…as GAH Awards celebrates policymakers, business and cultural figures
African leaders, business executives and policymakers have called for homegrown solutions to the continent’s economic and social challenges. This was at the 13th Global Achievers Honour (GAH) Awards and Business Summit opened in Lagos.
The event, themed “Africa Reimagined: Innovation, Inclusion & Sustainable Growth,” brought together leaders from government, aviation, culture, and development to push a message of African-led growth, stronger institutions, and inclusive progress.
Speaking at the summit, Princess Kelechi Oghene, the Convener, said the GAH platform had grown beyond an awards ceremony into a continental movement focused on empowerment and measurable impact.
“For 13 uninterrupted editions, this platform has stood where excellence meets responsibility,” Oghene said. “Africa’s future will not be written by outsiders. It will be written by Africans who understand that progress is a responsibility.”
She said the GAH ecosystem, which includes the GHA Elite Club and social impact initiatives, has empowered more than 12,000 women and youths through skills training and economic support programs.
Allen Onyema, founder and CEO of Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest airline operator, used his keynote remarks to warn that Africa must stop depending on foreign solutions, especially in aviation and trade.
“Nobody will fight for Africa except Africans,” Onyema said. “If you think others will save us, you are wasting your time.”
The CEO highlighted structural barriers facing African airlines, including high borrowing costs, insurance premiums, and heavy taxation. He said Nigerian airlines borrow at interest rates as high as 35 percent, compared with 2–3 percent in developed markets, making competition uneven.
He welcomed recent government steps to remove a four percent import duty on aircraft and spare parts, calling it a “positive signal” for local carriers.
Onyema warned that without broader tax reforms ahead of Nigeria’s new tax framework in 2026, more airlines could collapse.
“Our airlines are not expensive by choice,” he said. “Excessive taxes are killing connectivity, jobs, and investment.”
Cultural leadership also featured strongly at the summit. Olori Ronke Ademiluyi-Ogunwusi, representing the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, said Africa’s heritage must serve as the foundation for innovation and global relevance.
“Culture is not our past. It is our future,” she said. “Innovation and tradition must grow together.”
From the public sector, Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, represented by Mouktar Mohammed Lugga, his Chief of Staff, said governance reforms were central to rebuilding trust and attracting investment in fragile regions.
“Investment does not go where the government is weak,” Lugga said. He pointed to improved budget transparency, digitisation of public services, and infrastructure renewal as signs that Zamfara’s narrative was changing.
Lugga said the state was shifting from raw material exports to value-added production, while prioritising women, youth, and rural communities. “Inclusion is not charity,” he said. “It is the foundation of stability and growth.”
Other speakers addressed gender justice, entrepreneurship, culture, and faith-based development, reinforcing the summit’s core message: Africa’s growth depends on strong leadership, inclusive policies, and local solutions.
Award recipients included Anthony Attah, managing director of Renaissance Africa; Obiora Gregory Okonkwo, chairman of United Nigeria Airlines; Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo; Zamfara Governor Dauda Lawal; and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.
Others honoured were women’s rights advocate Joe Okei-Odumakin; legal luminaries Femi Falana and Senator Ajibola Basiru; fashion entrepreneur Olori Aderonke Ademiluyi Ogunwusi; business leader Princess Olatorera Majekodunmi-Oniru; and real estate entrepreneur, Kennedy Okonkwo.
Institutions recognised included Wema Bank, the Bank of Industry, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, Amstel Malt, R.T. Briscoe Nigeria Plc, Incel Tourism, and Bare2Beauty Cosmetics, reflecting a broad mix of public and private sector leadership.
As the event closed, organisers said the challenge now was turning ideas into action. “Celebration is not enough,” Oghene said. “Transformation is the goal.”
