WIMBIZ 2025 Media Parley: Advancing Women’s Leadership and Building Strategic Partnerships

WIMBIZ, short for Women in Management, Business, and Public Service, is a leading Nigerian nonprofit organization established in 2001. Its primary focus is to inspire, connect, and empower women to attain leadership roles in various sectors, including corporate management, entrepreneurship, and public service. Over the years, WIMBIZ has built a strong reputation for creating platforms that support women’s advancement through mentorship programs, leadership summits, advocacy initiatives, and high-impact networking events. WIMBIZ’s activities are designed to close the gender leadership gap, empower more women economically, and foster a new generation of change-makers. The organization is driven by the belief that empowering women transforms families, communities, and economies. With a growing network of over 15,000 women, WIMBIZ continues to shape a future where women have equal opportunities to lead and excel in every sphere of life.

On Thursday, April 17, 2025, WIMBIZ welcomed an exclusive gathering of distinguished guests to its headquarters at 200B Isale Eko Avenue, Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos. Business Verge was present to cover the occasion, which embodied the organization’s enduring commitment to empowering women leaders across Nigeria. The event commenced promptly at 10:30 a.m., following an early arrival window where attendees were received in as early as 9:30 a.m. The ambiance was warm, sophisticated, and inviting—a reflection of WIMBIZ’s signature hospitality. Guests were treated to a light breakfast reception, offering an opportunity to engage in relaxed, meaningful conversations before the formal program began.

Shortly after the breakfast session, Omowunmi Akingbohungbe, Executive Director of WIMBIZ, delivered a poised and welcoming introduction that set a purposeful tone for the day’s proceedings. Then, one after the other, every member of the WIMBIZ team and invited media personalities stood up to introduce themselves. It was refreshing to see faces put to the names behind the powerful brand that continues to support women in management, business, and public service across Nigeria.

Following the WIMBIZ team introductions, attention shifted to the other guests in the room, particularly the invited media personalities. Each person had a moment to introduce themselves, their platforms, and what they hoped to gain from being part of the event. This created an immediate sense of community and shared purpose among everyone present. Following the introductions, the conversation shifted into an engaging Q&A session.. Attendees eagerly asked about WIMBIZ’s current projects, plans, and opportunities for collaboration. The responses from the team were thoughtful and inspiring, shedding light on WIMBIZ’s commitment to empowering women and creating lasting impact across industries. Among the notable inquiries, the Business Verge representative posed two important questions that struck at the core of WIMBIZ’s mission:

•  What would you say is the biggest misconception about women in leadership that WIMBIZ is working to change?
•  How does WIMBIZ measure the impact of its programs on women’s leadership and development across Nigeria?

Rolake Akinkugbe-Filani, a member of the Wimbiz board of Trustees, responded saying, “Over the last two decades, the economic and business case for having women in leadership has been made. Inclusive leadership enhances the bottom line of the economy. It contributes to economic development. One of the biggest misconceptions is that encouraging more women in leadership is Tokenism. Any time there is a conversation about having more women in different facets of life, the issue of why we are pushing that gender quota comes up. Whereas what people often miss is that there is data to support the fact that inclusion makes business sense. On the issue of how we measure our impact, this is mainly through the testimonials given by the people who have attended these programs and also through the genuine improvements and developments of those women who these programs have impacted.”

According to Omowunmi Akingbohungbe, the executive director of WIMBIZ, on the issue of measuring impact. She says, “For everyone that registers, there is always a testimony of coming from not knowing about a certain concept to being very informed and having clear directions on what to do. We’ve had people sign up for our mentorship program, listing out their expectations and confirming whether their expectations were met or not afterwards. We also act as accountability partners for our delegates.”

Bisi Adeyemi, the chairman of WIMBIZ Board of Trustees, says the specific measurement of WIMBIZ and its impact of its programs on women’s leadership and development across Nigeria is something that needs to be carefully looked into, as that is an area that has not been paid much attention. She said, “Data is oil, it’s money, so we will start measuring our impacts so that the next time we have this conversation, we can tell you for sure, how many people we have impacted and what the real and actual measurable impact is. In addition, a benchmarking process and self-assessment process to ensure that we have actual data moving forward.”

The meeting was not just all work with a serious agenda. Fun games were introduced, leading to lots of laughter and bonding moments. These games were not only entertaining but also helped people loosen up and connect on a more personal level. There was also time set aside for networking after the question-and-answer session. Guests moved around the room, exchanging contacts, discussing shared interests, and finding ways they could work together in the future. It was clear that beyond the formal talks, meaningful connections were being built.

The meeting ended on a high note, with guests leaving feeling inspired, appreciated, and connected. WIMBIZ once again showed why it remains a leader in creating spaces where women can thrive professionally and personally. Events like this not only strengthen networks but also remind everyone that collaboration and genuine community can drive real change.