MOONSHOT 2025
schedule of events
Find information about all our stages, exciting sessions and activities for Moonshot 2025.
WED, OCT 15
CONFERENCE DAY one
thu, OCT 16
CONFERENCE DAY TWO
fri, OCT 17
off-CONFERENCE DAY
sat, OCT 18
off-CONFERENCE DAY
- All Stages
- Creative Economy Stage
- FUEL Station
- Investor Lounge
- Main Stage
- Roundtable Room
- Startup Stage
- Workshop Stage
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location
Main Stage
conversation
Workshop
main stage
Sponsored by
main stage
Sponsored by
Thursday, 16th October
next day
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Mudiaga Mowoe
CEO, Matta
Mudiaga Mowoe is a visionary entrepreneur, chemical engineer, and business leader driving the transformation of Africa’s trade ecosystem. With a strong background in procurement, sales, logistics, and business development, he has built a career at the intersection of industry and innovation—using technology to solve Africa’s most pressing supply chain and trade challenges. While at Momentum Chemicals, one of the core challenges Mudiaga identified was the fragmented nature of the chemicals, raw materials, ingredients and commodities industry, which often hindered effective supply chain management. Recognizing deeper structural barriers—fragmentation, capital constraints, and weak logistics infrastructure—he set out to create a solution that would go beyond chemicals to power Africa’s industrial and trade backbone.
That solution became Matta.Mudiaga Mowoe
CEO, Matta
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Akin is a fintech enthusiast and top-performing digital payment expert with two decades of extensive cross-functional experience in delivering value-oriented cards and digital payment services in the Banking and Payment industries in SSA.
He has also worked as the Group Head of Acceptance in a Pan-Africa Bank with presence in over 18 countries at then. He has been part of various digital innovations and developments in Nigeria. For instance, he played an active role in the formation of real-time card as a payment on POS terminals in Nigeria, the creation of fast-track cash withdrawal leveraging POS at bank branches, implementation of value-added services on ATMs, among others.
His current role at Mastercard as the Business Development Lead, Fintech and Enabler across Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EEMEA) has helped in creating an enabling environment for Fintech partnerships, fostering growth and development that can stand the test of time. Prior to this role, Akin has helped in providing strategic direction to the Mastercard payment acceptance division, developed and managed relationships with key fintech stakeholders with the objective of sustaining and growing the company’s market share in East and West Africa.
Akin Akintunde
Business Development Lead, Fintech and Enabler, EMEA Mastercard
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Moe Odele
Managing Partner, Vazilegal
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Mr Wale Adeosun
CEO, Kuramo Cpital
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Victor is the CEO and co-founder of Raenest, a fintech platform bridging Africa to global banking. Raenest empowers users to open US, UK, and EUR bank accounts in their own names, enabling faster international payments and seamless global transactions.
Before founding Raenest, Victor was the Engineering Manager at Acumen Fund in the United States, where he led the development of Acumen Academy, a globally recognised online platform for social impact learning. He was also a Senior Engineer and Screener at Andela, where he helped shape its Salesforce recruitment process, and previously led technical integrations at Jumia across Nigeria, Ghana, and Egypt.
Under his leadership, Raenest has reached key milestones—being selected for the 2023 Google Black Founders Fund cohort and securing $14M+ in funding from top investors.Victor Alade
Co-founder, Raenest
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Olumide is an AI Research Scientist and Product Builder with over ten years of experience in machine-learning models and building AI systems and products. He holds a PhD in AI Image Processing from Université Grenoble Alpes, a Master’s Degree in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Southampton, and another in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from HEC Paris.
Olumide has a strong background in product development, image processing, data science, computer vision, and machine learning. He is passionate about applying his expertise to create innovative and engaging solutions while teaching and sharing his knowledge.
He is a guest professor at ESIEE Paris, where he teaches data science, business intelligence, and artificial intelligence to master’s students. Additionally, he is a certified LinkedIn instructor, having completed multiple courses on design thinking, leadership, and communication.Olumide Okubadejo
Head of Product, Sabi
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Mayokun Owolabi
Head, Global Expansion & Payment Partnerships- Africa, Flutterwave
Mayokun Owolabi is a distinguished professional with over 14 years of experience in the digital payments industry. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology Management from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, and an MBA from Edinburgh Business School, Scotland. Mayokun has also honed her expertise through programs from renowned institutions such as Lagos Business School in Nigeria andHarvard Business School (HBX).
Currently serving as Head, Global Expansion & Payment Partnerships- Africa at Flutterwave, Mayokun spearheads the enablement of payment channels across Flutterwave’s largest market through strategic partnerships. Her impactful contributions extend to her previous role at NIBSS, where she played a pivotal role in industry initiatives that have revolutionized the payments landscape in Nigeria.
With a wealth of knowledge and experience, Mayokun brings a deep understanding of digital payments, partnerships, and industry transformation.Mayokun Owolabi
Head, Global Expansion & Payment Partnerships- Africa, Flutterwave
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Marlon Nichols is the co-founder and managing general partner of MaC Venture Capital, a leading seed-stage firm renowned for backing visionary founders who redefine industries. Under his leadership, MaC has grown into one of North America’s largest seed-stage venture firms, surpassing $600 million in assets under management (AUM). In October 2024, the firm announced the closing of its third fund ($150 million), further solidifying its influence in the early-stage investment landscape.
Marlon’s portfolio includes industry-defining companies such as Airspace, Blavity, FINESSE, Gimlet Media, MongoDB, Pipe, Purestream, Thrive Market, and Shekel Mobility, among others. His keen eye for transformative opportunities has earned him widespread recognition, including consecutive placements on the Los Angeles Business Journal’s LA500 (2022–2025) and Business Insider’s Seed 100 (Top Early-Stage Investors) for four years. Additionally, he ranks 25th on the Kauffman Fellows Fund Returners Index and has been featured in PitchBook’s 25 Black Founders and VCs to Watch for six years.
Marlon Nichols
Managing Partner, MaC Venture Capital
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Goodness Okpani is the Chief Solutions Architect at Ethnos Cyber Limited, where he leads the technical delivery team in strategizing, designing, and implementing top-tier security solutions for multinational organizations across the finance, fintech, and IT sectors. With over a decade of experience, Goodness holds several prestigious cybersecurity certifications, including CISSP and AWS Security Specialty, among others.
In his current role at Ethnos, he oversees the strategic and technical delivery of security initiatives, providing guidance to business leads to ensure client satisfaction and successful project outcomes. His extensive expertise continues to drive innovative security solutions and contribute to the development of the cybersecurity ecosystem across West Africa.Goodness Okpani
Chief Solutions Architect, Ethnos Cyber Limited
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Eric Wainaina is the General Manager, Africa for Conduit. He leads Conduit’s business development and expansion on the continent, helping businesses in Africa move money across borders more easily, quickly, and with lower fees. Before joining Conduit, Eric worked in a similar capacity at Caliza Technologies and previously had a stint working in a sovereign fund championing technology investments and projects in Eastern Africa.
Eric Wainaina
General Manager, Africa, Conduit
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Chukwuemeka Oti is Head of Product at Renmoney, where he is leading the company’s evolution from a lending-focused microfinance bank into a full digital bank and ecosystem. With over 18 years of experience across fintech, telecommunications, and banking, he has consistently driven innovation at the intersection of product, data, and partnerships.
At Renmoney, he has introduced inclusive savings and lending products, strengthened digital customer experiences, and built ecosystem partnerships with leading payment and technology platforms.
Chukwuemeka is passionate about building scalable financial solutions that empower individuals, expand access, and accelerate Africa’s digital financial future.Chukwuemeka Oti
Head of Product, Renmoney
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Dieko Ojo
Investment Professional, Novastar
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Mrs Victoria Fabunmi
National Coordinator, Nigerian Digital Innovation, NITDA
Victoria Fabunmi is a seasoned Investment Professional with a proven track record over the past 15 years in buy and sell-side advisory, principal investments, private equity, and venture capital. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to leveraging her expertise to mobilize resources and provide vital support to institutions, organizations, and founders, ultimately catalyzing substantial impact and contributing significantly to the broader economy.
She is currently the National Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation, an SPV of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). Through the mandates of her office, she is responsible for championing the mainstreaming and adoption of Digital Innovation in the private and public sectors, with a focus on developing the startup ecosystem within the broader technology and innovation ecosystem. She ensures that all stakeholders work together to accelerate the development of the Nigerian technology and innovation ecosystem.Mrs Victoria Fabunmi
National Coordinator, Nigerian Digital Innovation, NITDA
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Josephine Sarouk is the Managing Director of Bayobab Nigeria, an MTN Group company, where she leads strategy and operations to expand Nigeria’s digital and connectivity infrastructure. With over 20 years of leadership experience across technology companies in the UK and Nigeria, she has demonstrated excellence in driving business growth, market expansion, and digital transformation.
Since joining MTN in 2009, Josephine has held several strategic roles, including Senior Manager of Strategic Accounts and General Manager, Regional Operations (Lagos and South-West), where she spearheaded enterprise service growth and regional market development. As Managing Director of Bayobab Nigeria, she has led the company’s acquisition of a National Long-Distance Operator License, the fiberization of data centres nationwide, and the landing of the 2Africa Submarine Cable in Lagos — a milestone strengthening Nigeria’s digital economy.
A Harvard GMP and University of West London alumna, and a John Maxwell Certified Coach and Speaker, Josephine was named a 2024 Woman in Telecoms awardee at the World Communication Awards in the UK. Passionate about women’s leadership and education, she actively contributes to Women in Successful Careers (WISCAR) and supports initiatives advancing the girl child in Nigeria.
Josephine Sarouk
Managing Director, Bayobab Nigeria (MTN Fiber Subsidiary)
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Ray Youssef is a cryptocurrency expert who is regularly contacted for comment by major international news organizations. He has appeared on TV, podcasts, cryptocurrency and blockchain finance events, and he writes regularly for major crypto news outlets. Ray is a polished media performer known for his powerful and controversial advocacy for the Global South.
Ray Youssef
CEO, Noones
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Gabriel Ologunwa
AVP, Global Expansion & Payment Partnerships for West Africa, Flutterwave
Gabriel Ologunwa is the AVP, Global Expansion & Payment Partnerships for West Africa at Flutterwave. With 14 years of experience in the financial services industry, he specializes in Business Growth and New Market Development.
In his current role, leading the Global Expansion & Payment Partnerships for the West Africa team, Gabriel spearheads the enablement of payment channels across Flutterwave’s largest market through strategic partnershipsGabriel Ologunwa
AVP, Global Expansion & Payment Partnerships for West Africa, Flutterwave
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Dr. Jumoke Oduwole
Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Nigeria
Dr. Jumoke Oduwole MFR currently serves as the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, spearheading initiatives to drive economic growth and innovation in Nigeria. A distinguished reformer, she has held pivotal roles in both the Buhari and Tinubu administrations, delivering impactful reforms that have improved Nigeria’s ease of doing business and boosted investor confidence.
Her career spans academia, corporate governance, and public service. As a Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Mossavar-Rahmani Centre and Governance Advisor at MIT’s Governance Lab, she has brought a global perspective to governance innovation. Her academic achievements include degrees from the University of Lagos, Cambridge University, and Stanford Law School.
Dr. Jumoke Oduwole
Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Nigeria
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HM. Salima Bah
Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Sierra Leone
Minister Haja Salima Monorma Bah is the Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation in Sierra Leone. As a cabinet minister, her mandate includes leading the government’s digital transformation agenda as well as the country’s digital economy and innovation entrepreneurship strategic development, while also supervising the telecommunications sector.
Minister Salima Bah is most passionate about the potential of technology and innovation to accelerate the national development of developing countries and prior to her appointment, she led the design, development, and implementation of such programs as the Head of Project Coordination at the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation in Sierra Leone. Minister Salimah Bah holds a Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of Wales and a Master of Laws from Columbia Law School.
HM. Salima Bah
Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Sierra Leone
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Dr. Aminu Maida
Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
Dr. Aminu Maida is the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), appointed in October 2023 by President Bola Tinubu. A seasoned technology executive, he brings over 15 years of international experience spanning fintech, telecommunications, and enterprise technology
Before joining the NCC, Dr. Maida served as Executive Director of Technology and Operations at the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), where he led the standardization of devices across Nigeria’s financial system to drive interoperability in the e-payment ecosystem. His earlier career includes senior leadership roles as Chief Technical Officer at Arca Payments Network, Senior Manager at Cisco Systems in the UK, and network and systems engineering roles at EE (BT Group) and Ubiquisys, now part of Cisco.
Dr. Maida holds a PhD in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the University of Bath, an MEng in Information Systems Engineering from Imperial College London, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship (FinTech Pathway) from Cambridge Judge Business School.
Dr. Aminu Maida
Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)
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Carlos Rojas-Arbulú has over 20 years of international experience and has worked in 9 countries across
4 continents: Africa, Asia, South America and North America. As a Canadian diplomat abroad, he is currently serving as Deputy High Commissioner at Canada’s Deputy High Commission in Lagos, Nigeria. Previously, he has held Executive roles as Counsellor (Commercial) and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Embassy of Canada to Chile (2021-2024); Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner at the Consulate General of Canada in Mumbai, India (2019-2020), and Counsellor (Development) and Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Canada to Haiti (2017-2019), amongst other assignments in West Africa and Central America.
At Global Affairs Canada (GAC) in Ottawa, and in Executive roles, he served as Senior Departmental Advisor to two Ministers of International Cooperation & La Francophonie (2015-2017), and as Director of the Environment Division (2014-2015). In other leadership roles, he served as Deputy Director, Corporate Social Responsibility & National Contact Point for the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises (2007-2010), and advisor across Asia, North America and Central America portfolios.
He is recognized as an effective communicator in French, English, Spanish (and working on Portuguese) and has served in various community and business-related Boards of Directors. He holds degrees from Concordia University and McGill University in Montreal, Canada.Mr. Carlos Rojas-Arbulu
Deputy High Commissioner of Canada
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Dr. Vincent Olatunji, CPPPS,CDPO,FIIM
National Commissioner/CEO,NDPC
Dr. Vincent Olatunji holds a PhD in Geography and Planning from the University of Lagos, an Advanced Diploma in Computer Studies, and is a Certified Public-Private Partnership Specialist (IP3) as well as a PECBC Certified Data Protection Officer.
He has over 34 years of public sector experience, joining NITDA in 2002 and rising to Director in 2014 and Acting DG in 2016. As Director of e-Government Development and Regulations, he led the creation of major national policies and frameworks, including the Nigeria Inter-Operability Framework, e-Government Enterprise Architecture, Cloud First Policy, Government Digital Service Policy, Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, and the Smart Initiatives Framework.
Dr. Vincent Olatunji, CPPPS,CDPO,FIIM
National Commissioner/CEO,NDPC
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Mr. Temi Popoola
Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Group
Temi Popoola is the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Group. (NGX Group). A Wall Street–trained investment banker, he has built a career spanning investment banking, asset management, and capital markets leadership across Africa, Europe, and the United States.
Temi began his career in London as an asset manager specializing in Africa’s energy sector, before moving to New York as an Equity Derivatives Trader at Bank of America Securities. On returning to Nigeria, he led structured products and investments at UBA and later drove sales and trading at CSL Stockbrokers, where he helped channel global capital into the Nigerian market.
Since assuming leadership at NGX Group, Temi has worked to strengthen the Nigerian capital market, expand its role in Africa’s financial system, and drive innovation that improves access for both local and international investors.
Mr. Temi Popoola
Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Exchange Group
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Ambassador Gautier Mignot has served as the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS since September 2024. A career diplomat with 26 years in the French Foreign Service, he has held senior roles in Europe, Africa, and Latin America, including French Ambassador to Colombia and EU Ambassador to Mexico. An ESSEC and ENA graduate, he coordinated the French EU Council Presidency in 2008 and later served as Deputy Head of Mission in Senegal and Deputy Director General for Global Affairs in Paris. Ambassador Mignot is committed to fostering dialogue, cooperation, and cultural exchange across regions to strengthen CCI ecosystems.
Gautier Mignot
European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS
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Massimo De Luca is Head of Cooperation at the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, a role he assumed in 2024. He previously served as Head of Trade and Economics in Costa Rica, South Africa, and Nigeria, following earlier work at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Competition. His expertise spans value chain development, public procurement, PPPs, and business environment analysis. With a strong commitment to inclusive growth and regional cooperation, Massimo works to strengthen ecosystems that foster innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable development, supporting initiatives that align with CCI’s mission to drive transformative social impact.
Massimo De Luca
Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria
and ECOWAS -
Anu Adedoyin Adasolum is the Founder and CEO of Sabi, a leading technology platform that helps underserved merchants grow by providing access to fulfillment, logistics, ERP tools, a B2B marketplace, data insights, and financial services. Since founding Sabi in 2021, she has scaled the platform into one of Africa’s fastest-growing business networks.
Her career began with roles at Dangote Industries and KPMG Nigeria, where she gained experience in operations planning, management consulting, and business analysis. She went on to become Chief Operating Officer at Rensource Energy, where she played a pivotal role in scaling operations and driving growth. She has held senior leadership roles at Jumia Group, including Head of JForce Transformation and VP of JForce (Sales), as well as roles in vendor acquisition and sourcing. Across her journey, Anu has consistently focused on leveraging technology and operational excellence to unlock growth opportunities for businesses and communities across Africa.
Anu Adedoyin Adasolum
CEO, Sabi
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Dr. Bunmi Ajala
Senior Special Adviser (AI, Data & Research) to the HM of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy
Dr. Bunmi Ajala
Senior Special Adviser (AI, Data & Research) to the HM of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy
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Maxime Bayen is Operating Partner at Catalyst Fund, where he leads the firm’s efforts to source, support, and scale high-potential startups across Africa. Since joining in 2021, he has coordinated venture-building support for more than 20 startups across 8 markets and played a central role in expanding Catalyst Fund’s global network of nearly 200 VC partners. Over the past decade, he has invested in, advised, or accelerated over 50 startups on the continent, including through his angel investments.
Maxime is also the co-creator of Africa: The Big Deal, a leading platform that provides data and insights on the African startup ecosystem, widely used by media outlets, investors, and entrepreneurs. With deep market knowledge and a proven record of building ventures, he is recognized as a trusted partner to founders and a driving force in Africa’s startup landscape.
Maxime Bayen
Operating Partner, Catalyst Fund
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Ebi Atawodi is the Director of Product at Google for YouTube Studio, the home of millions of creators worldwide. She has built a career at the intersection of technology, design, and business, leading teams that develop sustainable products and platforms designed to impact lives for generations.
Before Google, she was Director of Product at Netflix, where she led Payments in EMEA, and Head of Product at Uber, driving the global payments experience across Uber’s apps. She joined Uber in 2014 as General Manager for Lagos and went on to become General Manager for West Africa, scaling operations from a handful of cars to a major regional business.
Before Uber, she held several roles, from the Head of Corporate Communications and Sponsorships at Etisalat, where she created the Etisalat Prize for Literature, Africa’s most prestigious literary prize. She started the first half of her career as a full-stack engineer working for various global brands such as Nokia, GlaxoSmithKline, Channel 4, and Bupa.
Ebi Atawodi
Senior Director of Product Management, Google.
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Iyinoluwa “E” Aboyeji, OON is the Founding Partner of Future Africa, the continent’s largest seed-stage investor, backing over 100 startups with millions of dollars in funding.
He is best known as the co-founder of two of Africa’s unicorns, Andela and Flutterwave, both of which have redefined talent development and digital payments across the continent.
Beyond entrepreneurship, Iyinoluwa has served Nigeria as the youngest member of the Presidential Council on Industrial Policy and Competitiveness. He was also one of the youngest ever recipients of the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) national honor.
Internationally, he has been named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, among other awards and fellowships.
Iyinoluwa “E” Aboyeji
Founding Partner, Future Africa
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Mitchell Elegbe is Founder/ Group Managing Director and a member of the board of directors at Interswitch, a business he conceptualized and has led since 2002, when the company went into operation. Under his leadership, Interswitch has remarkably diversified its business,
broadened distribution channels and expanded into new markets across Africa, driving revolutionary payment innovation and social impact and delivering strong growth in revenue and profits (recognized by Deloitte in 2014 as ‘Africa’s fastest growing technology business). Mitchell is a consummate people-centric leader who believes in motivating his colleagues at Interswitch to have confidence in their value as individuals; in the value of the work they do; and in their value as team members, whilst being relentless in his pursuit of sustainable value for stakeholders.
A Bishop Desmond Tutu fellow of the African Leadership Institute, he enjoys actively mentoring young entrepreneurs, a passion he finds expression for as a member of the board of Endeavor Nigeria.Mitchell Elegbe
Founder / Group Managing Director, Interswitch
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Uyoyo Edosio
Chief ICT and Innovation Expert, African Development Bank
Uyoyo Edosio is the Chief ICT and Innovation Expert at the African Development Bank, with 14 years of experience in infrastructure finance, human capital development, and ICT for development. She leads the Bank’s Digital Transformation Action Plan for Africa and oversees its four-year ICT investment strategy. Her work involves structuring and leading large-scale investments, managing sovereign operations, and shaping digital policy for governments, the private sector, and Regional Economic Communities.
She currently leads a digital portfolio of over $850 million. This includes the $618 million Investment in Digital and Creative Enterprises (iDICE) in Nigeria, the $60.8 million Rwanda Innovation Fund, and the $51 million Cabo Verde Technology Park. She also leads the Regional Fintech Sandbox for the WAMI region and the Bank’s partnership with Smart Africa to harmonise digital trade policy across ten countries.f Operations Officer of PiggyVest, Nigeria’s largest digital savings and micro-investment platform.
Uyoyo Edosio
Chief ICT and Innovation Expert, African Development Bank
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Biola Alabi is an investor, venture builder, and media executive with more than 20 years of experience driving innovation and entrepreneurship across Africa. She is an Investment Partner at Delta40, a venture studio building early-stage startups in climate innovation, energy, mobility, agriculture, and fintech, and a General Partner at Acasia Ventures, where she invests in transformative founders across emerging markets.
Through Delta40, Acasia, and her own angel investments, Biola has backed over 50 startups spanning climate-tech, fintech, health, and the creative economy. She also serves on the boards of Pulse Africa, Akili Network, and the Lagos Angel Network, where she is Deputy Chair. She is a Yale World Fellow and a WEF Young Global Leader, with a focus on capital formation, creative economy financing, and
inclusive innovation across Africa.Biola Alabi
Investment Partner, Delta40 Venture Studio
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Begna Gebreyes
Head of Heavy Industries, Telecoms & Technology (HITT), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)
Begna Gebreyes is Head of Heavy Industries, Telecoms & Technology (HITT) at Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). As Head of HITT, he oversees a portfolio of US$1 billion in debt and equity investments. He has over 20 years’ experience of investment banking and private equity across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. For the last 10 years he has been financing greenfield and brownfield expansion projects across AFC’s member countries. Prior to AFC, he held various roles at Standard Chartered Plc, CapitalSource Inc. and Bank of America N. A. He received his BA from Stanford University, MBA from University of California: Berkeley Haas and is a CFA charter holder.
Begna Gebreyes
Head of Heavy Industries, Telecoms & Technology (HITT), Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)
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Odunayo Eweniyi is co-founder and General Partner at FirstCheck Africa, a pre-seed and seed fund that invests in high-growth tech startups with at least one female founder. She is also the co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of PiggyVest, Nigeria’s largest digital savings and micro-investment platform.
Odunayo Eweniyi
Co-founder and General Partner, FirstCheck Africa
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For the past decade, Alex Tsado has championed initiatives making AI cheaper and accessible for innovators worldwide. He deployed the first Nvidia AI GPUs to the largest cloud providers globally, and now focuses on putting Africa on the AI innovation table. He currently works with key African governments to operationalize their AI strategies and has launched the Africa GPU Hub platform where Africans can rent GPUs for their ambitious AI projects.
Alex Tsado
Co-founder, Alliance4ai
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Jade Abbott (CTO) has over a decade of experience spanning the banking sector, non-governmental organisations, and startups. She is the co-founder of Masakhane, a grassroots initiative focused on advancing Natural Language Processing (NLP) research for African languages. Jade holds an MSc from the University of Pretoria and has received numerous accolades for her work, including being recognised by InspiringFifty, which highlights exceptional women in tech, and Mail & Guardian’s ‘200 Young South Africans’ list, which honours trailblazing young professionals. In 2024, she was named to MIT Technology Review’s prestigious Innovators Under 35 list, a global recognition celebrating the most promising young minds driving the future of technology.
Jade Abbott
Co-founder, Masakhane
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Professor Odile Limpach teaches Economics and entrepreneurship at the Cologne Game Lab, TH Köln University of Applied Sciences, and manages the Incubator of the CGL. She is also co-founder of the accelerator SpielFabrique 360° and works as a Strategic Consultant for serious games and cross-media projects. Between 2007 and 2014, she was the managing director at the German entertainment software studio Blue Byte. Before she was the managing director of Ubisoft GmbH, she graduated from business school in France and completed her MBA in the USA. Odile Limpach is also involved as a volunteer in the areas of vocational training and creative industries development. Furthermore, for twenty years, she acted as an advisor (CCEF) for the French Ministry for International Business Development.
Professor Odile Limpach
Co-founder, SpielFabrique 360°
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As Head of Investment at Launch Africa VC, Uwem Uwemakpan leads strategic investments in early-stage African startups, leveraging his deep understanding of both local markets and global investment landscapes. Through The Grinders Table Podcast, he amplifies African founders’ stories while sharing practical insights on navigating the investment landscape. His track record includes managing $200M+ in funds and facilitating 100s of successful deals that have transformed startups into market leaders.
Uwem Uwemakpan
Head of Investments, Seed Fund II at Launch Africa
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Rosy Fynn is the Country Director, Nigeria, at the Mastercard Foundation, where she is
overseeing the delivery of the Foundation’s Young Africa Works strategy to enable upwards of
ten million young Nigerian women and men to access dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. In
2024, as a recognition for the role she is playing in enabling work opportunities for young
Africans, Rosy was named a Top 50 Women of Impact Honoree.
Prior to joining the Mastercard Foundation, she spent over a decade working in various
leadership roles across numerous Telecommunications companies in Africa, including Airtel and
Tigo (Millicom International).
Rosy is passionate about unlocking the potential of African youth and women and devotes time
to mentoring young people. She is an advocate for women in STEM and was recognized as one
of the 30 most eminent STEM CEOs by the STEM Woman Project in 2020.Rosy Fynn
Country Director, Mastercard Foundation, Nigeria
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Deepankar Rustagi is the Founder and CEO of OmniRetail, a B2B enablement company working on digitizing the entire commerce value chain in Africa. With over 23 years of experience in Africa, he has built a career around small business solutions, business planning, and innovation.
He began his career in sales and marketing, serving in leadership roles at Dufil and Lucky Fibres Plc, before founding VConnect in 2010. VConnect became one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s pioneering SME tech platforms, helping businesses acquire and engage customers. Building on this success, he launched Omnibiz Africa to digitize distribution for retailers and Mplify, a sales force automation tool that empowers businesses with data-driven insights.
Deepankar is a Stanford SEED alumnus with strong expertise in sales, customer relations, and team building.Deepankar Rustagi
CEO, OmniRetail
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Eloho Omame is a venture capital investor and ecosystem builder focused on Africa’s technology and innovation economy. She is a Partner at TLcom Capital, a seed-to-early growth stage VC firm with approximately $250 million under management and a portfolio that includes Andela, Autocheck, Pula, SeamlessHR, Shara, Twiga Foods, uLesson, and Vendease. She represents the firm on the boards of several portfolio companies.
In 2021, Eloho co-founded FirstCheck Africa, one of the continent’s first female-led, female-focused venture capital firms, backing early-stage startups with category-defining potential. Through FirstCheck, she is committed to bridging capital gaps for Africa’s women founders and unlocking their potential to build transformative companies. Her perspectives on innovation, technology, and venture investing have been featured in the Financial Times, TechCrunch, Quartz Africa, The Economist, and TechCabal.
Eloho Omame
Partner, TLcom & Co-Founder, FirstCheck Africa
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Wole leads a world-class team at Fincra in building cross-border payment solutions for fintechs, platforms, corporates & global businesses operating across the globe. Passionate about developing a better global payment system for today’s digital world, Wole is convinced that Africa has enormous potential to become the new frontier of this financial opportunity.
He has a background in Finance from Stanbic IBTC Bank Nigeria, where he was a key member of the Credit Risk Management Team, and has a growing career spanning 7+ years. Prior to Fincra, he co-founded Quidax, one of Africa’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, where he led the Product, Business, Treasury & Customer Success teams. Over the years, Wole has recognised the difficulties that businesses face in making and receiving payments across Africa and he has remained committed to lowering the barriers and solving the challenges.
Wole Ayodele
CEO, Fincra
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Ire Aderinokun is an investor, entrepreneur, and software engineer with a decade of experience building and backing technology ventures in frontier markets.
As an invited Google Expert in Web Technologies specialising in the core user interface technologies of HTML, CSS, and Javascript, Ire has authored widely-read technical content and spoken at dozens of conferences around the world. She co-founded Helicarrier, a Y Combinator-backed blockchain company for Africa that built some of the continent’s earliest crypto-fintech products, and is passionate about how technology can support global financial inclusion.
Ire partners closely with founders as an advisor, investor, and operator who understands the full startup journey. She brings a founder’s empathy and an operator’s discipline to early-stage investing, with a particular focus on mission-driven companies across Africa and other emerging markets.
Ire Aderinokun
Limited Partner, Angel Investor
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Malik Afegbua is a Nigerian-born contemporary artist, filmmaker, and creative technologist known for fusing human creativity with machine intelligence. As CEO of Slickcity Media, he creates immersive experiences across film, virtual reality, and AI-powered art.
His viral project, “The Elder Series,” reimagined seniors in bold fashion shows using AI, sparking global conversations on inclusivity and age diversity. The work earned him a Game Changer Award (2023) and recognition from the World Health Organization for challenging ageism and reshaping perceptions of beauty in the fashion industry.
Malik Afegbua
Creator of the Elder Series, Film Director, CEO of Slickcity Media
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Joe Kinvi (CA) is a systems-focused entrepreneur building the connective infrastructure for diaspora capital and innovation across Africa. He is the founder of Borderless, a digital platform powering investment remittances and collective investing for the African diaspora. Joe’s work sits at the intersection of entrepreneurship, investments, and community building, grounded in the belief that trust-based capital flows, borderless ecosystems, and market-driven innovation will drive sustainable prosperity in Africa. Before his entrepreneurial journey, Joe held leadership roles at high-growth technology companies, including Head of Finance at Touchtech Payments (acquired by Stripe), Growth Lead at Stripe, and Partnerships Lead at Paystack. Joe is an active investor in Africa and the diaspora and a community builder focusing on the African diaspora. Joe is a board member of the African Business Angel Network (ABAN).
Joe Kinvi
Founder, Borderless
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Salem King is a content creator, coach, and social media influencer known for empowering young creatives to drive change. Passionate about personal growth and community building, he has trained over 1,000 creators, spoken at two TEDx events, and built a thriving network of young changemakers. His authenticity has earned him recognition, including a TFAA nomination, and collaborations with leading brands such as Spotify, YouTube, MTN, Jumia, Sterling Bank, and the Tony Elumelu Foundation.
Salem King
Creator, Co-founder, Crea8torium
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Adaora Mbelu is a Bright Light & Creative Mastermind who architects ideas, platforms, and ecosystems that shape culture. She is the founder of Crea8torium, a platform powering the hottest creator community out of Africa – a space for visionaries, storytellers, and builders driving meaningful impact. An accomplished Brand Strategist and Chief Storyteller, she has worked with global brands such as Google, Adidas, Guinness, Fenty, Johnnie Walker, Microsoft, Hennessy, Zipline, among
others.Her career spans diverse industries, blending creativity with strategic excellence. She has worked on major projects such as Nigerian Idol, X Factor, Nigeria’s Got Talent, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup broadcast rights. Her accolades include being named one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s “11 Africans Changing the Business Landscape in Africa” and one of the 100 Most
Influential People of African Descent.
A multi-potentialite, Adaora is also a visual artist, author of This Thing Called Purpose, and co-producer of the AMVCA-winning TV series Truth. She’s committed to Philanthropy through Socially Africa, a foundation dedicated to community development, through impactful initiatives.Adaora Mbelu
Founder, Crea8torium
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Satoshi Shinada is a Co-founder and GP of Kepple Africa Ventures, currently managing Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures, a $60m pan-African fund.
Since 2019, he led investment in major African startups including Moniepoint, Moove, Carry1st, and Autochek, etc. Prior to Kepple, Satoshi was Investment Manager at Sojitz Corporation in charge of investment in infrastructure and energy projects.
He has been based in Nigeria for 10 years. Satoshi holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a B.Sc. from The University of Tokyo.
Satoshi Shinada
Co-founder and GP of Kepple Africa Ventures
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Dan Herman is a Toronto-based innovation policy expert, lecturer, and independent filmmaker. His film projects include directing and producing Magnetic Cities, an 18-part documentary series on the most innovative and dynamic cities around the world for startups.
Dan is a lecturer at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, where he teaches a class on the evolution of the global innovation economy and how startups from everywhere are competing and winning on the global stage.
Previously, Dan served as a senior policy advisor in the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation, and was the co-founder of the Centre for Digital Entrepreneurship and Economic Performance (DEEP Centre), a non-partisan think tank focused on the Canadian economy.
Dan Herman
Innovation policy expert and filmmaker
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Tito Cookey-Gam
Principal, Partech Africa
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Malaika Ademola-Majekodunmi
Vice President, Global Payment Systems, Fincra
Malaika Ademola-Majekodunmi is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in product management and program management across various sectors. Currently serving as a Senior Product Manager at Fincra, Malaika focuses on ideating and scoping product concepts and ensuring partner integrations. Previously, as a Program Manager at Open Banking Nigeria, Malaika managed daily activities and coordinated cross-functional teams to promote the role of open banking. In the role of Product Lead at Lendsqr, strategies and vision for product subsets were developed, while earlier experience as a Product Manager involved transforming product ideas into viable solutions. Initial career experience as a Process Engineer at Cakasa Maintenance Services Limited included applying software for process flow calculations.
Malaika Ademola-Majekodunmi
Vice President, Global Payment Systems, Fincra
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Freda Isingoma
Senior Fund Manager, Octopus Investments
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Jordan Belonwu
Creative Director, Belonwus
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Lexi Novitske
General Partner, Norrskken 22
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Claude Grunitzky is the CEO of Equity Alliance, a fund dedicated to investing in underrepresented VCs and early-stage founders. He is also the founder of TRACE and TRUE Africa, influential media platforms amplifying Black culture globally.
As a Visiting Social Innovator at Harvard’s Social Innovation and Change Initiative (SICI), Claude advocates for transcultural approaches to social change—an outlook shaped by his upbringing across Togo, the US, France, and the UK.
A graduate of London University and MIT Sloan, Claude also serves as a trustee at MoMA PS1 and MASS MoCA, and chairs the Catharsis Arts Foundation, underscoring his belief in the power of art to heal and connect divided societies.
Claude Grunitzky
CEO, Equity Alliance
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Ariel White-Tsimikalis
Partner, Goodwin Procter
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Kate Kallot is a technologist and deep tech founder recognised globally for pioneering equitable access to advanced technologies across emerging markets. She is the Founder & CEO of Amini, a data infrastructure company building sovereign data and compute systems for Africa and the Global South. Under her leadership, Amini is transforming fragmented analog systems into AI-ready digital ecosystems that power supply chains, climate intelligence, and government modernisation.
Previously, Kate held senior leadership roles at NVIDIA, where she led global developer relations and ecosystem expansion across underserved geographies, and Arm, where she was instrumental in scaling the TinyML movement, enabling machine learning on ultra-low-power edge devices. At Intel, she spearheaded the development of the Neural Compute Stick, the world’s first USB-based AI development kit, democratizing computer vision and edge AI for millions of developers worldwide.
Her work has been recognized by TIME’s 100 Most Influential People in AI, the World Economic Forum as a Tech Pioneer, and One Young World as Entrepreneur of the Year 2024. A trusted voice in global AI policy and digital equity, Kate serves as Vice Chair of the ICC Global Environmental and Energy Commission and is a member of EY’s Global AI Advisory Council.
Kate Kallot
Founder & CEO, Amini
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Awazi Angbalaga-Joshua
Co-Founder, Shaaré
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Bilia Bah is an artist, producer, cultural manager, trainer, and Director General of Cultural and Creative Industries at Guinea’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Handicrafts. He founded La Muse, a cultural hub in Conakry promoting social transformation, professionalizing the cultural sector, and showcasing Guinean and African heritage through its incubator, Les Studios Kirah. Founder of the International Theater Festival Univers des Mots, which he directed for 13 years, he also presides over RESAE, Guinea’s support network for cultural enterprises. His work focuses on cultural entrepreneurship and leveraging art and culture to build a more equitable society.
Bilia Bah
Director General of the ICC, Ministry of Culture of Guinea
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Andrew Alli is a business leader, institution builder and adviser with 35 years experience, of which 25 years has been investing in, and managing businesses in Africa. He is a trained engineer, successful investment and development banker and investor that has been involved in well over USD10 billion worth of investments in Africa.
Andrew started his career in management consulting and investment banking in the UK. He joined the International Finance Corporation in 1996, where he worked for 11 years, gaining experience in energy and telecommunications investments at its headquarters in Washington D.C. In 2002, Andrew was chosen to lead the IFC’s operations in Nigeria. Four years later, he was appointed to lead the institution’s operations in Southern Africa.
In 2008, after a stint as the co-founder of a private equity fund, Andrew was appointed President and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), which he led for ten years. Under his leadership, the AFC delivered over $4.5 billion in investments across 30 African countries, becoming a leading African financier of infrastructure.
In 2019, Andrew joined SouthBridge Group, a pan-African investment bank, as Partner and Chief Executive Officer of the firm, which he left in 2022.
Andrew also has an extensive directorship experience, serving on the boards of several leading organisations across two continents. Since 2009, Andrew has been an angel investor, supporting many well-known startups in their earliest stages of growth.
John Kamara
CEO, Adanian Labs
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Roosevelt Elias is a visionary product technologist, entrepreneur, and the Founder & CEO of Payble, a pioneering fintech company dedicated to transforming financial access for micro and small businesses in emerging markets globally. With extensive expertise in AI, blockchain, and inclusive finance, Roosevelt has devoted his career to developing technology that uplifts underserved communities and fosters economic growth. While Payble is currently focused on the African market, the company’s vision is resolutely global, aiming to empower micro-entrepreneurs around the world with the tools they need to thrive in the digital economy. Roosevelt’s mission is to create a more equitable economic landscape by harnessing the power of technology to unlock the potential of the smallest businesses, driving sustainable development and reducing poverty on a global scale. By focusing on financial inclusion and economic empowerment, he envisions a future where micro-businesses become catalysts for broader societal transformation. Roosevelt’s extensive experience in building tech solutions that are both innovative and inclusive makes him a leading voice in the push towards a more equitable global economy.
Roosevelt Elias
Founder & CEO, Payble
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Laju Iren is a best-selling author, award-winning filmmaker, pastor, and master storyteller, fondly called A–Z L for her many graces. She is building an empire for the Lord’s stories through books, films, and transformative storytelling. Author of seven impactful books, including her bestseller Dating Intelligently and the children’s classic Little Laika. She is a pioneer of virtual cinema, with Laju Iren Films amassing millions of YouTube views.
Through Laju Iren Publishing, she has guided over 50 authors to publish their works and founded the Christian Storyteller Prize to honor Christ-centered stories. A devoted wife, pastor, mother of four, and lifestyle influencer, Laju Iren continues to inspire globally, changing lives one powerful story at a time.
Laju Iren
Filmmaker and Author
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With over a decade of experience, Tobi has shaped the future of financial and EduTech products across Africa, the US, Europe, and emerging markets. She’s worked at three unicorns – Flutterwave, Andela, and Interswitch, where she learned firsthand what it takes to build and scale products that truly make an impact. Now, as VP of Product at Raenest, she’s helping businesses and freelancers navigate the complexities of cross-border payments.
Beyond her role, she is the founder of ProductDive, Africa’s largest product management community. She has trained and mentored hundreds of product managers, many of whom now lead top tech companies. A SheWinsAfrica Awardee, World Bank Group (2024), Future Female Leader Awardee, IESE Business School (2024), and TechWomen Emerging Leader, U.S. Department of State (2022), Oluwatobi has built a legacy of impact, inspiring the next generation of product leaders.
Tobi Otokiti
VP. Product, Raenest
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Dan Herman is a Toronto-based innovation policy expert, lecturer, and independent filmmaker. His film projects include directing and producing Magnetic Cities, an 18-part documentary series on the most innovative and dynamic cities around the world for startups. Dan is a lecturer at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto, where he teaches a class on the evolution of the global innovation economy and how startups from everywhere are competing and winning on the global stage.
Previously, Dan served as a senior policy advisor in the Government of Ontario’s Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation, and was the co-founder of the Centre for Digital Entrepreneurship and Economic Performance (DEEP Centre), a non-partisan think tank focused on the Canadian economy.
Dan Herman
Innovation Policy Expert and Filmmaker
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Victor Fatanmi
Director, Strategy, FourthCanvas
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Hilda Moraa is the Founder and CEO of Pezesha, a digital financial marketplace bridging access to affordable credit for underserved individuals and SMEs across Africa. An award-winning entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in fintech and innovation, she previously founded WezaTele, a pioneering mobility and supply chain solutions company that was successfully acquired in 2015. Before her entrepreneurial journey, Hilda was part of the founding team at iHub Research, one of Nairobi’s first innovation hubs, driving tech research and ecosystem growth. She is also the author of A Kenyan Startup Journey, sharing lessons from building and scaling ventures on the continent. Recognized among Quartz Africa’s Top 30 Innovators in 2018, Hilda has spoken on global stages, including delivering a keynote at the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit in Nairobi alongside President Barack Obama.
Hilda Moraa
CEO, Pezesha
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Seyi Lasisi
Senior Staff Writer, The Culture Custodian
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Olu Oyinsan is a leading seed-stage investor and Managing Partner at Oui Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm backing high-growth technology startups in frontier markets. Olu began his career in commercial banking with Guaranty Trust Bank in Nigeria, later working as a consultant at Forrester, advising some of the world’s leading technology companies on products and processes, and as a relationship manager at Silicon Valley Bank, where he supported technology startups across all verticals in accessing debt, equity and mezzanine products.
Olu holds an MBA from Hult International Business School in Boston, with a concentration in finance and strategy. His experience is spread across credit risk, technology valuation, and venture capital. He is very passionate about financial technology, two-sided networks, and connectivity, having made and managed investments in several high-growth startups in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Paystack, MVX, and Tizeti.
Olu Oyinsan
Managing Director, Oui Capital
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Dumebi Iwuchukwu
Head of Design, Stears
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Ayo Shonibare is the Chief Marketing Officer at Roqqu, a leading African crypto exchange and fintech platform enabling fast, affordable cross-border payments and access to digital assets.Ayo is is a results-driven Sales and Marketing leader with over 7 years of experience in strategic planning, sales and marketing, and team leadership, Ayo has built a reputation for driving growth through data-informed strategies and impactful execution. As Chief Marketing Officer, Ayo has successfully led teams, developed high-impact campaigns, and implemented KPI-driven strategies to optimize performance. His ability to analyze market trends, generate leads, and enhance customer engagement has
positioned him as a key driver of business success. Ayo holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Global Marketing from Next MBA, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Brand Management and Customer Behaviour from the University of London, and a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Marine Engineering from Rivers State University, Nigeria.
Ayo Shonibare
Chief Marketing Officer, Roqqu
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Bashira is a Senior Consultant at Africa Practice, where she advises clients on policy, legislation, and political economy within the digital, creative, and innovation ecosystems. She helps ICT sector clients navigate complex regulatory environments, build impactful partnerships, and align with stakeholder priorities.
She has played a key role in shaping Nigeria’s technology and digital economy, contributing to the drafting of significant policies and regulations.
Prior to joining Africa Practice, Bashira was part of the Director-General’s Policy Team at NITDA, where she designed and implemented policies in line with global best practices. She also led initiatives within the Office for Nigeria Digital Innovation, leveraging regulatory tools and fostering collaboration to drive digital innovation across the country.
Bashira Hassan
Senior Consultant, Africa Practice
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Emmanuel Sohe (E.S) is the CEO of The Tonic Technologies, the parent company of Cardtonic, a leading digital platform helping users in Nigeria and Ghana with alternative ways to make international purchases and payments Before joining Tonic Technologies, he had extensive experience consulting for local and international brands on big data and analytics, business strategy, and growth methodologies and frameworks.E.S. is passionate about building great products that solve real-world problems. Notably, the confounding problems in the African payments space are addressed using a combination of alternative methods, particularly cryptocurrency, virtual cards, and other digital assets.
He is a first-class graduate of Demography & Statistics from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ife, and an MBA Essentials Alumnus of the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Emmanuel Sohe (E.S.)
CEO, Cardtonic
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Tomi Oduyemi is Part growth leader, part mentor, Tomi Oduyemi builds not just brands but the people and strategies behind them. A full-stack marketer, she has led growth across fintech, B2B SaaS, MediaTech, and HealthTech, driving multi-country campaigns in Africa that deliver real revenue and lasting loyalty.
Her philosophy is simple: combine data, creativity, and smart growth tactics to build strategies that don’t just attract users but keep them coming back. For her, real growth isn’t about vanity metrics, it’s about creating systems that work, scale, and last. Tomi is just as passionate about people as she is about brands, having mentored 15+ early-career marketers into confident growth professionals.
Tomi Oduyemi
Growth Lead, Cardtonic
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Adebowale Asaya
Sr. Product Lead, Amazon
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Bernard Ghartey is a Principal at Norrsken22, where he leads West Africa investments for the African tech growth fund. With over a decade of experience in venture capital, investment banking, and telecommunications strategy, Bernard has been a key player in the African venture capital ecosystem since 2019. Prior to Norrsken22, he was Head of Investments at Acuity Venture Partners, an early-stage fund, and served as Senior Associate at I-DEV International in Kenya. His tenure at Vodafone as Senior Strategy Specialist saw him driving the company’s WIN-2020 strategy. Earlier in his career, he worked in investment banking at IC Securities, raising capital for blue-chip clients across multiple sectors. Bernard graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from Ashesi University.
Bernard Ghartey
Principal, Norrsken22
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Issa Sissoko is a Creative Director and AI filmmaker based in Montreal.
At Wonder Studios, he leads end-to-end, AI-assisted production, combining story, design, and generative tools to deliver campaigns and narrative prototypes at speed. A former performance marketer with 10+ years of experience, Issa now runs Amissa Studios, a creative lab developing Africa-forward IP, including the historical fantasy series Mansa: Whispers of the Wind and Waves. He advises startups and brands on practical use of AI across writing, storyboarding, animation, and VFX, and teaches workshops to creators and companies.Issa Sissoko
Creative Director, Wonder Studios
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Ann-Mareme Atayi is International Institutions Manager at EuroQuity – the French Public Investment Bank – where she specializes in partnerships between African/French Tech-enabled companies, institutional relations, and cultural and creative industries projects.
Specialized in International Relations from Sciences Po Paris, she has served both public and private institutions, including the United Nations diplomatic body, the French Development Bank, the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, MEDEF’s Washington Office, and the United Bank for Africa.Ann Marème Atayi
Senior International Institutions Manager, BPI/EuroQuity
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Dayo leads global sales, business development and partnerships at Cedar Money, a fast-growing fintech revolutionizing global payments for businesses across Africa and beyond. With a career spanning nearly 20 years, Dayo has held senior leadership roles at Temenos, Diebold Nixdorf, Oracle, SAP, and Finastra, where he drove regional business expansion, strategic partnerships, and digital transformation initiatives, delivering multi-million-dollar revenue growth annually. His deep expertise in banking technology, payments, and enterprise solutions has made him a trusted advisor to financial institutions navigating complex transformation journeys. With passionate advocacy for innovation and operational excellence, Dayo brings a wealth of insights on scaling fintech solutions in emerging markets.
Dayo Fagade
Director, Global Sales, BD and Partnerships, Cedar Money
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Owenize is the General Manager for Africa at Blockchain.com and a recognised pioneer in the continent’s crypto industry. With 17+ years in finance and 9+ years in crypto, she is a respected thought leader committed to expanding access to regulated digital asset services. Her leadership bridges global innovation with Africa’s growing markets, driving Blockchain.com’s mission to empower millions with secure and reliable crypto solutions.
Owenize Odia
General Manager, Blockchain.com Africa
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Ayotunde Alabi is the CEO of Luno Nigeria, where he focuses on providing secure access to digital assets and improving the financial system. With over ten years of experience in finance, technology, and capital markets, he has held leadership positions at Spektra, ARM HoldCo, FBNQuest, and Heritage Bank Limited. He also served as CFO and Chairman of Mercury Microfinance Bank, where he helped advance financial inclusion.
Ayotunde Alabi
CEO, Luno Nigeria
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Chinedu is the Business Development lead for Luno Nigeria. He is passionate about putting the power of Cryptocurrency in everybody’s hand by making cryptocurrency easily accessible to everyone, anywhere and whoever you are. He led Luno’s retail growth in Nigeria and is highly focused on increasing access to Cryptocurrency in the Nigerian market.
Chinedu Obidiegwu
Business Development Lead, Luno Nigeria
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Oji Udezue is an experienced product management leader with a career spanning marketing, sales, engineering, and design leadership. He has a proven track record of building customer-centric products, scaling them to market success, and mentoring high-performing teams. He was formerly Chief Product Officer at Calendly, where he helped guide the company to unicorn status, and also led the Content, Creation, and Conversation team at Twitter, overseeing Tweets, DMs, Spaces, and the Creators Initiative. Oji previously served as Head of Product for Atlassian’s Communication division, where he launched Atlassian’s first post-IPO product, and has also held leadership positions at Spiceworks, Bridgewater Associates, and Microsoft, where he spent over a decade in product management.
In his free time, Oji mentors startups through ProductMind, focusing on diverse founders and B2B SaaS ventures. He is also co-author of Building Rocketships: Product Management for High-Growth Companies, a blueprint for scaling in the age of AI.
Oji Udezue
Global Product Leader
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Bolakale combines a background in law, compliance, technology, and operations. With over seven years of experience advising and working with fintechs across Africa—including Paystack, Pagatech, Interswitch, Chipper Cash, and MFS Africa (now Onafriq)—he brings regulatory fluency and strategic clarity. His experience in structuring cross-border payment operations has been central to building Startbutton’s Merchant of Record (MoR) capabilities.
Bolakale Mallick
CEO, Startbutton
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Chimene Chinah is the CEO of Dantown, a fast-growing fintech company committed to connecting the globe, financially. With over eight years of experience building products and scaling businesses from the ground up, Chimene blends strategic insight with hands-on executionto drive growth and innovation. He holds an MSc and an MBA, alongside globally recognized certifications including the Certified Product Manager (CPM, AIPMM) and Financial Modeling & Valuation Analyst (FMVA, CFI), reflecting his pursuit of excellence and adherence to international business standards. Chimene’s leadership philosophy is rooted in the belief that everything rises and falls on leadership. He leads with clarity and intention, developing people as much as he drives results. For him, true impact comes from empowering others and cultivating leadership at every level of an organisation.
Chimene Chinah
CEO, Dantown
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Barene Jankovich-Besan is an independent consultant and self-described consumer behavior scientist. She helps businesses uncover growth opportunities by digging into what really drives user behaviour—and turning those insights into strategies that deliver on the bottom line. Having lived and worked across multiple African countries and industries, from financial services to FMCG and consumer tech, she brings a continent-wide perspective to her work. Most recently, Barene has been exploring the peculiarities of the AI ecosystem in Africa.
Barene Jankovich-Besan
Independent Consultant
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Ikemesit Effiong is a lawyer and Partner at SBM Intelligence, where he manages the firm’s African research network and works with clients across Nigeria’s political, economic, and social sectors. His experience spans judicial administration, geopolitics, corporate communications, and political consulting, including serving as a consultant to four Nigerian governorship races and advising leading multinationals on compliance and CSR.
Since 2021, he has led projects on countering COVID-19 misinformation, shaping post-lockdown education policy, strengthening press freedoms, and improving democratic participation for vulnerable groups. Outside his professional role, he manages a 1,300-member finance professionals mentoring network, chairs the Technology Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association’s Section on Business Law, and contributes to West Africa’s first civil society self-regulatory framework.
Ikemesit Effiong
Partner, SBM Intelligence
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Wilfred Alfred
Senior Strategist, FourthCanvas
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Napa Onwusah is a global business leader with over 25 years of experience across technology, finance, and consulting. She has held leadership roles at Amazon Web Services, Google, Visa, Microsoft, Cisco, and SAP, where she built a reputation for driving growth, leading high-performing teams, and advancing digital transformation. At AWS, she led startup engagement across the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey, achieving 39% year-on-year growth and exceeding revenue targets. At Google, she headed sales for Sub-Saharan Africa, delivering record growth and earning the Google Leader Award. Napa is currently Managing Partner at PlacidCode Labs, helping founders build scalable products, and leads Built4Balance, a consultancy focused on revenue and business growth.
Napa Onwusah
Ex Google, AWS, Microsoft
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Babajide Duroshola is a seasoned business management executive with over a decade of expertise in startups, technology, banking, and consulting. He is currently the General Manager of M-KOPA Nigeria where he leads strategic growth and operations. With a rich background in business operations, strategy, marketing, and community engagement, Babajide brings transnational experience across African and emerging markets. Before joining M-KOPA, Babajide was the Country Director at SafeBoda Nigeria, where he played a pivotal role in driving the overall growth of the business. His diverse experience also includes serving as the Community Manager for Technical Talent at Andela.
Babajide is a Limited Partner at Rallycap Global, an investment fund focused on high-potential startups in Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia, where he has championed investments in transformative companies like Risevest.
Babajide Duroshola
General Manager, M-KOPA
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Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani is Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and a pioneer in Africa’s startup ecosystem. He is the co-founder and former CEO of Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB), the leading pan-African innovation centre with presence in Nigeria, Kenya, Rwanda, and Namibia. Since its founding in 2010, CcHUB has nurtured hundreds of startups through mentorship, funding, and access to resources, becoming a vital catalyst for Africa’s technology ecosystem.
Jide Martin
CEO, Comic Republic
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Goodness “Ada” Armstrong is a top voice in HR and Executive talent recruitment in Nigeria with nearly a decade of experience working across big tech multinationals like Microsoft.
She is the founder of Startuphr Africa, a HR services company supporting the African tech ecosystem (Founders, Operators, Innovators, HR professionals, Startups) with end-to-end HR support from executive recruitment to HR systems, policy and structure design for launch and growth across Africa.
Before Startuphr, she led HR/ People Operations for Microsoft in Nigeria, before joining Coven Works as Head of Talent for Africa.
As founder of Startuphr Africa, she leads executive talent recruitment and HR systems design across Africa and has consulted for government and VC-funded startups across Fintech, AI, Edtech, and Healthtech.Goodness “Ada” Armstrong
Founder, StartupHR Africa
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Addy Awofisayo is a Music, Content and Tech Executive with expertise in Africa’s Creative Economy. She has gained over 10 years of global experience working in various strategy, finance, content and partnership roles across Africa, Europe and North America. Addy began her career at Microsoft, working in Finance & Strategy. Kicking off her career in media, she worked at Discovery Communications on the content team for international markets, and also served as the Director for content and business strategy for a Pan-African media organization. At YouTube, Addy previously led content partnerships for Sub-Saharan Africa, negotiating partnership deals with large media companies and implementing initiatives for Creators to grow the creative economy on the continent.
Addy Awofisayo
Music, Content and Tech Executive
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Roimot Yetunde Ajiboye is a seasoned Chief Compliance and Risk Officer with extensive expertise in regulatory compliance, risk management, AML/CTF frameworks, and financial crime prevention within the fintech and cryptocurrency industries. She specializes in developing and implementing compliance strategies, conducting enterprise-wide risk assessments (EWRA), and ensuring adherence to global financial regulations. With a proven track record of strengthening regulatory compliance frameworks, overseeing licensing processes, and mitigating operational, financial, and reputational risks, Roimot has played a pivotal role in aligning business operations with international financial standards. She has led compliance teams, collaborated with regulators, and implemented risk-based AML/CTF policies to safeguard businesses from financial crimes.
Roimot Ajiboye-Ibitoye
Compliance Lead, Roqqu
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Emmanuel Peter is a dynamic growth strategist and an institutional sales consultant with a strong focus on scaling blockchain solutions and driving Web3 penetration across Africa. With a proven track record, he continues to champion the adoption of blockchain technology across diverse markets in Africa through education, driving growth, and meaningful impact.
Passionate about the transformative potential of decentralized systems, Emmanuel has worked at the intersection of technology, strategy, and sales. Emmanuel serves as the Head of Web3 markets at Roqqu, where he majors in identifying opportunities and building scalable models to achieve sustainable growth.Emmanuel Peter
Head of Roqqu Academy
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Fola Fagbule
Deputy Director and Head of Financial Advisory, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)
Fola Fagbule is a banker and investment professional focused on infrastructure in Africa. He currently serves as a Senior Vice President and Head of Financial Advisory with overall responsibility for mergers, acquisitions, capital raising and other technical advisory assignments at the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC). His work revolves around large infrastructure projects, companies and investments across sub-Saharan Africa. AFC is a US$4.0bn infrastructure financier working across nearly 30 countries in Africa. Fola has worked at AFC in various roles for nearly a decade and is currently focused mainly on leading the delivery of advice to various clients, including governments, private funds, large corporates, private developers, state-owned entities and central banks. Prior to AFC, Fola worked as an investment banker at Afrinvest, a London and Lagos-based securities firm. At Afrinvest, he focused originally on mergers, acquisitions and capital raising; then subsequently led the investment research department.
Fola Fagbule
Deputy Director and Head of Financial Advisory, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC)
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Seun Lanlege is the Co-founder of Polytope Labs. He previously worked as a core developer at Parity Technologies, where he contributed to projects such as parity-ethereum, Substrate, and Polkadot. After leaving Parity, he joined Composable Finance, where he led the research and development efforts that successfully bridged Polkadot to Cosmos using the IBC framework. Currently, Seun leads research and development at Polytope Labs, focusing on interoperability, privacy, and scalability.
Seun Lanlege
Co-founder, Polytope Labs
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Samora Kariuki leads Frontier Fintech, Africa’s premier fintech insights and advisory platform. He works with banks, fintechs, and investors to align strategy with real market dynamics. Through deep research, a widely read weekly newsletter, and the F Squared podcast, Samora equips executive teams with clear guidance on payments, core banking, digital identity, stablecoins, and the wider fintech stack. His advisory work supports product strategy, market entry, and partnerships for leading names in the industry across multiple markets. A former finance and banking operator turned researcher and advisor, he focuses on market insights, growth, risk, and execution that leaders can act on.
Samora Kariuki
Founder and CEO, Frontier Fintech
