ADF and WEF young global leaders convene in Lagos to advance continental investment and industrial scale

Industrial titans, capital market executives, and international delegates gathered at Access Tower in Lagos on Friday, 11 September 2026, for the Finance and Investment anchor of the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) / World Economic Forum (WEF) Young Global Leaders Africa-Diaspora Leadership Programme.

The session served as the intellectual centerpiece of the cohort’s Building Africa at Scale Learning Journey following a comprehensive site visit to the Dangote Refinery. The private gathering focused on unlocking innovative funding structures, deepening capital markets, and expanding equity participation in mega-projects across Africa.

The distinguished gathering was hosted by Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, Chairman of Access Holdings and Coronation Group, alongside prominent leaders including Zouera Youssoufou, MD/CEO of ADF; Innocent C. Ike, GCEO, Access Holdings; Murat Erden, Group CFO of Dangote Industries Limited; David Bird, MD/CEO of Dangote Refinery; Temi Popoola, MD/CEO of NGX Group; Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, Group Chairman of NGX Group; Chuka Eseka, Group MD/CEO of Vetiva Capital Management; and Chinwe Egwim, Chief Economist at First Bank of Nigeria.

The session addressed the critical shift required from short-term financing to long-term asset creation, identifying deepened capital markets and equity participation as essential steps to securing continental self-reliance.

Addressing delegates on the responsibility of emerging African and diaspora leaders, host Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede emphasised:
“Audacious projects redefine national logistics and foreign exchange dynamics. Our collective task is to move from episodic successes to continuous, structured execution. The next generation of Africa’s global leaders must combine bold vision with disciplined resilience to build institutions that endure.”

Commenting on the market development implications, Temi Popoola, MD/CEO of NGX Group, highlighted the imperative for broad-based investor participation:

“Deepening domestic capital markets and broadening asset ownership are essential for sustainable economic transformation. By creating transparent avenues for institutional and retail investors to participate in scale projects, we retain value locally and catalyze broader wealth creation across the continent.”

The proceedings directly feed into international working groups scheduled for New York during the upcoming United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) week, establishing a continuous framework for engaging diaspora capital and global institutional investors.