*As nominations portal closes for WES 2025 Awards for Outstanding Economic Impacts
All is set for the annual WorldStage Economic Summit 2025 on Friday November 21, 2025 at The Event Centre, Nigerian Exchange Limited, 2/4 Customs Street, Lagos by 10am, with top experts from the public, private and academia set to address the theme: Tackling the Issue of Low Productivity in Nigeria.
According to a statement by the organisers, World Stage Limited, a research and technology driven Africa focused firm, among the top chief executives that have confirmed participation in the summit include Dr. Olasupo Olusi, Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Industry (BoI); Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director-General, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Mr. Adewale Smatt-Oyerinde, Director General, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA).
The statement also said that Dr Abidemi Adegboye, an academia from the University of Lagos, Nigeria will deliver a researched paper on why Nigeria’s economy has been trapped in low productivity over the years.
The statement confirmed that the online nominations by stakeholders including the media for the WES 2025 Awards for Outstanding Economic Impacts has closed.
It said winners from different sectors of the economy have been notified and will be presented with Certificates for Outstanding Economic Impacts during the summit.
WES is conceived to address economic challenges through diagnoses and application of practicable solutions with public and private sector engagement in a research and innovation driven platform to inspire new thinking in business initiative, policy formulation/implementation, economic reform and development.
Top corporate institutions that are supporting WES 2025 include Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX), NLNG, Zenith Bank, Access Bank, Polaris Bank, Fidelity Bank, Sterling Bank, Shara Group and Ecobank.
Other critical stakeholders for economic productivity expected to take the front seats at the summit include federal, state governments and private bodies responsible for food production, technology transfer, job creation, energy supply, blue economy, banking and export promotion.
The statement said, the summit will specifically attract those in the manufacturing, oil and gas, housing, agriculture, and water resources, banking, insurance, maritime, ICT, aviation, mining, hospitality & tourism, health care, education, transportation, local and foreign investors, and the media.
Mr. Segun Adeleye, President/CEO, World Stage Limited said one of the biggest challenges facing Nigeria’s economy is low productivity.
“Even-though many are working, almost half of Nigerians are estimated to be poor, living below the national poverty line with multidimensional poverty at 63% and income poverty at 40%, just because the right jobs are not available,” he said.
“The question being asked by many is that if Nigeria’s economy is transforming, does the transformation deliver higher productivity jobs to raise living standards?”
He explained that WES 2025 will provide a template to discuss evidence-based policies to generate jobs that can lift people out of poverty; legislative intervention to curb annual economic loss through multiple public holidays; ideas on how to boost earnings in activities that are currently low productivity and small scale activities such as in farm and non-farm household enterprises; a stable macro environment, requiring a continuation of fiscal and exchange rate reforms that will inspire better integrating firms into global value chains and attracting foreign direct investment; further opening of the economy to international trade by removing trade restrictions and improving trade facilitation, as well as ensuring skills are aligned with the economy’s needs; design and implement national skills programs aimed at upskilling young Nigerians, to ensure many more embrace digital skills and capabilities; upgrading infrastructure as key ingredients of an effective policy mix; aggressive integration of mineral resources into national income generation stream to benefit from the opportunities presented by AfCFTA; financing structural transformation with accelerated domestic resource mobilisation through reforming tax administration.
WES has always been a hub of opportunity, an unparalleled platform for networking, learning, and adapting. It is an invaluable experience that brings together public, industry leaders and like-minded professionals.
