The BOARDROOM 2025: Young Nigerians Gather in Umuahia to Shape the Future of the Economy

On August 22, 2025, over 500 young Nigerians converged at the Dominion City Headquarters in Umuahia, Abia State. They did not come for leisure or entertainment. They came with one goal in mind: to salvage and secure the Nigerian economy for today and for the future.

The event, tagged The BOARDROOM 2025, marked a turning point in the journey of financial literacy and youth empowerment in Nigeria. Far from the perception that young people lack foresight, this gathering became proof that a new generation is ready to take charge of the country’s economic future with knowledge, innovation, and collaboration.

The story of The BOARDROOM began with the vision of Kelechukwu Godfrey, who believed that financial literacy should not be an afterthought but an essential life skill taught as seriously as any classroom subject.

In 2020, Godfrey organized the first BOARDROOM event with only 30 attendees, using nothing more than a whiteboard, a marker, and his conviction that young Nigerians must understand money, business, and financial growth.

The model worked. His classroom-style teaching of finance quickly grew in popularity. As one early attendee noted, “I started my business after attending The BOARDROOM and watching Kay demystify cash flow, profit, and loss. He makes it look so easy.”

From those humble beginnings, The BOARDROOM expanded across Nigeria, holding sessions in Abuja, Uyo, and Benin, carrying a simple motto: “Wherever we have a board, a marker, and people willing to listen, we will talk about finance.”

The 2025 edition in Umuahia was the biggest yet, bringing together thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and over 500 young people. The atmosphere was electric as the sessions unfolded.

• Elisha Mamman, CEO of Noneli Integrated Services and Noneli Properties and Investment, opened with a session on wealth and the timeless principles behind financial growth. His talk on breaking money myths and cultivating a healthy money mindset drew rapt attention.
• Kelechukwu Godfrey, fresh from speaking at the St Petersburg Economic Summit in Russia, delivered a masterclass on finance, drawing a standing ovation for his practical insights.
• A panel session, moderated by Daniel Obiyo of Quint Impact Initiative, featured young experts including Imoloame Rhema (Rimoswap, crypto banking), Olamide Akanji (ACA-certified investment banker), ThankGod Maduka (Abia Tech Hub), and Precious Chinweani (She Leads Global). The discussion gave the audience real-world strategies on finance, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

By the end of the sessions, attendees left not just with information but with tools to create wealth and practical ideas to shape the Nigerian economy for the next decade.

The BOARDROOM 2025 was more than a gathering. It was a capital investment in human potential. Each idea exchanged, each principle explained, and each question answered became a form of equity deposited into the minds of young Nigerians. The returns on these investments are expected to ripple across businesses, industries, and communities.

From 30 attendees in 2020 to over 500 in 2025, The BOARDROOM itself has become a living example of compounded growth, showing how consistent deposits of knowledge, collaboration, and discipline always generate exponential returns.

As Nigeria looks beyond oil dependency and seeks sustainable economic growth, initiatives like The BOARDROOM offer hope. By empowering young people with financial literacy and entrepreneurial courage, the foundation is being laid for a resilient economy.

For many participants, the event was not an expense but an investment in their future. And as The BOARDROOM 2025 curtain fell, one message stood clear: Nigeria’s future economy is already being built, and the nation’s young people are its architects.