Young CEOs Challenged to Build Businesses That Outlive Them at NACCIMA-NYE Enterprise Forum 2026

Kaduna, Nigeria – Young entrepreneurs, startup founders, business executives, and emerging industry leaders converged in Kaduna for the NACCIMA Youth Entrepreneurs (NYE) Enterprise Forum 2026 – CEO’s Hangout & Business Networking Edition, an initiative designed to strengthen entrepreneurial leadership through collaboration, shared experiences, and meaningful business networking.

Held under the theme, “Building Stronger Young Business Leaders Through Collaboration and Shared Experience,” the forum brought together members of the organized private sector to discuss the realities of entrepreneurship, business sustainability, leadership, access to finance, and the future of youth-led enterprises in Northern Nigeria.

The event formed part of the broader vision of NACCIMA Youth Entrepreneurs (NYE), the youth arm of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), which is committed to empowering young Nigerians through entrepreneurship, enterprise development, leadership, and economic participation.

A major highlight of the forum was an interactive keynote session delivered by Mal. Aminu Kyari, Enterprise Growth Architect, Founder/CEO of LeedGate, and Executive Director of the Arewa Entrepreneurship Frontier Network.

Rather than delivering a conventional presentation, Kyari challenged participants with thought-provoking questions that prompted deep reflection about the true state of their businesses.

“If you died today, who would successfully continue running your business?”

“If ₦100 million was invested in your business today, would you know exactly what to do with it?”

“If your business generated little or no revenue for six months, would it survive?”

These questions set the tone for his presentation, introducing what he described as the B.E.A.S.T. Framework—a practical model for building sustainable enterprises.

The framework emphasized five pillars of entrepreneurial success:

• Building businesses that can operate beyond their founders through structure, systems, and leadership.
• Entrepreneurial resilience, adaptability, and continuous innovation in challenging business environments.
• Access to Finance through credibility, financial discipline, strategic networking, and investment readiness.
• Strategies for sustainable growth, including focus, systems development, technology adoption, partnerships, and deliberate scaling.
• Teamwork and Collaboration as critical drivers of innovation, expansion, and long-term business success.

Throughout the session, participants engaged actively, sharing experiences and reflecting on their own entrepreneurial journeys. The presentation generated extensive discussions beyond the formal programme, with several business owners expressing interest in mentorship, business advisory, and enterprise development support.

Speaking after the event, Kyari noted that while he has delivered numerous keynote presentations and facilitated entrepreneurship programmes over the years, the level of engagement at the NYE Enterprise Forum stood out.

“The most rewarding part of speaking is not the applause; it is seeing people genuinely reflect on their businesses and decide to take action. That was exactly what happened during this session. The conversations continued long after the presentation ended, and several entrepreneurs have already reached out for mentorship and strategic business support.”

The outcome reflects a growing demand among Nigerian entrepreneurs for practical business guidance that extends beyond motivation to enterprise building, governance, strategy, and investment readiness.

This philosophy aligns closely with the work of LeedGate Innovation Hub, where entrepreneurs, startups, SMEs, and institutions receive support through business advisory, innovation programmes, entrepreneurship training, mentorship, enterprise development, and growth strategy. The Hub continues to champion initiatives that help founders build structured, scalable, and investment-ready businesses capable of creating lasting economic impact.

The forum also featured a presentation on the role of youth within the Chamber movement by Amb. (Dr.) Sameera Abubakar, National Coordinator of NACCIMA Youth Entrepreneurs. Her presentation highlighted the strategic importance of young entrepreneurs in driving innovation, job creation, policy advocacy, digital transformation, leadership development, and economic growth through organized private-sector participation.

By bringing together ambitious entrepreneurs, experienced professionals, and business stakeholders, the CEO’s Hangout demonstrated the value of collaborative learning and peer engagement in strengthening Nigeria’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Special recognition goes to Ambassador Zainab and the NACCIMA Youth Entrepreneurs organizing team for successfully convening a platform that encourages honest conversations, meaningful networking, and practical enterprise development for young business leaders.

As Northern Nigeria continues to nurture a new generation of entrepreneurs, initiatives such as the NYE Enterprise Forum are proving that sustainable business growth requires more than access to capital. It requires visionary leadership, resilient founders, structured enterprises, strategic collaboration, and a community committed to shared prosperity.

For many participants, the event was not merely another networking session—it was the beginning of new partnerships, mentorship opportunities, and a renewed commitment to building businesses that create value, generate employment, and outlive their founders.