NAPG Summit equips Administrative Professionals for strategic impact and the AI-driven workplace

The Network of Administrative Professionals Ghana has successfully held the Administrative Professionals Summit 2026, bringing together administrative and executive support professionals for two days of learning, collaboration and practical professional development.

Held on 8 and 9 October 2026 under the theme, “Positioning for Greater Impact,” the summit challenged participants to move beyond task execution and position themselves as strategic contributors who create measurable organisational value.

The virtual first day attracted over 90 participants, while about 85 delegates attended the in-person Impact Lab and practical workshop at Palms by Eagle in Accra on the second day.

Participating organisations included the Volta River Authority, University of Ghana Medical Centre, National Communications Authority, Benso Oil Palm Plantation PLC, The Bank Hospital, Social Security and National Insurance Trust, Meridian Ports Authority, African Center for Economic Transformation, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Accra Technical University and University of Cape Coast,Ho Technical University, West African Gas Pipeline among others.

Treat yourself as a professional asset

Delivering the Day 1 keynote, leadership developer, author and executive coach Yawa Hansen-Quao spoke on “Advancing Influence: What Modern Organisations Need—and How High-Impact Administrative Professionals Deliver It.”

She encouraged administrative professionals to “treat themselves as assets” by deliberately investing in their development, strengthening their expertise and adapting to changes in technology and the workplace.

She explained that while artificial intelligence may transform many administrative responsibilities, organisations will continue to need professionals who combine technical competence with sound judgement, communication, emotional intelligence and strong interpersonal abilities.

Participants were challenged to identify opportunities for specialisation, use technology to amplify their capabilities and communicate more confidently how their work contributes to organisational performance.

International panel examines administrative excellence

Day 1 also featured an international panel discussion titled “Behind Every High-Performing Organisation: The Strategic Role of Administrative Excellence.”

The panel brought together Clara Chukwu, Founder of Boss Behind The Boss, Nigeria; Shireen Dreyer, an administrative operations, governance and business administration professional from South Africa; and Amber Portis, Founder and CEO of A.Greenhouse Agency, United States.

The panellists explored what distinguishes high-impact administrative professionals from those who simply complete assigned tasks. They highlighted business awareness, anticipation, relationship-building, problem-solving and the ability to connect everyday responsibilities to organisational priorities.

They also encouraged professionals to maintain a record of their achievements and explain their contribution through outcomes such as time saved, costs reduced, delays prevented and decisions supported.

Following the panel, participants entered breakout rooms to identify practical actions administrative professionals could take to create and demonstrate greater organisational value.

Making administrative impact visible

Elizabeth Sutkowska of Poland, founder of Assistologist, delivered the final Day 1 presentation on “From Invisible to Indispensable: How Administrative Professionals Drive Measurable Organisational Results.”

She explained that much of the value created by administrative professionals remains invisible because organisations frequently focus on their most visible tasks instead of their judgement, coordination and contribution to leadership effectiveness.

Elizabeth introduced participants to her AI-powered Task Category Navigator, which classifies administrative responsibilities as operational, tactical or strategic and helps professionals describe their work in terms of action, results and business impact.

She also demonstrated the Executive Assistant ROI Calculator, a platform designed to measure indicators such as executive time saved, utilisation, potential organisational gains and return on investment.

Her presentation encouraged participants to document their work consistently and use evidence to support career-development, performance and promotion discussions.

Practical learning and AI application

Day 2 moved from thought leadership to practical and collaborative learning.

Maame Ekua Gaisey, Managing Partner of FiveSixFive, challenged participants to take ownership of their development and apply learning intentionally in the workplace. She introduced the EDGE approach, encouraging professionals to evaluate themselves, develop intentionally, grow through application and elevate their contribution.

The AI Application Challenge, facilitated by Thelma Obimpe, placed delegates into groups to examine administrative workplace scenarios and develop practical solutions using artificial intelligence.

The exercise encouraged participants to look beyond using AI to draft emails and consider its application in planning, information management, analysis, workflow improvement and problem-solving.

AI trainer and advocate Obed Oduro Adjei subsequently led a practical workshop on AI-powered productivity systems, agentic AI and automation.

He demonstrated how administrative professionals could use emerging technologies to reduce repetitive work, improve efficiency and create more capacity for responsibilities requiring judgement, creativity and human interaction.

Participants also received practical workbooks containing reflection exercises and workplace-improvement tools to support the continued application of lessons from the summit.

Recognising professional contribution

The summit concluded with awards recognising outstanding NAPG members for their contributions to the association and the administrative profession.

A special certificate was presented to Ms Stella Akyere-Takyi, Assistant Administrative Services Manager at Benso Oil Palm Plantation PLC, as the summit’s most active participant.

NAPG President Rebecca A. Afful said the summit was designed to help administrative professionals recognise that their work extends beyond traditional support.

Administrative professionals influence how information moves, how decisions are implemented, how executives use their time and how consistently organisations deliver on their priorities.

Developed around the creative concept “The Team Behind the Team,” the summit celebrated the professionals whose coordination, strategic thinking, innovation and leadership help organisations succeed.

The programme was supported by HQ Consulting and FiveSixFive, together with speakers, panellists, facilitators, moderators, NAPG executives and volunteers.

With contributors from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, the United States and Poland, the summit combined international perspectives with practical insights relevant to the Ghanaian workplace.

The Network of Administrative Professionals Ghana is a nonprofit professional association committed to advancing the administrative profession and supporting the growth of administrative and executive support professionals in Ghana.

Through professional development, industry events, networking, career resources and advocacy, NAPG equips professionals to remain relevant and create greater value within their organisations.

For more information, visit www.napgh.org or email [email protected].