360 Woman Africa Marks 10 Years with THE 360 Woman Africa Annual Conference 2026, Calls on Women to Shape the AI Economy in Africa

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Read History Go to My Account Log Out Enhanced by Google Partner content 360 Woman Africa Marks 10 Years with THE 360 Woman Africa Annual Conference 2026, Calls on Women to Shape the AI Economy in Africa The organisation’s eighth annual conference and 10th year anniversary brought together over 1,000 women, business leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals in

Listen to this article Share The organisation’s eighth annual conference and 10th year anniversary brought together over 1,000 women, business leaders, entrepreneurs and professionals in Lagos to explore women’s relevance in an AI-intelligent world.

LAGOS, NIGERIA: More than 1,000 women, including entrepreneurs, business leaders, professionals and emerging leaders, gathered in Lagos on Saturday, October 31, 2026, as 360 Woman Africa celebrated its tenth anniversary with the eighth edition of its annual conference, THE SHIFT 2026.

Held at the Glitz Event Centre, Oniru, Lekki, under the theme, “THE SHIFT: Designing Women’s Relevance in an AI-Intelligent World,” the conference examined how women can respond to the transformation of business, work and leadership driven by artificial intelligence, and position themselves to shape the opportunities emerging from it.

For Dr. Yvonne Chioma Ofodile, Founder and Convener of 360 Woman Africa, the theme reflected the need to bring conversations around AI closer to women and equip them with the understanding and practical knowledge to apply the technology in their businesses, careers and everyday lives.

“We wanted this year’s conference to speak to the present and the future. AI is already changing how we live, work and do business, and women must be part of shaping that change. It is not enough to know that AI exists; women need to understand how it works, how to deploy it and how to use it to create opportunities for themselves and their businesses,” Dr. Yvonne Chioma Ofodile said.

The keynote address by Mrs. Ibukun Awosika, former Chairman of First Bank of Nigeria and Founder of The Chair Centre Group, reinforced the importance of continuous growth and personal development in remaining relevant.

Speaking on “Relevance is Built, Not Given: Lessons in Leading Through Every Shift,” Awosika challenged participants to take responsibility for their professional growth, stressing that relevance must be continually earned through consistency, trust and the renewal of one’s capabilities.

“Don’t make your inconsistency make you easily replaceable,” she told participants, reminding them that relevance is dynamic and requires a commitment to continuous improvement.

Taking the conversation into the practical application of technology, Dr. Olubayo Adekanmbi, Founder and CEO of Data Science Nigeria and Co-Founder and CEO of EqualyzAI, shared insights on AI, data and how women can position themselves to benefit from emerging opportunities.

He emphasised that understanding AI goes beyond knowing how to operate a tool. It requires knowing what the technology can do and how to communicate with it effectively to solve real problems.

“AI is a powerful tool, but its value goes beyond simply knowing how to use it. You need to understand what the technology does, how to communicate with it and how to apply it to solve real problems. As technology continues to evolve, continuous learning is essential to remaining relevant,” Dr. Adekanmbi said.

The conference also explored sustainable business leadership through a session by Mrs. Tara Fela-Durotoye, Founder of House of Tara International. Speaking on resilience and intentional leadership, she highlighted the importance of building businesses with systems and structures that can function beyond their founders.

“If your business stops functioning in your absence, then you haven’t built a system that can outlive you,” she said, encouraging entrepreneurs to invest in people, processes and structures that support business continuity and long-term growth.

These conversations continued through two panel sessions. The first, “From Users to Builders: Women Designing Africa’s AI Economy,” featured Solape Akinpelu (CEO,Hervest), Ahunna Ogunedo and Prince Nnamdi Ekeh – Group CEO of Konga Group, with Linda Ochugba as moderator.

The second, “Leading Through the Shift: Leadership, Wealth and Influence in an AI-Intelligent Economy,” featured Bankole Williams, Obehi Ojeaga and Juliet Nsikan-Iyanam, moderated by Oyeyemi Aderibigbe.

One of the notable moments came during Prince Nnamdi Ekeh’s session, when a participant raised a question about her corporate social responsibility initiative.

Ekeh offered to become her first investor, illustrating how access, conversations and meaningful connections can create opportunities beyond the conference room.

As 360 Woman Africa enters its next decade, our focus is on creating even greater opportunities for women to build their capacity, strengthen their influence and access the networks and resources they need to thrive in business, leadership and the wider economy.

The message of THE SHIFT 2026 was clear: the future is being shaped now, and women must be part of shaping it.

THE SHIFT IS NOT COMING. YOU ARE THE SHIFT.

360 Woman Africa is a nonprofit organisation focused on advancing women’s leadership and enterprise development through skills training, mentorship, advocacy and access to opportunities. Founded by Dr. Yvonne Chioma Ofodile, the organisation is marking 10 years of equipping women with the knowledge, networks and capacity to thrive in business and leadership.