APPOEMN Urges Stronger Leadership, Sustainability, Professionalism in Events Industry

Funmi Ogundare

The Association of Professional Party Organisers and Event Managers of Nigeria (APPOEMN), yesterday called for greater focus on leadership, business sustainability, professional standards and the development of emerging talent.

The President of the Association of Professional Party Organisers and Event Managers of Nigeria (APPOEMN), Ayiri Oluwadumoye, made this call at the 9th edition of The Events Industry Conference (TEIC 9.0), themed, ‘The Great Reset: Reinventing the Event Industry’, in Lagos.

She urged stakeholders in the Nigerian events industry to demonstrate stronger leadership, professionalism and innovation in driving the sector’s growth.

The three-day conference brought together industry practitioners, business leaders and emerging professionals for executive learning, talent development and recognition of excellence in the events sector.

Ayiri said the event was more than an annual gathering but a platform for shaping the future of the industry, adding that the conversations, knowledge-sharing sessions and relationships established at the conference had reinforced the need for stakeholders to work collectively towards building a more professional, sustainable and globally competitive events industry in Nigeria.

According to her, “ the responsibility of advancing the sector does not rest solely on industry associations but requires the active participation of professionals and businesses across the value chain.

“As we look ahead, I encourage every participant to take the lessons and connections from TEIC 9.0 beyond the conference hall and translate them into better standards, stronger businesses, greater professionalism and more opportunities for those coming behind us,” she stated.

The president noted that Nigeria’s events industry had enormous potential, adding that the association would continue to provide platforms for capacity building, advocacy, collaboration and recognition of excellence.

“To the Nigerian event industry, our journey continues. There is enormous potential within our sector, and APPOEMN remains committed to providing platforms that promote capacity building, advocacy, collaboration and recognition of excellence,” Oluwadumoye added.

In her remarks, the Chairperson of the occasion and Chief Executive Officer of Omega Events, Gbemisola Ope, called for greater inclusion and participation across all segments of Nigeria’s events industry.

She stated that the annual conference remained important because of the continuous evolution of the events industry.

TEIC, she noted, had become a platform for industry stakeholders to learn, ask critical questions, build relationships and develop solutions to common challenges confronting the sector.

According to her, the conference has also contributed to stronger collaboration, improved commitment to professional standards, increased visibility for talent and opportunities for stakeholders to discuss ways of building stronger and more sustainable businesses.”

Ope, who is also the former president of the association said the focus of TEIC 10.0 should be on ensuring that stakeholders at different stages of their careers and businesses feel represented and have opportunities to contribute to the industry’s future.

“For TEIC 10.0, my strongest expectation is inclusion at every level. Whether you are just starting out or represent a business with generations of experience, from zero years to a100 years in the industry, you should feel that you belong and that your voice matters,” she stated.

She called for broader participation across specialisations, geographical regions and stages of business, noting that the learning and experiences at the conference should reflect the diverse realities of stakeholders in the industry.

The conference featured an executive masterclass, the TEIC FutureReady Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative, which focused on leadership, business growth, financial literacy, professional credibility, insurance, healthcare and the overall wellbeing of event professionals.

It challenged practitioners to look beyond individual projects and build sustainable businesses capable of navigating the pressures of an increasingly demanding and competitive industry.