B³ Summit debuts in Awka, urges Southeast businesses to embrace digital creation

Thousands of entrepreneurs, civil servants, professionals and young Nigerians on Saturday converged on the Anabel Event Centre along the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Awka, for the maiden Southeast edition of the Business, Balance and Beyond (B³) Summit.
The summit, themed “Beyond the Bank: Redefining Wealth, Worth and Well-being,” brought together participants from Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Imo and Ebonyi States for a day of conversations on business, health, personal development, relationships and well-being.
A free children’s corner was also provided to enable parents to participate in the event.
In her welcome address, the convener, Dr. Ella Chioma Ezeadilieje, popularly known as Veronica’s Daughter, challenged entrepreneurs in the Southeast to move beyond consuming digital content and begin creating content capable of taking their businesses and products to wider markets.
Ezeadilieje, who described herself as an “accidental influencer”, said her personal brand grew from sharing her experiences and stories on Facebook, particularly stories about her mother, Veronica.
Using her experience as an example, she urged Southeast entrepreneurs to take greater advantage of digital platforms to showcase their products and services.
“I do not say the Southeast is not online. You are online, but you are mostly consumers. You are not the one whose content is being consumed. You are not the person carrying your market to the world,” she said.
She recalled visiting Onitsha Market while preparing for the summit and being impressed by the quality and affordability of products available there, but expressed concern that many of the businesses were not adequately represented online.
Hard work and smartness
According to her, entrepreneurs in the region need to combine hard work with smarter approaches, particularly through digital visibility and effective use of technology.
The convener said the summit was built around three major pillars health, business and relationships while noting that participants appeared to pay greater attention to wealth than the other areas.
She said a poll conducted at the beginning of the event showed that most participants were more interested in wealth, with relatively few choosing relationships.
Ezeadilieje stressed that wealth should not be measured solely by the amount of money in a person’s bank account, noting that good health and meaningful relationships were equally important components of well-being.
She also expressed concern about preventive healthcare, saying many Nigerians tend to seek medical attention only after health problems have developed.
Free health checks were provided at the venue as part of the summit’s practical interventions.
On business development, she identified access to digital tools and funding as key areas where entrepreneurs in the Southeast require greater support.
She cited summit partner, Bumpa, as an example of a digital solution that could help businesses with inventory management and organisation.
₦5 million grant
The event also featured a ₦5 million grant opportunity for qualifying entrepreneurs.
Among the speakers were Nollywood actress and humanitarian Rechael Okonkwo, popularly known for her role as Nkoli Nwa Nsukka; Engineer Chidomere Ndubuisi, Managing Director of Pamtech Group and known as the Billionaire Mechanic; and health communicator Dr. Kelechi Okoro.
Panel discussions, moderated by media strategist and SurThrive Media founder, Dr. Chioma Ezenwafor, and Ms Myra Nwanneka Bright, featured Chief Joseph Ezeadilieje, Onitsha Business Hangout Convener Ifeanyi Ogbaji, Arc. Chukwudi Ezenwa, Chairman of GSS Group, Prof. Olusegun Sogbesan, Director of the Onitsha Business School, and Kelvin Onovo, Founder of Yagazie Property, among others.
Sponsors and partners included Tiger Foods, Union Bank, Studio 24 and Power Oil, while the Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency announced a strategic partnership with the organisers.
Ezeadilieje also commended Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, for the One Youth Two Skills initiative, which she described as consistent with the summit’s emphasis on personal and economic development.
The B³ Summit began in Port Harcourt in 2024, with the Anambra edition representing its first expansion into the Southeast.