30 NOV – 2 DEC, 2027
NNAMDI AZIKWE INT’L AIRPORT, ABUJA

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ADVISORY BOARD

NIA brings to you a host of thought-leadership who are experts and practitioners in their various fields.

BISI SHUAIBU

Awwal Gambo
AWWAL ZUBAIRU GAMBO

Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo (Rtd.) is a distinguished naval officer and former Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Nigerian Navy, appointed in January 2021, where he led one of the most transformative eras in Nigeria’s maritime security landscape. A specialist in Underwater Warfare with a subspecialisation in Intelligence, he brought deep operational insight and strategic clarity to Nigeria’s maritime defence priorities, particularly at a time of heightened security challenges.

Throughout his tenure, Vice Admiral Gambo championed reforms aimed at strengthening the Nigerian Navy’s operational readiness, intelligence capability and fleet expansion. He spearheaded initiatives that enhanced surveillance of Nigeria’s maritime domain, intensified anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Guinea and improved inter-agency collaboration for coastal defence. His leadership also oversaw advancements in naval procurement, technology integration and workforce professionalism; an initiatives that collectively contributed to Nigeria’s improved maritime security posture.

bria-pro
BRIA O. WILLIAMS

Bria Okonkwo is a Kaizen-Spirited Executive with hybrid management skills and strategic understanding to drive businesses especially in emerging markets. Bria brings to the table a wealth of knowledge across borders and industries. She is a successful Entrepreneur and a prolific IT/Business consultant with an in-depth foundation in aviation, innovation and technology. With over 18 years of consulting experience for major international companies across various industries. A strong innovator abreast with new technology solutions and ideas which she has championed and helped various start-ups, she currently sits on the board of various companies and as a lead mentor in Innovation and Technology for Mentor X-Africa.

Dr-Nkem-Okeke-MD-Web
DR. NKEM OKEKE
Dr. Nkem Okeke is a global serial entrepreneur, investor, global health & economic development strategist. She has a successful career spanning over two decades with expertise in cost containment & financing innovation for a $2 billion portfolio & delivering over $150 cost savings.
Currently through her healthcare companies (Medicalincs & Healthlincs), Dr. Nkem and her team advise and support healthcare government leaders and organizations on strategic solutions to enhance implementation framework strategy, improve operational efficiencies and outcomes, and increase revenue volume/revenue streams. Although Dr. Nkem began & enjoyed her career in clinical practice, she decided to take an unconventional path that combines her love for transformative care delivery, and her passion for business & economic development. She expanded her career from the patient bedside to business administration, to diaspora-backed economic development.
BIND Associates is her brainchild through which she drives an innovative approach to leverage the collective entrepreneurial prowess of high net-worth diaspora firms to drive business growth, investments, & economic growth in Africa. Within the first 17 months of BIND’s existence, under her leadership, BIND is a conglomerate of 20+ diaspora & African businesses and 5 key partners - representing 8 African countries, across 10 industry sectors - with a collective revenue of $250+ million, and trade agreements in 2 African countries – and growing!
She currently serves on a number of boards and advisory councils including: Board Trustee of the Nigeria International Air Show, Black Women's Health Imperative, International Committee Member – DC Chamber of Commerce, Maryland Health Care Commission Advisory Council member on Primary Care Transformation (appointed by the Maryland Secretary of Health, Board Trustee of Lasell Village, Maryland Dental Action Coalition, and Member of the Forbes Business Council.

Dr Adeolu Adeboye

Dr. Adeolu Adeboye is a dynamic entrepreneur and corporate leader with over three decades of experience spanning technology, construction, retail, fashion, power and infrastructure development. His career reflects a blend of innovation, strategic leadership, and resilience, making him a prominent figure in Nigeria’s business landscape.