By Mercy Peter
The President of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Emeka Obegolu, has officially inaugurated the second Executive Committee of the ACCI Young CEOs Forum, underscoring the Chamber’s sustained commitment to grooming a new generation of business leaders.
The inauguration ceremony, held at the ACCI Secretariat in Abuja, marked a significant milestone in the Chamber’s broader strategy to strengthen youth entrepreneurship and drive inclusive economic growth within Nigeria’s private sector.
The ACCI Young CEOs Forum, the sixth category within the Chamber’s membership structure, was established on May 20, 2021, under the leadership of immediate past President Al-Mujtaba Abubakar. Designed as a platform for entrepreneurs aged 18 to 30, the Forum aims to foster mentorship, enhance networking opportunities, and support business development among young innovators.
In his keynote address, Obegolu charged the newly inaugurated executives to provide visionary and strategic leadership capable of repositioning the Forum for greater impact.
He emphasized the need to expand membership, strengthen member-focused programmes, deepen advocacy efforts, and build stronger collaboration with the ACCI Secretariat and key stakeholders.
He also outlined the committee’s core responsibilities, including driving membership growth and engagement, strengthening programming and peer collaboration, enhancing advocacy for a more enabling business environment, and overseeing the Forum’s administration in alignment with the Chamber’s objectives.
He also stressed the importance of regular performance reporting to the ACCI Executive Committee.
The newly inaugurated Executive Committee comprises:
Mr. Najib Waziri – Chairman
Ms. Susan Galadimawa – Vice Chairman
Mr. Oladele Femi – Treasurer
Ms. Cynthia Otubu – Secretary
Mr. Egena Elvis Akogwu – Program Director
Obegolu described the Young CEOs Forum as a critical leadership pipeline for the Chamber, urging the new executives to demonstrate innovation, resilience, and entrepreneurial excellence.
He noted that the platform remains central to ACCI’s vision of nurturing future leaders who will shape both the Chamber and Nigeria’s business landscape.
The Chamber’s Director-General also encouraged the executives to leverage the Forum to expand professional networks, build capacity, and contribute meaningfully to institutional growth.
The Vice President, ICT and Digital Economy, Chigozie Igwe, assured the team of sustained support and collaboration to ensure a successful tenure.
In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of the Forum, Najib Waziri, expressed appreciation to the ACCI leadership for the confidence placed in the team.
He pledged that the Executive Committee would deliver impactful programmes aimed at mobilizing young entrepreneurs across Abuja and significantly increasing the Forum’s membership base.
Waziri further outlined the Forum’s strategic focus on practical initiatives such as business expansion, mentorship, networking, and capacity building, as well as connecting members to opportunities that will enable their enterprises to scale sustainably.
