Speakers & Guests

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR is the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Special Guest of Honour for the 54th MAN AGM. His administration's economic and industrial policy agenda gives particular importance to productive capacity, investment, infrastructure, trade, and private-sector-led growth.

Before assuming office as President, he served as Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, where he led major public-sector reforms, strengthened state revenue systems, and helped lay institutional foundations for Lagos as Nigeria's commercial centre. He had earlier served in the Senate during Nigeria's Third Republic and was active in the democratic movement that preceded the return to civilian rule in 1999.

President Tinubu's presence at the AGM underscores the national significance of the theme, "Leveraging National Industrial Policy to Position Nigeria as Africa's Industrial Hub", and the importance of government-industry partnership in deepening local manufacturing, job creation, competitiveness, and patronage of Made-in-Nigeria products.

Senator John Owan Enoh serves as Minister of State for Industry in the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. In that role, he supports the Federal Government's industrialisation priorities, including policy execution for manufacturing growth, investment promotion, enterprise development, and improved competitiveness of Nigerian industry.

He is a public servant and former legislator from Cross River State. His public career has included service in the Cross River State House of Assembly, the House of Representatives, and the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where he represented Cross River Central Senatorial District. He has also served in the Federal Executive Council, including as Minister of Sports Development before his assignment to the Industry portfolio.

At the MAN AGM, his participation connects the public session to the policy institutions responsible for industry, trade, investment, and the practical implementation of reforms needed to expand local manufacturing and increase patronage of Nigerian-made products.

Hon. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella is a distinguished development economist with vast experience in agricultural economics and energy transitions, and over 30 years of experience in international development. He is the former Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security of Sierra Leone. He is also Founder and CEO of The Energy Nexus Network (TENN), a regional ecosystem hub for sustainable energy solutions, and Chairman of the Energy Governance Committee.

He was a Member of Parliament from 2018 to 2023 and served on the Pan-African Parliament from 2018 to 2020. He is a member of the High-Level Group of the Africa-Europe Foundation and co-chair of the Africa Europe Foundation Strategy Group on Energy.

Dr. Yumkella previously served for two decades in the United Nations system, including as Under-Secretary-General and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, founding Chief Executive Officer of the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) Initiative from 2013 to 2015, and Chair of UN-Energy from 2007 to 2015. He also served two four-year terms as Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) from 2005 to 2013.

In these capacities, Dr. Yumkella helped mobilize global consensus for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 9, focused on access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, resilient infrastructure, inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and innovation.

He serves on several international advisory bodies, boards, and commissions, including the Rocky Mountain Institute, We Care Solar, World Bank ESMAP, Africa-Europe Energy Partnership, Climate Compatible Growth, the University of Loughborough MECS Programme, the Sustainable Energy for All Advisory Council, Women in Sustainability, Environment and Renewable Energy, and as Senior Adviser to the Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency.

Dr. Yumkella holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from Cornell University, and a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from Njala University, Sierra Leone.

Otunba Francis Meshioye, OFR is President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and Chief Host of the 54th Annual General Meeting. As MAN President, he provides leadership for the Association's advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and representation of manufacturers across Nigeria's industrial ecosystem.

His leadership is focused on strengthening the voice of manufacturers, deepening constructive engagement with government and development partners, and advancing practical policy solutions that support competitiveness, productivity, local value addition, job creation, and sustainable industrial growth.

As Chief Host, he welcomes delegates, member-companies, policy leaders, exhibitors, partners, and invited guests to the AGM and MiNE 2026 Exhibition, convened under the theme "Leveraging National Industrial Policy to Position Nigeria as Africa's Industrial Hub".