L-R; Sylvia Nwakwue, General Manager, Head of Transaction Services (Lagos & South-West Division), GTBank, LBS SMP 35 Alumnus; Chief Sir Raymond Ihyembe, KSS, OON, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Gresham Asset Management Limited, LBS CEP 2 Alumnus; Mitchell Elegbe, Founder and Group CEO, Interswitch Group and LBS Executive-in-Residence; and Jacinta Ifeoma Anakua, Head, Advancement, Lagos Business School (LBS), during a recent courtesy visit to Interswitch’s HQ to commemorate the Professor Albert Alos Endowed Chair in Strategic Management.
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Interswitch Backs Lagos Business School’s First Endowed Chair, Deepens Commitment to Leadership and Research in Africa
Interswitch, one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, has reinforced its commitment to advancing leadership, research and institutional excellence on the continent with its induction as a founding corporate supporter of the Professor Albert Alos Endowed Chair in Strategic Management at Lagos Business School (LBS).
The initiative, which marks LBS’ first-ever endowed chair, was established ahead of Professor Albert Alos’ 87th birthday in September 2026 to honour his outstanding contributions to management education. It is designed to promote Africa-focused research, strengthen faculty leadership, encourage thought leadership and nurture the next generation of responsible business leaders.
The support underscores Interswitch’s belief that Africa’s sustainable economic growth depends not only on technological innovation but also on strong institutions that produce visionary leaders and transformative ideas.
Having revolutionised Africa’s payments ecosystem for more than two decades, Interswitch said its partnership with Lagos Business School reflects its conviction that closer collaboration between academia and industry is essential to building globally competitive African economies.
The latest development also strengthens the long-standing relationship between Interswitch and Lagos Business School. Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer, Mitchell Elegbe, currently serves on the LBS Advisory Board and as Executive-in-Residence, where he provides strategic guidance and mentors students, executives and business leaders on innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable enterprise development.
Speaking on the significance of the partnership, Elegbe said building Africa’s future requires more than technological advancement.
“Building Africa’s future requires more than technological innovation; it requires strong institutions that cultivate leaders capable of solving complex challenges and creating lasting value. Our support for the Professor Albert Alos Endowed Chair reflects our belief that academia and industry have a shared responsibility to generate the ideas, research and leadership that will shape the continent’s next chapter. We are proud to deepen our partnership with Lagos Business School in advancing excellence, innovation and responsible leadership across Africa,” he said.
Lagos Business School, in a statement, welcomed Interswitch as a founding corporate supporter of the landmark initiative, describing the partnership as a significant step toward advancing research, faculty development and leadership education across Africa.
The institution noted that the endowed chair will strengthen Africa-focused scholarship while promoting innovation and collaboration between academia and industry to drive sustainable development and global competitiveness.
Beyond its role in transforming digital payments and commerce across Africa, Interswitch has maintained a strong record of supporting initiatives that expand opportunities through education, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, STEM education, youth empowerment and talent development.
As African economies continue to embrace digital transformation and deeper regional integration, the company believes that investments in world-class management education, locally driven research and values-based leadership are critical to the continent’s future.
Through its support for the Professor Albert Alos Endowed Chair, Interswitch says it is investing not only in an academic institution but also in the ideas, partnerships and leadership that will shape Africa’s next phase of economic growth and global competitiveness.