The Babcock Business School (BBS) Lagos, has strengthened its drive for research excellence and sustainable business development with the launch of the Babcock Business School Journal of Business Development and Sustainability (BBS-JBDS) and the unveiling of the second edition of its Doctoral Book of Abstracts.
The twin initiatives were unveiled on July 17, 2026 at the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) lecture hall in Babcock during a ceremony themed "Advancing Research Excellence for Sustainable Business and Societal Development."
Declaring the event open, the President/Vice-Chancellor of Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State, Prof. Afolarin Ojewole, described the occasion as a defining moment for business scholarship in Nigeria and Africa.
“This is a redefining occasion that will have great impact in Nigeria and Africa," he said. "It is good to be a first, but never take it for granted that championships are repeated."
He commended the leadership of Babcock Business School for creating an academic ecosystem that nurtures innovation and provides opportunities for scholars to excel, noting that the new journal opens "possibilities for excellent ways of doing things."
In his keynote address, renowned economist Prof. Omo Aregbeyen challenged Nigerian universities to transform research into practical innovations capable of driving economic growth, creating jobs and solving pressing societal problems.
Speaking on the theme, "Research, Innovation and Sustainable Development in the Knowledge Economy: Building Nigeria's Future from the Classroom to the Marketplace," Aregbeyen said Nigeria's greatest resource is its human capital rather than its natural endowments.
”Nigeria is at a crossroads. Our oil can run out, but our human capital does not expire," he said, urging universities to “translate knowledge into economic and social value.”
He stressed that academic research must extend beyond publications to measurable societal impact, asking, "So what? Whose life is better because of this?" He also advocated stronger university-industry-government collaboration, increased investment in research commercialisation, technology parks, intellectual property protection and student venture funds.
The Executive Director of BBS, Prof. Rufus I. Akintoye, described the dual launch as "fulfilment of his dreams to build a globally-recognized Business school and not a one-off thing," noting that the Doctoral Book of Abstracts reflects research by senior professionals across diverse sectors.
Also speaking, the Associate Vice President for Research, Innovation and International Collaboration, Prof. Foluso Ojewole, said the journal is among the first in Africa to integrate business development and sustainability as complementary fields. He added that it features an international editorial board and is positioned for global visibility through planned Elsevier indexing.
The Chief Launcher, BetNaija Chairman (Hon. Kunle Shoname) represented by Mr. Immabin Kenoye Eliot , CFO Value Jet as well as the Co-Launchers, Chief Dr. Akinyele Oladeji, Managing Consultant and C.E.O. CSDC Consulting Nigeria and President, BBS Alumni also lent their financial support.
The journal focuses on emerging areas such as fintech, ESG, artificial intelligence, corporate governance and sustainable enterprise development, with the goal of bridging the gap between research and industry practice.
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