The foremost event planning summit in Africa, BusyBee Event Business Summit, has announced that the BusyBee Excellence Awards would be honouring Olori Sekinat Elegushi and Chief Mrs. Nike Davies of Nike Art Gallery for their outstanding and remarkable efforts towards advancing the events planning industry in Nigeria.

This was made known to media at the BusyBee pre-event press conference in its head office in Yaba, Lagos by the event’s convener and founder of BusyBee Events Lagos, Coach Bisi Shotunde.

The 8th edition of BusyBee Event Business Summit themed: “The forward thinking event professionals- innovation meets imagination” is scheduled to kick off in Lagos on November 26th to 28th, 2024. The 3-day event is designed to educate, network and entertain.

Apart from these two heavy weights in the event industry, members of the well-watered garden tribe (WWGT) community and zonal champions would be recognised and celebrated.

Speaking on the event plan, Bisi Shotunde, Convener, BusyBee Event Business Summit stated that “This year’s theme emphasizes the event industry’s need for innovation and strategic foresight. We aim to inspire professionals to adopt forward-thinking approaches, embrace new technologies, and anticipate future trends.”

Outlining the activities of the summit, she said, “We will be kicking off the summit with a cocktail – “Sunset in Morocco” at Wave Beach Lagos on November 26, 2024. This vibrant networking event will offer an exciting introduction to the summit’s dynamic activities,” she added.

On the Masterclass that is scheduled on November 27, Mrs. Sotunde revealed that “This is a day dedicated to learning, where professionals can engage with transformative ideas and strategies from industry leaders. With both physical and virtual attendees, this session is designed to inspire and educate,” she opined.

According to her, the dinner/awards night, which is on November 28 is themed “African Royalty.” We will celebrate African culture and it is also a night of recognition for industry achievements. This elegant evening will allow event professionals to unwind and enjoy the celebration as honoured guests,” she said.

Speaking on the sponsorship benefits to the event, Adeola Sessi-Traore, Head, Corporate Sponsorship, BusyBee Event Business Summit called on organisations and brands to partner with BusyBee Events to bring the 8th edition of the summit to life.

“We are inviting organisations and brands to join us in shaping this year’s summit through the following avenues: funding the summit, product and branded item contributions, brand exposure and networking opportunities.”

The summit also lined up renowned event, business and lifestyle leaders to speak and feature as panelists at the 8th edition of BusyBee Event Business Summit. Some of the speakers and panelists are Bryan Mensah of White Chalk Global based in Accra Ghana, Funke Bucknor Obruthe of Zapphaire Events, Bisola Borha of TrendyBee Events, Mosun Akinwamide of IPC Events.

Others are: Noble Igwe, Olasunkanmi Akande of Lavish by Michelle, Ogunyemi Babatunde Augustine of Aksent Events, Popular performing artiste Segun Johnson, Dayo Okeseyin aka Dayo Ice, Lolade Salami of Authentic Cuisine.

Shotunde admonished event professionals and urged them to embrace innovation or run the risk of being obsolescence.

“The events industry is facing an unprecedented crisis with professionals struggling to keep pace with rapid technological advancements, shifting consumer preferences, and evolving business models.

According to Shotunde, the sector’s survival hinges on its ability to innovate and adapt, noting that: “The theme of this year’s summit: ‘The Forward Thinking Event Professional – Innovation Meets Imagination’, underscores the urgent need for event professionals to rethink their strategies and harness the power of creativity and technology.”

She noted that the statistics are alarming. Recent surveys reveal a significant majority of event planners fail to incorporate technology into their events, leading to disappointing revenue expectations and a lack of formal training in event management.

“The events industry is on the precipice of a revolution. Those who fail to innovate will be left behind,” she said.