By Henry Obetta

The Nasir Giwa Mentorship (NGM) platform will on Saturday, October 4, 2025, host its fourth annual youth conference at D’Podium International Event Centre, Ikeja, Lagos, under the theme “Bold Ideas, Fearless Execution.”

Chairman of the organising committee, Mr. Olayinka Yusuf, said the event aims to equip young Nigerians with skills to excel in their careers and drive meaningful change in their respective domains.

Yusuf stated that since its inception, the NGM Conference has convened more than 3,000 young Nigerians and over 50 local and international thought leaders, providing a platform for idea exchange, mentorship, and capacity building.

According to him, the Group Managing Director of Sahara Power Group and Chairman of Ikeja Electric, Mr Kola Adeshina will deliver the keynote address at the conference and he is expected to challenge young Nigerians to dream big and push boundaries in business and leadership.

The 2025 edition will also feature an impressive line-up of speakers, including: Bashir Koledoye, Founder/Managing Director, Dharmattan Nigeria Limited, Sarwi Rahaman, Head of Public Sector Sales, Airtel Nigeria, Fiyin Ogunlesi, Founder, RegalStone Capital, and Idris Ayodeji Bello, Founder, LoftyInc Capital.

Others are Olabimpe Afolabi, Partner, KPMG, Mohammed AbdulRazaq, Senior Vice President, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), Rashidat Adebisi, Chief Client Officer, AXA Mansard, and Deepankar Rustagi, Founder/CEO, OmniRetail Technologies.

Mubarak Mustapha, who is the Head of the Conference Communications team, disclosed that the one-day event will feature free health checks, workshops, networking sessions, panel discussions on technology and entrepreneurship, a fireside chat with a top industry leader and competitions designed to spotlight young talents.

“Entrepreneurs will compete for up to N1million in the SME Pitch Competition, while students will showcase innovative solutions at the Ideas Fair. A case study contest with a prize pool of N450,000 will also test participants’ problem-solving skills on real-world business challenges,”he added.

Mustapha urged young Nigerians to attend the conference, noting that it has been a turning point for many participants who attended previous editions.

According to him, the platform offers rare opportunities for networking, mentorship, and capacity building, helping young people gain the knowledge and confidence needed to excel in their chosen fields.

Founded by Engineer Nasir Giwa, the Coordinator of BUA Refinery, the NGM platform was established to support the growth of young people and counter negative stereotypes of Nigerian youths as lazy. Instead, it positions them as creative, energetic, and capable of driving national progress.

The platform targets undergraduates, recent graduates, and early- to mid-level career professionals, connecting them with mentors who have recorded success across various fields.