The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), a leading voice of advocacy in the organized private sector in Nigeria and the AIESEC Alumni Nigeria (AAN), a non-profit organization that brings together previous members of AIESEC, the largest youth-run association, are set to play host to this year’s edition of the prestigious Omolayole Management Lecture, the 37th in the series.

The high profile, hybrid event, will take place simultaneously at the LCCI Auditorium, as well as on ZOOM, and Facebook Live from 3pm, Thursday 30th September 2021.

The lecture will have in attendance guests from diverse sectors of the economy, including CEOs of blue chip corporations, management gurus, related government agencies, Nigeria diaspora community and financial institutions. The theme for this year’s lecture is “African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA):  Prospects for African Youth Leadership”.

According to Dr. Chinyere Almona, the Director General of the host institution, the 37th OML Committee President, the OML series is held annually in honor of Dr. Michael Omolayole in recognition of his numerous contributions and selfless service towards the development of the indigenous managerial leadership in multinational companies across Nigeria, and the exemplary roles he played and continues to play towards nation building through management and education.

“Dr. Michael Omolayole was the first Nigerian Chairman/Managing Director of Lever Brothers Nigeria Plc. (now Unilever Nigeria Plc.); he is also the first and only African to sit as a member of the Board of Advisors of AIESEC International in Brussels and Chairman of the National Board of Advisors of AIESEC Nigeria. As a Consultant to the World Bank, Chairman/Director (past and present) of numerous multinational companies, former Member Presidential Advisory Committee, and Member, The Committee of 25 on Higher Education in Nigeria; his contributions through service to humanity are invaluable.”

She explained that the annual lecture is a brainchild of AIESEC Alumni Nigeria as part of its activities and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, aimed at addressing socio-economic issues of national and international concerns.

As lead, AIESEC Alumni Nigeria is organizing the Omolayole Management Lecture in collaboration with four other notable organizations, in which Dr. Michael Omolayole has played a significant role over the years. The partners include Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM), Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM), and Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA).

Dr. Almona further stated that “AIESEC Alumni Nigeria (AAN) is a nonprofit organization and the world’s largest youth-run organization that helps university students explore and develop their leadership potential. It has a presence in over 1,700 universities across 110 countries and territories. AIESEC aims to promote social understanding, management skills development, entrepreneurship, and transformative youth leadership.”