The Nigerian Economic Summit Group

What The Nigerian Economic Summit Group does

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) is a non-profit, non-partisan, private sector-led think tank incorporated in 1996 (preceded by the 1993 Nigerian Economic Summit) to promote and champion the reform of the Nigerian economy into an open, inclusive, sustainable, and globally competitive economy. It functions as the convening hub for public-private economic dialogue in Nigeria, producing policy research, macroeconomic outlooks, and reform recommendations consumed by federal and state government ministries, large Nigerian corporations, international development partners, and citizens. Its flagship platform is the annual Nigerian Economic Summit (now at its 32nd edition, scheduled October 2026 at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja with 2,000+ expected delegates and 100+ speakers across five thematic tracks). Supporting products include NESG Radio (a Spotify-distributed, localized-language podcast), the Non-Residential Fellowship Programme (NRFP), and an intervention-project portfolio comprising NASSBER (legislative advocacy), the Policy Innovation Centre, the Ernest Shonekan Centre, DMRWA (debt management), and UN Global Compact Network Nigeria.

NESG monetizes through four principal streams: (1) Corporate Club membership, with the headline tier priced at NGN 100 million per annum for exclusive industry intelligence and CEO-level policy access; (2) event sponsorship for the annual summit, with headline sponsors including First Bank of Nigeria, IHS Towers, MTN Nigeria, Sterling Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Flour Mills of Nigeria, and the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning; (3) grant funding from international development partners, notably FCDO for the Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Transformation Project awarded in 2022; and (4) individual and institutional donations processed via Paystack. Distribution is event-driven, anchored on the annual summit, and supplemented by the website, Spotify podcast, email newsletter, the #IfNotNowWhen civic initiative, and a volunteer community. The technical stack is conventional — web publishing, podcast hosting, online application portals — with no proprietary software platform or AI/ML components disclosed.

The organization is led by CEO Dr. Tayo Aduloju (a doctorate-holding economic policy advisor with executive programs at Harvard Kennedy School, Oxford, MIT, and INSEAD) and Chairman Mr. Olaniyi Yusuf (Managing Partner at Verraki Partners and former Accenture Nigeria Country Managing Director from 2010 to 2019), supported by three Vice Chairmen including Mr. Omoboyede Olusanya (GMD/CEO of Flour Mills of Nigeria) and Ms. Amina Maina (Group COO of MRS Holdings). NESG operates from two offices — The Summit House in Ikoyi, Lagos and Unity Bank Tower in Abuja — with stated headcount of 51-100 employees.

Name

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group

Legal name

Nigerian Economic Summit Group

Website

https://nesgroup.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) is a non-profit, non-partisan private sector-led think tank founded in 1996 that convenes Nigeria's annual economic summit, produces policy research, and operates intervention projects serving government, large corporations, development partners, and citizens.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Think Tank and Policy Advocacy Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Research, Statistics & Policy Advisory (BPADAMAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Sector & Policy Consulting (BPAHACAN), Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK)

Keywords

• Economic policy research
• Public-private dialogue
• Think tank services
• Policy advocacy
• Corporate membership programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ikoyi

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Club Membership Fees: NESG generates revenue primarily through its Corporate Club membership tiers (Corporate Club at NGN 100M per annum, with Corporate Elite and Corporate Enhanced tiers available). Members receive exclusive industry insights, high-level platform visibility, CEO opinion articles, co-chair positions on Policy Commissions, and networking opportunities. The membership model positions paying organizations as institutional agents of change cocreating economic reform.
2. Donations: NESG accepts donations through Paystack from individuals and organizations supporting economic reform advocacy. The organization also runs a Volunteer programme where members 'pay to serve.'
3. Grant Funding: NESG receives donor funding from international development partners such as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) for specific projects like the Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Transformation Project. The External Resource Department focuses on leveraging development partner relationships for policy change implementation.
4. Sponsorship Revenue: NES #32 (32nd Nigerian Economic Summit) is sponsored by headline sponsors including Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning, First Bank of Nigeria, IHS Towers, MTN Nigeria, Sterling Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank, and Flour Mills of Nigeria. Sponsorship offers strategic visibility, policy influence, leadership access, media exposure, and thought leadership positioning.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) is a non-profit, non-partisan private sector-led think tank that convenes annual flagship summits (Nigerian Economic Summit, currently NES #32) and produces economic policy research, policy briefs, and reform recommendations. It operates a Corporate Club membership program (NGN 100M per annum), the Non-Residential Fellowship Programme (NRFP) for socio-economic research, NESG Radio podcast, and multiple intervention projects (NASSBER, PIC, Ernest Shonekan Centre, DMRWA, UN Global Compact Network Nigeria) that drive public-private dialogue and policy reform in Nigeria.

Product overview

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) operates as Africa's foremost private-sector led think tank and policy advocacy institution. The core offering is the annual Nigerian Economic Summit (NES) platform, currently at its 32nd edition (NES#32). Supporting this flagship product are: NESG Radio (a syndicated podcast for localized economic content), the Non-Residential Fellowship Programme (NRFP) for evidence-based policy research, and multiple intervention projects including NASSBER (legislative advocacy), Policy Innovation Centre (public policy innovation), Ernest Shonekan Centre (regulatory reform), DMRWA (debt management), and UN Global Compact Network Nigeria. The organization also hosts the #IfNotNowWhen initiative for democratic participation. NESG's membership structure includes a Corporate Club tier for major partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Nigerian Economic Summit (Annual) Nigeria's foremost annual public-private sector dialogue platform convening government, business, academia, and civil society to shape the nation's economic direction and policy priorities.
• NESG Corporate Club Membership
• Non-Residential Fellowship Programme (NRFP) A two-year knowledge hub bridging the gap between socio-economic research and public policy, promoting evidence-based policymaking in Nigeria through research-driven fellowship.
• NESG Radio A traditionally syndicated podcast providing curated localized content to communicate economic policies, health information, trends, and interventions to Nigerians.
• #IfNotNowWhen National Economic Dialogue An initiative by NESG for sensitizing key Nigerian stakeholders and citizens on peaceful, informed and accountable democratic participation, with focus on Nigeria's economic future.
• NASSBER (National Assembly Business Enlightenment & Reform) Legislative advocacy initiative focused on improving the business environment and achieving competitiveness in Nigeria.
• Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) The first public policy institution in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa dedicated to applying innovative policy tools to inform program and policy design.
• Ernest Shonekan Centre Research and consulting organization specializing in promoting legislative and regulatory reforms for achieving economic competitiveness and improving the business environment.
• DMRWA (Debt Management and Sustainability Roundtable) Provides insights and recommendations on debt management and sustainability, focusing on West Africa with Nigeria as a case study.
• UN Global Compact Network Nigeria Local network of the UN Global Compact, established in 2007 during the Nigerian Economic Summit, that promotes the UN Global Compact's Ten Principles and SDGs in Nigeria.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30+ years of impact on Nigerian economic policy including telecommunications, banking, and MSME sector reforms
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• First Bank of NigeriacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFirst Bank of Nigeria is a Corporate Club member and headline sponsor of NES #32. As a flagship Nigerian financial institution, First Bank participates in NESG platforms to influence economic policy, gain strategic visibility among government and private sector leaders, and align its CSR to national development outcomes.
• IHS TowerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerIHS Towers is a headline sponsor of NES #32 and Corporate Club member. As one of the largest tower companies in Africa, IHS Towers leverages NESG's platform to engage with government on infrastructure policy and position itself as a national economic development partner.
• MTN NigeriacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMTN Nigeria is a headline sponsor of NES #32 and Corporate Club member. MTN participates in NESG's dialogue platforms to engage on telecom infrastructure policy, digital economy development, and regulatory frameworks affecting the telecommunications sector.
• Sterling BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSterling Bank is a headline sponsor of NES #32 and Corporate Club member. As a leading Nigerian bank, Sterling Bank participates in NESG to influence financial sector policy and gain access to high-level government and private sector networks.
• Stanbic IBTC BankcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerStanbic IBTC Bank (a Standard Bank group company) is a headline sponsor of NES #32 and Corporate Club member. It participates in NESG platforms for policy engagement and strategic visibility with Nigerian economic leadership.
• Flour Mills of NigeriacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerFlour Mills of Nigeria is a headline sponsor of NES #32, a Corporate Club member, and its Group Managing Director (Boye Olusanya) serves as Vice Chairman of NESG's board. The company leverages NESG for food/agricultural policy advocacy and executive visibility.
• Policy Innovation Centre (PIC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPIC is described as the first public policy institution in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa dedicated to applying innovative policy tools to inform program and policy design. It is established under NESG's intervention projects umbrella and serves as a centre of excellence for policy innovation co-developed with NESG.
• Ernest Shonekan CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed in honor of Chief Ernest Shonekan, this centre champions integrity, accountability, and strategic leadership across sectors through research, advocacy, and training programs. It operates as an NESG intervention project specializing in legislative and regulatory reforms for economic competitiveness.
• UN Global Compact Network NigeriasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN Global Compact Network Nigeria was established in 2007 during the Nigerian Economic Summit. It promotes the UN Global Compact's Ten Principles and SDGs in Nigeria, contributing to broader development goals through NESG's institutional framework.
• NASSBERsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerNASSBER (National Assembly Business Enlightenment & Reform) is a legislative advocacy initiative under NESG that focuses on improving the business environment and achieving competitiveness through engagement with the National Assembly.
• DMRWA (Debt Management Roundtable West Africa)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDMRWA provides insights and recommendations on debt management and sustainability, focusing on West Africa with Nigeria as a case study. It operates as an NESG intervention project.
• Channels TVsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerChannels TV is a media partner for the #IfNotNowWhen 2024 National Economic Dialogue, broadcasting the event live. This partnership extends NESG's reach to Channels TV's national audience for economic policy dissemination.
• FRCN (Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria)secondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerFRCN provides live radio broadcast of the #IfNotNowWhen National Economic Dialogue, extending NESG's reach to Nigerian citizens through national radio coverage of economic policy discussions.
• Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic PlanningcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ministry is a headline co-sponsor of NES #32 and key government counterpart for NESG's policy advocacy work. The partnership enables public-private dialogue on national economic planning and budget policy.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• African Economic Research Consortium (AERC): Pan-African economic research network producing policy-oriented research across the continent. Most directly comparable to NESG's NRFP and policy brief output, with a similar mandate to bridge academic research and public policy in African economies.
• Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA): Nigeria- and West Africa-focused economic policy think tank producing research on fiscal policy, trade, and development. Directly comparable in scope and mission to NESG's economic research and policy advisory function.
• Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER): Nigeria's premier government-funded socio-economic research institute. Directly comparable as a domestic economic policy research body, though more academic and less private-sector-facing than NESG's convening-driven model.

Broad incumbents

• Brookings Institution: Premier US-based think tank with deep government access, multi-disciplinary policy research, and convening authority. The closest global analogue to NESG's private-sector-led, dialogue-driven think-tank model — only at vastly larger scale.
• Chatham House (Royal Institute of International Affairs): London-based international affairs think tank with a distinguished convening model and policy research mandate. Comparable to NESG's role as a non-partisan platform bringing together government, business, and academia on policy issues.
• World Economic Forum: Geneva-based international organization for public-private cooperation, best known for the annual Davos summit. The closest global analogue to NESG's annual summit as a flagship convening moment for high-level government and business leaders.

Emerging players

• Tony Blair Institute for Global Change: Policy advisory organization providing embedded government advisory across Africa and the Middle East. Comparable to NESG's intervention projects and FCDO-funded digital transformation work, with a more hands-on implementation orientation.
• Africa Policy Research Institute: Berlin- and Africa-based policy research organization producing independent analysis on African political economy. Overlaps with NESG's policy brief and research output, with a stronger pan-African rather than Nigeria-only focus.

Regional players

• African Leadership Academy / African Leadership Network: Pan-African leadership development organization convening emerging African leaders across business and government. Comparable to NESG's mission of cultivating the next generation of Nigerian economic leaders, though focused on individual capacity rather than policy research.

Others

• Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI): International development company implementing donor-funded economic governance and reform programs globally. Comparable as a delivery partner to NESG's FCDO-funded digital transformation project, with a more commercial implementation model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NigerianEconomicSummitGroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/nigerianeconomicsummitgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-nigerian-economic-summit-group

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about The Nigerian Economic Summit Group