LBS To Promote Sustainability, Governance Of African Family-Owned Businesses

The Lagos Business School (LBS), on Monday, expressed its intention to host the 2026 International Family Business Conference (IFBC), focusing on governance, culture, and sustainability of African family-owned businesses.

The conference, scheduled for March 26, 2026, in Lagos, is part of a long-term, strategic plan to shape the future of family businesses across Africa.

Speaking at the official press briefing, the director of the LBS Family Business Initiative, Dr Okey Nwuke, emphasised that the conference aims to address ongoing challenges, including governance gaps, succession issues, cultural mismatches, and the lack of professionalised systems.

“Since family-owned enterprises make up over 80 per cent of private companies on the continent and play a vital role in employment and community development, the conference aims to address ongoing challenges, including governance gaps, succession issues, cultural mismatches, and the lack of professionalised systems.”

Nwuke highlighted the deliberate and evolving structure of the IFBC themes over the years: in 2024, the conference focused on ‘From Family Enterprise to Family Institution: Climbing the Longevity Ladder’, emphasizing institutional thinking; in 2025, it shifted to ‘Preparing the Next Generation for Stewardship: Building a Lasting Legacy’, stressing successor readiness and leadership transition; and now, in 2026, it takes a significant step forward with the theme ‘Beyond Survival: Governance & Culture as the Foundation of Lasting Family Legacies’, focusing on the core behaviors, discipline, and shared values that turn governance frameworks into living practices.

The School said that “the founder and chairman of Channels Media Group, Mr John Momoh, will be the keynote speaker for IFBC 2026. His distinguished career demonstrates ethical leadership, strong governance, and institution-building—qualities essential to the goals of African family-owned businesses.

“The conference will also feature a remarkable lineup of speakers, including past chairman, KPMG Africa, Mr. Kunle Elebute; Barr. Bernadette Eyisi (Sims Group), Mrs. Toyin Bakare (SAS Textiles), Engr. Alfred Okoigun (Arco Petroleum), Mrs Kemi Ojenike (Meristem Family Office), Dr Belinda Nwosu (Lagos Business School), Mazi Okechukwu Ikoro (Camela Vegetable Oil), among others. Their collective expertise will enrich discussions on governance, succession, and the changing landscape of African family businesses.”

Nwuke recognised the media’s vital role in shaping public understanding of the family business sector. He highlighted that the stories journalists choose to feature, about resilience, conflict resolution, innovation, continuity, and transformation, directly impact policy discussions, societal views, and intergenerational trust.

He urged the press to keep spotlighting the significant potential and positive economic influence of family-owned companies in Africa.

Beyond the March conference, LBS announced a comprehensive calendar of family business programs for 2026, including a series of topical webinars on emerging challenges; a three-day seminar in May 2026 on ‘Managing a Family Business to Last Beyond Its Founders’; and two intensive programs on ‘Governance and Succession in Family Business’ scheduled for June and October 2026, aimed at providing practical, hands-on insights for both family members and non-family executives.

The LBS Family Business Initiative remains dedicated to providing African families with the tools, knowledge, and structures needed to create lasting legacies.