Neya Kalu, Chairman of The Sun Publishing and Sun Heaven Hotels and Resorts, has been selected as the recipient of the 2026 Emerging Next Gen Family Business Leader Award. This award is part of the Family Business Summit 2026, organized by My Family My Business in partnership with BusinessDay Newspapers and PwC Nigeria. The summit, scheduled for October 15-17, 2026, in Lagos, will bring together family business owners, next-generation leaders, and other business leaders from Africa and beyond.
The award was based on an independent review conducted by PwC Nigeria, the summit's knowledge partner, with Kalu unanimously selected as the 2026 recipient. According to the organizers, Kalu has built on the entrepreneurial foundation established by her father, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, founder of the Slok Group. She has taken on leadership responsibilities across the family's diversified business interests, including publishing, hospitality, renewable energy, travel, transport, gaming, and real estate.
Kalu's journey reflects innovation, resilience, and forward-thinking leadership that will define the next chapter of family enterprise in Africa. The organizers noted that she has stepped confidently into leadership, heading a diversified family portfolio while charting her own path as Chairman of The Sun Publishing. Her work demonstrates a commitment to building on her family's legacy while charting new pathways for growth.
The Family Business Summit 2026, themed "Beyond the Founder: Scaling Family Businesses Across Generations," will feature keynote sessions, panel discussions, and a masterclass with Professor Jeremy Cheng of the Chinese University of Hong Kong Business School. Other activities include a NextGen Boot Camp, a Deal Room for investment and partnership discussions, and a NextGen networking session. The summit aims to help family enterprises strengthen leadership, governance, and continuity as they transition across generations.
Kalu's achievements include founding and scaling Base Coat, a nail salon business in Nigeria, and her involvement in women and community empowerment through the Neya Kalu Foundation and the OUK Foundation. Her work in business diversification and community empowerment was cited by the organizers as a key factor in her selection for the award.
The award ceremony will take place at the Family Business Leadership Awards Gala Dinner scheduled for Thursday, October 15, 2026, in Lagos. The event will recognize Kalu's contributions to her family's business and her own entrepreneurial ventures. The organizers praised Kalu for embodying the theme of the summit, "Beyond the Founder: Scaling Family Businesses Across Generations."
The recognition of Neya Kalu as the 2026 Emerging Next Gen Family Business Leader highlights the growing importance of next-generation leaders in family businesses. The summit and award ceremony will provide a platform for family business owners and next-generation leaders to share experiences, best practices, and insights on scaling family businesses across generations.
Key points
- Neya Kalu was unanimously selected as the 2026 Emerging Next Gen Family Business Leader based on an independent review conducted by PwC Nigeria.
- The Family Business Summit 2026 will feature keynote sessions, panel discussions, and a masterclass with Professor Jeremy Cheng of the Chinese University of Hong Kong Business School.
- Kalu's achievements include founding and scaling Base Coat, a nail salon business in Nigeria, and her involvement in women and community empowerment through the Neya Kalu Foundation and the OUK Foundation.
