The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) hereby announces the appointment of Mrs. Surayyah Ahmad as Director on its Board, following the approval of her appointment at the NESG Q2 Board Meeting held on Tuesday, 12th May 2026.

This appointment reflects the NESG’s continued commitment to strengthening its leadership with accomplished professionals whose expertise and experience will support the Group’s mission of promoting sustainable economic development, inclusive growth, and private sector-driven transformation in Nigeria.

Mrs. Surayyah Ahmad is the Founding Partner at Sabou Capital, an investment platform providing funding and technical support to high-growth small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across West and Central Africa with a strong gender lens. She also chairs the Laidlaw Foundation Women in Business Board and serves on several startup advisory boards, contributing strategic guidance to emerging businesses and entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Mrs. Surayyah is currently the Taskmaster spearheading the operationalisation of the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank (YEIB Investment Funds), a $300 million blended capital vehicle conceptualised by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and co-owned by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) and the Development Bank of Nigeria (DBN). The YEIB aims to provide financial and technical assistance to youth-led enterprises across Nigeria through wholesale and retail financing mechanisms.

Mrs. Ahmad holds an MBA from the University of Oxford, where she specialised in finance and impact investing. During her time at Oxford, she served as Co-Chair of the Oxford Africa Business Alliance, fostering engagement between Oxford’s business community and stakeholders across the African continent.

An experienced entrepreneur and operator, Mrs. Ahmad founded and successfully exited an e-commerce and fulfilment services company with operations in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom. She is deeply passionate about empowering women, advancing entrepreneurship, and driving economic development in underserved markets through private enterprise and innovative investment solutions.

The NESG is confident that Mrs. Ahmad’s wealth of experience in entrepreneurship, impact investing, youth enterprise development, and private sector innovation will further strengthen the Group’s efforts in shaping evidence-based policy advocacy and advancing Nigeria’s economic transformation agenda.