Africa’s push for economic transformation and sustainable growth will take centre stage in Lagos next month as former United Nations Under-Secretary-General Dr. Vera Songwe and the United Arab Emirates Consul General in Lagos, H.E. Salem Aljaberi, headline the 14th edition of the prestigious GAH Awards & Business Summit.
Scheduled for December 16, 2026, at Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, the summit is expected to attract about 1,200 delegates from across the finance, diplomatic, government, business and academic sectors for critical conversations on the continent’s economic future.
With the theme, “The New Africa Economy: Vision, Capital & Influence,” this year’s gathering will spotlight one of Africa’s most pressing challenges: access to long-term financing for businesses, infrastructure and regional expansion.
Organisers say the summit will bring together decision-makers who rarely share the same platform to examine how Africa can mobilise capital, strengthen trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and amplify its influence in global investment circles.
Speaking ahead of the event, Dr. Princess Oghene, Founder and Executive Chair of the GAH Awards & Business Summit, said the forum was designed to bridge the gap between investors, entrepreneurs and policymakers.
“A business owner deciding whether to open a second factory needs to know whether she can finance it, whether she can reach customers across borders and whether the rules will remain stable long enough for her to invest,” Oghene said. “Too often, those conversations take place in separate rooms.
This summit is bringing all the key stakeholders together to make the next investment possible.”
A major attraction of the event will be the keynote address by Dr. Vera Songwe, one of Africa’s most respected voices on development finance and capital markets. The former Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa is expected to share insights on reducing the cost of financing growth across the continent.
The summit’s high-powered speaker lineup also includes Dr. Oluwatoyin F. Sanni, Group CEO of Emerging Africa Group; Professor Lere Baale, Director at Business School Netherlands Nigeria; Adebola Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of RED; Professor Chris Ogbechie of Lagos Business School; and Professor Ahmadou Aly Mbaye, a renowned economist and public policy expert from Senegal.
Other notable participants include retired Commissioner of Police Fatai Owoseni, Pharm. Chidinma Odu-Obi, Professor Olu Ogunsakin, Director-General of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry Dr. Chinyere Almona, and Hon. Joshua Audu Gana.
The summit has steadily evolved into one of Nigeria’s leading platforms for dialogue between business, government and development stakeholders. Its 2025 edition attracted more than 1,000 participants, including senior government officials, airline executives, investors and traditional rulers, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
Since its establishment in 2012, the GAH platform has recognised more than 350 distinguished honourees, hosted over 20,000 guests and delegates, and generated more than ₦700 million in media and partnership value, according to organisers.
Beyond keynote speeches and panel discussions, the 2026 edition will feature executive networking sessions, investment conversations, the GAH Experience Zone, and an awards ceremony recognising individuals and institutions driving innovation, enterprise development and social impact across Africa.
As African nations intensify efforts to accelerate industrialisation, attract investment and deepen regional integration, the Lagos summit is expected to provide a strategic platform for shaping conversations around the continent’s next phase of economic growth.
