ORGANISING MSME DEVELOPMENT, PUBLIC SPEAKING, TEACHING, CHARITIES & EMPOWERMENT, EVENT MANAGEMENT
ABIMBOLA TOPE SOBOWALE
CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER
IFAKO IJAIYE, LAGOS, NIGERIA,LAGOS
Summary
Highly-skilled, versatile and dependable administrator, management and commercial expert, with over twenty years track record of enabling management innovation and customer value creation in the delivery of public goods in Lagos State, looking to leverage my technical, conceptual and interpersonal skills in new, innovative, customer-centric and high-impact environments.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
28
28
years of post-secondary education
3
3
Certifications
Work History
PERSONAL ASSISTANT tO PERMANENT SECRETARY
LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND COOPERATIVES
ALAUSA, IKEJA, LAGOS
10.2021 - Current
- Working closely with the Permanent Secretary to develop, implement and monitor strategic and operational goals and objectives of the Ministry - recently supported delivery of Y2021 Africa Industrialization Day and Young Industrialist Week Celebration and LASG’s Participation at 35th Edition of Lagos International Trade Fair;
- Developing reports and memoranda for Permanent Secretary's meetings and official engagements.
- Preparing and/or reviewing a variety of different written communications, reports, memoranda and documents to ensure smooth operations.
- Assisting Permanent Secretary to monitor Ministry's business processes thus eliminating wastage, promoting cost saving and operational efficiency.
- Managing a team of six staffers to ensure accurate and efficient delivery of day-to-day duties in the Permanent Secretary's front office.
PERSONAL ASSISTANT to PERMANENT SECRETARY
LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
ALAUSA, IKEJA, LAGOS
02.2021 - 10.2021
- Worked closely with Permanent Secretary to deliver strategic programmes and projects in Y2021 such as Launch of LASG 5-Year Agriculture & Food Systems Roadmap and Lagos State Agricultural Value Chains Enterprise Activation Programme
- Provided daily essential support and exceptional service to the Permanent Secretary, top-management staff and business clients.
- Prepared, reviewed and/or developed content for presentations, official memoranda, speeches and correspondence for Permanent Secretary and top-management’s use.
- Managed six staffers in the Permanent Secretary's front office to ensure effective and efficient delivery of day-to-day duties in a high-performing environment.
PERSONAL ASSISTANT tO PERMANENT SECRETARY
LAGOS STATE OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
ALAUSA, IKEJA, LAGOS
01.2020 - 02.2021
- Worked closely with the Permanent Secretary to flag-off of the Lagos State Mother Infant and Child (MICH) Program Pilot in July 2020 which accounted for distribution of food and nutritional supplements to 1140 indigent pregnant women in the State.
- Served as Secretary, Mother Infant and Child (MICH) Program Pilot Research between December 2020 and February 2021 and assisted with monitoring of the impact of the MICH intervention on 570 beneficiaries and their unborn babies.
- Supported Permanent Secretary to coordinate official teams and activities during the Lagos State Executive-Legislative Parley held between 3rd and 5th March 2020.
- Acted as the Secretary, Intra-departmental Committee on Transfer and Operations of Citizensgate Portal by Office of Civic Engagement between March and December 2020.
- Provided daily essential support and exceptional service to the Permanent Secretary, top-management staff and business clients.
- Prepared, reviewed and/or developed content for presentations, official memoranda, speeches and correspondence for Permanent Secretary and top-management’s use.
- Managed six staffers in the Permanent Secretary's front office to ensure effective and efficient delivery of day-to-day duties in a high-performing environment.
ASSISTANT CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER
LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND COOPERATIVES
ALAUSA, IKEJA, LAGOS
11.2001 - 01.2020
- Rose through the ranks from Trade Officer in November 2001 to Assistant Chief Commercial Officer in January 2017.
- Served as Deputy Sectional Head, Auctioneering & Special Projects, Commerce Department between January 2017 and January 2020 supervising twelve officers, ensured registration of 104 auctioneers in Lagos State and facilitated investors' relations with the host communites and State government agencies towards quick delivery of capital projects and contracts, especially in the Lekki Free Zone.
- Worked closely with the Director of Commerce and the Planning Unit of MCIC to formulate the Ministry’s strategic goals/annual work plans and coordinate new projects across units, sections and interdepartmental teams between 2016 and 2019, thus enhancing management innovation and managerial efficiency.
- Supported planning and execution of a 3-day Management retreat in May 2018 which resulted in the development of a 5-Year Strategic Plan for the Ministry.
- Supported planning, organization and coordination of four editions of Lagos Corporate Assembly between 2012 and 2018 enabling over 400 corporate members of the organized private sector/Lagos Business Community to parley with the State Government led by the Governor, thus enhancing public policy advocacy and business environment improvement.
- Worked closely with the Director of Commerce to initiate and organise four impactful editions of the Lagos Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Exclusive Fair between May 2016 and December 2019, thus enhancing market access for over 300 local entrepreneurs.
- Supported the Director of Commerce to facilitate the launch of the Lagos State Council on MSMES , provided secretarial support for the council and formulated the council's strategic roadmap.
- Conceived and facilitated the introduction of the Quality and Innovation Competition at the 2018 Lagos Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Exclusive Fair.
- Served as the Ministry's Corporate Liaison Officer in 2012 and MSME Development Desk Officer between 2014 and 2015.
- Served as Business Bridge, Extralegal Team LASG/ILD (Institute of Liberty and Democracy, Peru) Informal Sector Reform Project between December 2012 and January 2014, facilitating the project team’s access to and engagements with over 200 trade associations, financial institutions, business regulatory agencies and business development service providers in Lagos State
Education
Master of Science - MANAGEMENT
UNIVERSITY oF LAGOS
AKOKA, LAGOS, NIGERIA 01.2019 - Current
Bachelor of Science - BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
UNIVERSITY oF LAGOS
AKOKA, LAGOS, NIGERIA 01.2012 - 02.2015
MBA - MARKETING MANAGEMENT
LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY
OJO, LAGOS 01.2004 - 08.2012
HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA - BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, ILARO
OGUN STATE 03.1977 - 09.1999
Skills
Strategic Management & Governance
Entrepreneurship & Enterprise Development
Trade and Investment Promotion
Customer Relationship & Stakeholder Management
Socio-Emotional Development (Personal & Interpersonal)
Coaching, Mentoring & Human Resource Development
Team Building, Negotiation & Collaboration
Leadership & Motivation
Business Planning, Organisation & Execution
Presentation & Communication (Oral & Written)
Creativity & Innovation
Event Management
Accomplishments
Facilitator, Lagos State Government APPEALS Project/World Bank, Socio-emotional Skills for Agribusiness Owners - facilitated workshop for over 100 participants between September - December 2021.
Creativity and Innovation Ambassador & Head, Creativity & Innovation Committee, Lagos State Government (LASG) – May 2018 to Date
Senior Advocate & Trainer, Growth Mindset Development Programme (SAGM), Lagos State Government (LASG) – May 2018 to date
UNIDO-Certified Trainer, Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion (EDIP) Train the Trainer Programme, Lagos Nigeria – 2017
LASG Outstanding Officer Award (Senior Category) – June 2016
Co-created Lagos State MSME Exclusive Fair (2016), Lagos State MSME Business Clinic (2016) and Lagos State MSME Quality & Innovation Competition (2018)
Led the Ministry of Agriculture Creativity and Innovation Committee to adopt two creative ideas for Management’s implementation between Q3 Y2021 and Q1 Y2022 (i.e. Promotion of Investment in Ornamental Fisheries in Lagos State and Lagos State Agricultural Input Supply Authority Marketing Evolution (an online buiness process improvement and marketing app)
Supported Office of Civic Engagement to onboard new members of the agency’s new Creativity and Innovation Committee
Trained over 200 staffers in Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives across grade levels, cadres and departments on Growth Mindset Development and Creativity and Innovation between May 2018 to June 2019.
Facilitated special onboarding programs on commercial policy, enterprise development and investment promotion skills for new staffers and departmental teams across all levels and cadres, thus improving staff motivation and productivity significantly and reducing official onboarding time from 4 weeks to 1 week at the departmental level.
Certification
ASSOCIATE, CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF PERSONNLE MANAGEMENT
Affiliations
Alumna, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Kitakyishu, Japan – December 2015
Volunteer, FLOMOON Foundation
An empowerment arm of FLOMOON Event Centre
Itele Road, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
Immediate Past Chairperson, Parents-Teachers Forum
Early Beginners International School
Ifako-Ogba, Lagos, Nigeria
Immediate Past General Secretary & Member, Board of Trustees
Class of 1993, Iganmode Grammar School, Ota Old Students’ Association
Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
Hobbies
Reading, Writing, Talking, Learning, Dancing, Singing, Volunteering
Interests
Referees
Mr. Moyosore J. Onigbanjo, SAN
Attorney General/Honourable Commissioner for Justice
Lagos State Ministry of Justice
Block 2, The Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
08033243869
Mr. Hakeem O. Adeniji
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture
Block 23, The Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
08023015234
Dr. Peter Olayiwola
University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
08023005464; 07033269268
Timeline
ASSOCIATE, CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF PERSONNLE MANAGEMENT
12-2021
PERSONAL ASSISTANT tO PERMANENT SECRETARY
LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND COOPERATIVES
10.2021 - Current
PERSONAL ASSISTANT to PERMANENT SECRETARY
LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE
02.2021 - 10.2021
PERSONAL ASSISTANT tO PERMANENT SECRETARY
LAGOS STATE OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
01.2020 - 02.2021
Master of Science - MANAGEMENT
UNIVERSITY oF LAGOS
01.2019 - Current
ALUMNA, JAPAN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGENCY (JICA), ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT FOR MSMES ACTIVATION IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES, KITAKYISHU, JAPAN
12-2015
MEMBER, NIGERIAN INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT (CHARTERED)
03-2012
Bachelor of Science - BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
UNIVERSITY oF LAGOS
01.2012 - 02.2015
MBA - MARKETING MANAGEMENT
LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY
01.2004 - 08.2012
ASSISTANT CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER
LAGOS STATE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE, INDUSTRY AND COOPERATIVES
11.2001 - 01.2020
HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA - BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC, ILARO
03.1977 - 09.1999