Our Jury

Ugo NwaokikeSenior Counsel, PaystackUGO Nwaokike is a Senior Counsel at Paystack, Africa's leading online payment platform.
He has a decade of experience in the Fintech and Technology sector, both as a legal practitioner and a strategic advisor. He is passionate about creating compliant, innovative and inclusive solutions that address the financial needs and challenges of Africans.

Prior to joining Paystack, he was a founding team member of Cliqki, a social media payment platform, and a Team Lead of the Fintech/Technology and Data Protection department at a leading law firm, Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors (known for its pioneering insolvency practice).

He is a thought leader and a published author on the regulatory and legal aspects of Fintech and Technology in Africa. As a Policy Advocate for emerging markets and innovation, he is a member of the Nigerian Government, National Blockchain Policy Steering Committee, a member of the TWG for the Review of the Kenya National Payment law Review and a Consultant in the preparation of National Artificial Intelligence Strategy for Nigeria.

Echezona AgubataChief Technology Officer, Coronation Merchant BankEchezona Agubata is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at the Coronation Merchant Bank of Nigeria. He developes and drives the execution of IT Strategy, leads the Technology teams in aligning the IT ecosystem with the business strategy. He is also a board advisory for Technology leverage for strategic business growth. He is known in the Nigeria Tech and Banking industry as Eche.

Previously, Eche served as Head of IT Governance and Strategy at Union Bank of Nigeria as well as the Chief Technology Officer of Guaranty Trust Pension and Fund Managers and also at different times as Head of IT Infrastructure, Head of IT Relationship Management and Head of IT Digital Channels at Guaranty Trust Bank.

He is a strong advocate and strategist for Zero Downtime, Simplified innovation and Fanatic support processes in the places he has worked. He has also played critical roles in several innovations and implementations within the industry (e.g USSD Banking, Instant Inter-Bank transfer i.e. NIP, Quick Credit/Loans, Cardless ATM withdrawals e.t.c). He is very passionate about strategy execution and IT performance.

Sikemi TayoCTOO, kitWorks Innovations Limited Sikemi is a Technology Operations Expert with 15 years of experience across various sectors. She specialises in technology-led transformations, process improvements, and operational excellence and empowers African tech companies for success.

Holding a Master's in Information Systems from the University of Sheffield, Sikemi is also an active Tech Mentor, guiding future tech leaders.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, Sikemi is a Fitness Coach passionate about helping 9-5 professionals stay consistent on their fitness journeys.

Femi OlapegbaMD, Digital Health Platforms Limited Femi is the Managing Director of Digital Health Platforms Ltd, a subsidiary of Interswitch Ltd developing the foundational backbone infrastructure connecting all healthcare facilities in Lagos State. This infrastructure, the first of its kind in Africa, aims to aid continuity of care and improve healthcare service delivery and overall patient outcomes.

Femi co-founded many visionary tech startups, including eClat Healthcare Ltd, which had a successful market capitalisation by Interswitch.

He is a seasoned software engineer, enterprise architect, and project and business manager. He was educated at the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University, Lagos Business School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, and University of Birmingham, UK, mastering computer science, data science, business administration, development economics, health economics and health policy.

DR. TOBI MOODYDirector, World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) Nigeria Tobi Moody is the Director of the World Intellectual Property Organization, Nigeria Office. In this role, he leads and coordinates the work of WIPO in Nigeria, with a key focus on awareness raising, training and capacity building in the field of intellectual property, and across WIPO’s global services. At WIPO, he has previously worked with the Traditional Knowledge Division in Geneva, where he coordinated Member States’ negotiations for the development of an international instrument to ensure the effective global protection of traditional knowledge, cultural expressions and genetic resources.

Tobi holds appointment as a professor of intellectual property law at Queen’s University in Canada, with additional appointment as the Queen’s National Scholar in International Economic Law and was also a Fellow with the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and served with the Appellate Body Secretariat of the WTO. Tobi obtained a Ph.D. in Global Intellectual Property Law (Vanier Scholar) from Queen’s University, Canada; an LL.M. in International Trade and Investment Law (cum laude) from the University of the Western Cape in South Africa, and an LL.B. from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria. He is a member of the Nigerian Bar.

TEJU ADEYINKAProduct Manager, OX Teju Adeyinka is a Product Manager experienced in building consumer and developer products in Fintech and Web3. She is the Product Manager overseeing the Developer Platform at 0x, a DeFi infrastructure provider powering some of the world’s largest crypto companies.

In addition, Teju is building Workaroo - a resource that connects Africans to global work opportunities. Before 0x, she was the first Product Manager at Helicarrier and helped build and grow pivotal blockchain products in the Nigerian tech ecosystem.

She is passionate about technologies that enable the borderless and inclusive flow of value, and her current areas of focus are blockchain technology and remote work enablement.

TOSIN OLASEINDEFounder, Money Africa & Ladda Oluwatosin is a professional accountant with over 10 years of experience spanning across accounting, audit, financial management, and taxation. She is the Founder/CEO of Money Africa, an innovative ed-tech platform designed to equip over 200,000 individuals with financial literacy and investment skills using technology. Tosin is also the visionary behind Ladda, an investment technology platform.

Oluwatosin is Washington Mandela Fellow, and a LinkedIn Top Voice Finance and Economy 2020. She was a finalist for The Future Awards. In 2019, she was selected as one of the top 100 women by The Leading Ladies Africa. She was one of the top 8 traders by CNBC Africa in 2012, and a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society. She is a 2024 Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum.

Oluwatosin has spoken at TEDx, Featured on BBC UK, Al Jazeera, CNN, Guardian, and several others. She is championing the financial literacy movement in Africa.

EZINNE NWAZULUDirector, Nepal EnergiesEzinne Nwazulu is a dedicated business development professional with a passion for excellence. She has a background in International Business from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, and has over 10 years of experience in the Energy and Finance sectors.

Ezinne is a Director at Nepal Energies Ltd, a leading Pan African energy company with operations in Nigeria and Southern Africa. Driven by a commitment to continuous learning and growth, Ezinne currently oversees the Upstream arm of the organization.

Ezinne has a passion for promoting entrepreneurship and building the ecosystem across Africa. This passion led her to launch 234Finance.com in 2013. 234Finance.com promotes entrepreneurship by bridging the gaps between investors and investment opportunities in Africa’s emerging markets. The platform is focused on capacity building, mentorship and access to finance to propel growth of African entrepreneurs. In 2017, Ezinne launched the Mentor Matchup brand, an educational and mentorship platform that is designed to bridge the practical knowledge gaps among African founders. In the past 5 years, Mentor Matchup platform has hosted 5 annual events, multiple masterclasses and disbursed over $100,000 worth of grants. In April 2024, Ezinne also launched The 234Finance SME Bootcamp, a 4-Week intensive training program for African entrepreneurs aimed at equipping them with knowledge, tools and capital for growth and global competitiveness. Ezinne actively curates and participates in events and trainings geared towards inspiring and supporting young entrepreneurs, sharing her knowledge and expertise.

TAIWO POPOOLAICT Program Director, Ericsson NigeriaTaiwo is a seasoned ICT/Project Management professional with over 15 yrs of work experience that spans across oil and gas, and telecommunications industry. He is experienced in Hybrid Project Management and has successfully led simple and complex projects in telecommunications with several multinationals like Ericsson, NokiaSimens, & Huawei across the Middle East and Africa region over the last 13 years. He currently works with Ericsson Nigeria as ICT Program Director in charge of Digital Transformation Portfolio for a customer unit in the Middle East & Africa Region.

Taiwo holds a BSc and MSc in Engineering from Lagos State University, an MBA in Management from the University of the People, USA, and currently studying MSc in Project Management at Liverpool John Moores University, UK. He has several certifications in Project Management and ICT. Taiwo is an active member of 3 Chapters of Project Management Institute across 3 different continents with continuous volunteering at the board of directors level and other board roles.

AFOLABI OLAMIDECEO/Co-founder, Touch and Pay Technologies LtdAfolabi is the co-founder of Touch and Pay Technologies (TAP), a Y Combinator W22 company that is pioneering the digitalization of micro-transactions in Africa through an innovative suite of NFC-powered solutions. TAP has become an integral part of daily life in Lagos, Nigeria's bustling commercial nerve centre, by enabling seamless and cashless payments for over 400,000 commuters on public transport systems daily. Afolabi is passionate about leveraging technology to address Under his leadership, TAP is expanding its African reach cross various sectors, including transportation, retail, and services.

Olamide holds a Master of Science in Cybersecurity from EC-Council University and a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology. With extensive experience as a software engineer, solutions architect, and cybersecurity professional, Afolabi possesses a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic vision to design safe and scalable solutions to everyday challenges and create inclusive financial ecosystems.

OLUWAJOBA OLOBAFounder, The Nest Innovation Technology Oluwajoba Oloba is a corporate structuring and business development expert with over a decade of experience driving success across various sectors. For the past four years, he has empowered startups and SMEs to build strong brands in emerging markets, streamline operations, and develop sustainable business models. His dedication to early-stage ventures, gender equality, LegalTech, and innovation in emerging markets highlights his commitment to fostering growth and inclusivity.

Oluwajoba has a proven track record of co-founding successful ventures like Tutor NG and SilverAce Solicitors LP. He currently serves as the co-founder of The Nest Innovation Hub and Manager at the World Intellectual Property Organization & Technology Innovation and Support Centre. Beyond his professional achievements, Oluwajoba is an influential member of various advisory boards and committees in both the private and public sectors. His involvement with the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, the Nigerian British Chamber of Commerce, and state Ministries of Innovation in Nigeria underscores his commitment to human capital development and sustainable business practices.

Oluwajoba’s expertise and leadership make him a pivotal figure in the tech ecosystem and business advisory landscape.

OYINKANSOLA AKINTOLA-BELLODirector, UK-Nigeria Tech Hub Oyinkan is the current Director of the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office’s UK-NG Technology Hub. Prior to this she led the Governance and Digital Security Practice at Co-creation Hub. She is a public interest technologist with over 12 years of experience at the intersection of law, governance and technology across Sub-Saharan Africa.

Her experience spans the use of technology to expand economic access & connectivity across Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana, Uganda and Kenya, and South Africa. She is passionate about supporting the growth of startups to working and working on critical digital access issues such as connectivity, digital literacy, online safety, digital skills and digital inclusion for underserved communities.

PRINCESS EDO-OSAGIEHead, Product Leadership & Agile Governance, Interswitch GroupPrincess is the Head Product Leadership and Agile Governance at Interswitch Group. She is a DevOps and payment systems expert with a strong track record of product leadership, agility and strategy execution in addition to her technical skills in site reliability engineering, DevOps and database administration.

Prior to her current role, she has served as Head, Enterprise Agile, Head Core Technology and Unit Head, Quality Assurance and Project Management within the Interswitch Group. Princess is passionate about using technology to solve everyday problems.

KUNLE ERINLECEO/Founder, Intelligent Innovations Kunle has about 2 decades of experience in the technology industry starting as one of the pioneer Information Technology professionals at Etisalat Nigeria and earlier at Econet. As an entrepreneur, Kunle later founded Intelligent Innovations a software development firm which has built technology solutions across Telecommunications, Financial services, FMCG, and Government with millions of users currently in use by top-tier companies.

More recently, Kunle founded Skillpaddy, a technology talent development company focused on accelerating inclusion and productivity of African youth through technology skill development. Skillpaddy has now trained over 1000 students and aims to achieve work placement for 20,000 Africans over the next 5 years.

RABIU YAYAPrincipal Group Engineering Manager, Microsoft Rabiu Yaya is Principal Group Engineering Manager at Microsoft. Yaya’s specialty includes setting direction and promoting continuous evolution of development processes, building business solutions for functional upgrade, architecture refresh and eco-system integration.

Prior to Microsoft, Yaya was Group Head of Engineering, Switching and Payment Processing at Interswitch Group. He is an experienced leader efficient at managing cross-functional teams with proven track record of constant improvements. He directly oversees the software development team that includes software engineers, software testers, DevOp and platfrom engineers. He also works with business leaders on product architecture to deliver purpose-built solutions that achieve world-class scalability for customers while allowing the business the flexibility to innovate at top speed.