. Gbenga Oyebode – Managing Partner, Aluko and Oyebode, Nigeria

2) Ms Funke Smith – Head of Consumer Banking,  First Bank Nigeria

3) Mr Ndubuisi Ihedigbo – Head of Agricultural  Finance and Special Products, First Bank Nigeria

 1st: Agugo Boniface (Briquette Nigeria)
Prize Money – $15,000 
 
2nd: Ugbor Chidi (FREP FOODS)
Prize Money: $10,000
 
3rd: Ojo Opeolu Oyejide(Cecejyde Biogenerics)
Prize Money: $7,500 dollars
 

Dear Friends,

This past Saturday, August 15th, NLI had its first Inaugural Dinner at the New York Marriott East Side Hotel. Prof. Olupona, the Chairman of the dinner organising committee, opened with a speech about NLI and Leadership role we all have to play, this set the tone for the main speakers – the first being Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Iraq Compact and Other Issues. He was followed by Mr. Aganga who gave an overview of NLI – our projects and initiatives, seminars and areas where funds are needed. Mr. Ribadu followed shortly with a speech on his leadership and all he had to do to get the job successfully done. This motivated the mostly young audience who had a lot of questions for all speakers. Senior Fellow, Dr. Olu Obaro, who flew in from London the night before gave the Vote of Thanks and wrapped up the evening nicely.  Prof Gambari was particularly impressed with the Initiative and wondered why someone in his position had not heard about NLI until now. He said he would like to get involved and promote NLI at the UN and international community. He will write to share his thoughts later
later.

We hope you all can share in the splendid experience next year as all who came enjoyed themselves and went away as ambassadors for/of NLI. They all wanted to be members of NLI and participate in
the next Senior or  Future Leaders Seminar. They will no doubt help spread the
message.
I would especially like to thank the planning committee that helped in making this event as successful as it turned out to be:

Kunle Deru – May 2009
Olaolu Egeonu – May 2008
Segun Ajayi – May 2008
Rotimi Ajibola – May 2009
Prof. Jacob Olupona – SL 2006

We would also like to say a Big Thank You to Chief Gboyega Delano for providing us with Ilora Beauty products for our dinner guests.

Pictures from the Dinner will be available online next week.

 
Sincerely,
Tumi Ajibola

NLI Inaugural Annual Business Plan Competition

Lead Sponsor – First Bank

Got an Intriguing Business idea? Is your Business idea commercially viable?

Then enter for a chance to receive funding & support to execute. Winners will receive training, mentoring and access to capital.

The Nigeria Leadership Initiative Inaugural Annual Business Plan Competition is now open. The deadline for entries is August 14th , 2009.

Programme:

The Business Plan Competition (BPC) is an effective program to build entrepreneurship skill and kick start Small & Growing Business (SGB) development. Objectives include:

(i)             To identify entrepreneurs with high potential business ideas;

(ii)            Provide selected entrepreneurs with training, mentoring and access to capital;

(iii)           Act as a channel for equity and loan funds to the resulting SGBs;

(iv)           Stimulate economic development through the creation of jobs and growth 

                businesses. 

Top fifteen entries will receive training and audience with potential investors.  Top three entries will also win cash prizes to develop their businesses.

Application Form:

I.          Download Application forms and complete instructions

II.        Applications are also available at certain First Bank locations for pick up. The locations are as follows:

Submitting an Entry:  

I.          Submit completed application forms and all required materials:

              a.    Via email to: [email protected]

              b.    Via post to: Nigeria Leadership Initiative  Business Plan Competition,

                      35 Moloney Street, Lagos, Nigeria

              OR

             Upload Application Online by uploading below.

Enquiries:

All enquiries related to the competition should be sent to: [email protected]

As part of our Public Appeals Initiative, NLI is recording short messages on Nigeria radios. These messages are on our top ten values. Currently, Maryam Uwais’s recording on Family Values is running on CoolFM between 7-8 am.

To hear more messages recorded for our radio campaign, please click here

This past May, NLI held its fourth Future Leaders Class. Please read the positive feedback from Associates here

Four leading Nigerian newspapers will publish monthly NLI columns on Values and Re-orientation.  They include THISDAY, Guardian, Daily Trust and NEXT; this initiative, is part of our Public Appeals initiative.   NEXT magazine will publish a one-time special edition, whilst the newspapers will publish on a monthly basis.  The columns are being written by NLI Fellows, Associates and Friends of NLI.

May 2009 Future Leaders Class

NLI hosted its fourth edition of the highly successful Future leaders’ seminar in Lagos. The Future Leaders Seminar brought together some of the most talented emerging public and private leaders in Nigeria and their peers in the Diaspora within the ages of 25 and 35.  Two classes are held in May and October each year.  Each class has 3-Day residential seminar in Lagos.  To date, we have three classes with a total of 110 Associates. For a list of Associates from this Class, please click here

May 2009 Christopher Kolade Symposium

NLI hosted the second edition of the successful symposium on public sector leadership hosted by NLI Patron, Dr. Christopher Kolade, on May 21 in Lagos (NIIA).  We’ll encourage you to make every effort to attend our future symposiums.

We were very honored to have Prof. Ladipo Adamolekun speak to us on “Public Service Professionals”. For his presentation on this interest public policy issue, please click here

April 2009 UK University students

Participants from the UK Seminar

Goldman Sachs hosted an NLI seminar for Nigerian Students in UK Universities on 17 April in London under the auspices of the NLI. This programme will host about 25 Nigerian university students – with outstanding records of out-performance and identified potential for leadership – from the UK in a one-day leadership seminar to be held at Goldman Sachs.  This programme will be a condensed version of the Future leaders’ three-day seminar.

February University Student Seminar

As part of our Education Focus on Students, NLI had its inaugural University of Lagos Seminar on February 7, 2009; there were 22 participants and the 22 participants have since held a follow-on session to work on their projects.