UPYOUWOMEN 2026: Women to gather in Lagos for purpose, impact, future readiness

Mercy Iheoma Ihedigbo

Women from across Nigeria, Africa and the global diaspora are expected to converge on Lagos later this month as the UPYOUWOMEN Conference 2026 returns for its fourth edition with a renewed focus on purpose, leadership, economic empowerment and the future of work.

The two-day conference, scheduled for Friday, August 28, and Saturday, August 29, 2026, will take place at the Orchid & Lantana Halls of the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotels & Suites, Lagos.

The conference, with the theme “ALIGNED: Positioned for Purpose and Impact,” is designed to provide women with opportunities for reflection, personal development, networking, leadership development and practical skills needed to navigate an increasingly complex social and economic environment.

Organisers said the 2026 edition is expected to build on the impact of the previous three editions, which they described as having transformed lives, inspired action, created meaningful connections and encouraged women to overcome limitations.

According to the organisers, UPYOUWOMEN has grown beyond an annual conference into a movement focused on helping women live intentionally, lead authentically and create meaningful impact in their families, workplaces, businesses and communities.

The 2026 edition is particularly centred on the need for women to achieve greater clarity about their identities, purpose and next steps while developing the capacity and confidence required to translate their potential into measurable impact.

In a statement, Chairman of the Board of Advisors, Julia Oku Jacks, said the need for platforms that provide women with clarity, community, capacity and confidence had become increasingly important.

“Women today are navigating unprecedented opportunities and unprecedented challenges. More than ever before, they need clarity, community, capacity, and confidence,” she said.

Jacks explained that the conference had been deliberately designed to help women reconnect with their purpose and position themselves for sustainable impact.

“This year’s theme is a call to alignment—a call for women to reconnect with purpose and position themselves for lasting impact,” she added.

The conference will feature an array of national and international thought leaders, entrepreneurs, executives, innovators, industry experts and transformational voices.

Among those expected to participate are Amb. Khadijah Okunnu, Prof. Joy Ada Onyesoh, Alibaba Akpobome, Michelle McKinney Hammond, ‘Seyi Jolayemi (SDJ), Dr. Eden A. Onwuka, Iquo Ukoh, Dr. Ronke Posh Adeniyi, Karen Ifeoma Ubani-Alli, Dr. Omotola Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi, Obinna Onunkwo and Dr. Nike Folagbade.

The speakers are expected to lead discussions around leadership, entrepreneurship, purpose discovery, resilience, influence, economic empowerment, personal growth, emotional wellbeing, faith, innovation and the changing nature of work.

The organisers said the sessions would go beyond motivational conversations by providing participants with practical insights and tools that could be applied to their personal and professional lives.
Convener of the conference, Ezinne Kufre-Ekanem, said the central objective was to help women move from uncertainty to clarity and from potential to purposeful action.

“We are gathering women into clarity. Clarity about who they are. Clarity about what matters. Clarity about their purpose. Clarity about their next step,” Kufre-Ekanem said.

She added: “When a woman gains clarity, she becomes aligned. When she becomes aligned, she becomes unstoppable. UPYOUWOMEN Conference 2026 is designed to help women move from confusion to clarity, from potential to purpose, and from intention to impact.”

A major feature of this year’s edition is a strategic collaboration with the MTN Foundation, which is expected to extend the benefits of the conference beyond the two-day physical gathering.

Through the partnership, attendees will gain access to the MTN Skills Academy (MSA), a digital learning platform powered by Coursera, where participants can access training and certifications at no cost.

The organisers said the initiative would provide women with opportunities to develop future-ready skills in areas including data analytics, digital marketing, software development, project management, entrepreneurship and employability skills.

Participants will be able to learn at their own pace while acquiring practical knowledge and certifications that could improve their competitiveness in the labour market, strengthen their businesses and open new entrepreneurial and career opportunities.

The organisers said the partnership underscores their belief that the impact of a conference should not end when participants leave the venue.

Rather, they said, the knowledge, skills, networks and opportunities generated through the conference should continue to produce results in the lives and careers of participating women.

The conference has also attracted support from organisations and brands including Stanbic IBTC, Three Crowns Milk and Nigerian Breweries, among other sponsors and partners.

The organisers expressed appreciation to the sponsors and partners for supporting initiatives focused on women’s advancement and sustainable impact.

Beyond keynote addresses and panel discussions, the 2026 conference will also feature a marketplace where women-led businesses and partner organisations will showcase products, services, innovations and other opportunities.

The marketplace is expected to provide exhibitors with direct access to professionals, entrepreneurs, executives, decision-makers and emerging leaders attending the conference.

Organisations, brands, development agencies and businesses interested in reaching a diverse community of women are also being invited to participate as exhibitors, sponsors and strategic partners.

Another important feature of the conference is its hybrid format, which will allow participants to attend physically in Lagos or participate virtually from anywhere in the world.

The organisers said the hybrid structure reflects the growing Pan-African and international outlook of UPYOUWOMEN while allowing women who cannot travel to Lagos to benefit from the programme.

They described the conference as a platform for transformation, leadership, growth and impact, stressing that its long-term objective is to help women discover direction for their purpose and create opportunities for their potential to find expression.

With the 2026 edition scheduled for August 28 and 29, preparations are already underway for what the organisers describe as a significant gathering of women committed to intentional living, authentic leadership and meaningful impact.

Registration for the paid conference is currently open, with both physical and virtual participation available.