By Kayode Olopade
Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Folashade Bada Ambrose-Medebem, has received the Trade and Investment Personality of the Year Award at the 7th Africa Public Sector Conference and Awards (APSCA 2026) held in Accra, Ghana.
The award ceremony, which took place at the Kempinski Hotel from October 14 to 16, recognised her contributions to investment promotion, trade facilitation, industrial development and enterprise growth in Lagos State.
The conference attracted more than 300 public sector leaders and policymakers from over 10 African countries under the theme, “Governance 2030: Resilient Institutions for a Digital, Green and Secure Africa.”
Among the dignitaries at the event were Chief of Staff to the Nigerian President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila; Chief of Staff to the Ghanaian President, Hon. Julius Debrah; Kenya’s Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, Mr. Felix K. Koskei; and the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
Ambrose-Medebem also delivered a keynote address at the Women, Governance and Trade Forum, where she spoke on “Women in Leadership: Advancing Economic Inclusion, Enterprise and Governance.”
She highlighted the importance of inclusive leadership and the role of women in driving Africa’s economic transformation.
According to the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, the selection committee considered nominees’ records in trade policy, investment climate reforms and sustainable economic development.
Among the achievements cited was the mobilisation of more than ₦50 billion in foreign and domestic direct investment within her first year in office.
A major project was the reported ₦38 billion investment by Twinings Ovaltine Nigeria Limited to establish its first full-scale manufacturing facility in Africa. The project is projected to create 112 direct jobs, support more than 200 distributor positions and generate over $8 million in exports across West Africa.
The commissioner was also recognised for establishing the Lagos State Access to Finance for SMEs through Cooperatives (LASMECO), a programme supported by a ₦10 billion fund that provides loans without collateral at a single-digit interest rate of nine per cent.
The ministry said the programme was subsequently adopted as a model framework for micro, small and medium-sized enterprise financing reforms at the 16th National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment.
Other initiatives highlighted included the Lagos State Industrial Policy 2025–2030, efforts to strengthen the investment potential of the Lekki Deep Sea Port and Lekki Free Trade Zone, and the facilitation of a reported $50 million investment by the International Finance Corporation.
The ministry also attributed Lagos State’s first-place ranking among Nigeria’s 36 states in the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council’s Ease of Doing Business Index, with a reported score of 85.6 per cent, partly to digitalisation and regulatory efficiency initiatives.
In the cooperative sector, the state has more than 3,000 active societies with an annual financial turnover exceeding ₦70 billion. Additionally, over ₦8.4 billion has reportedly been disbursed to 12,710 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund.
In her acceptance remarks, Ambrose-Medebem dedicated the award to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the people of Lagos State, describing the recognition as a reflection of collective efforts to advance trade, attract investment and strengthen enterprise development.
She also emphasised the need for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to support Lagos State’s ambition of growing its economy to between $800 billion and $1 trillion by 2030.
Ambrose-Medebem was appointed commissioner in September 2023. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from London Guildhall University and an MBA from the Open University Business School in the United Kingdom.
Her professional experience includes senior roles at Lafarge Africa, Diageo, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Ford Motor Company and Zurich Financial Services, as well as public service engagements with Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development.
The award adds to her recent recognitions, including the Excellence in Trade and Investment Award presented by the European Business Chamber Nigeria in 2026.
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