By Chibuzo Ihegboro
The second edition of the Global Tech Africa (GTA) 2024 Conference, held on July 24-26, has been an open aperture on the existing potential and opportunities in the booming tech industry as well as an accelerator for the transformation of the digital economy on the continent.
For three days, the conference created an avenue for bright minds, key stakeholders and entrepreneurs to deliberate, share insights, impart knowledge and also network towards the objective of growing a sustainable digital economy ecosystem for countries and the continent at large.
The conference, hosted at Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, was a collaborative effort between GTA and many partners, including NITDA, Future Map Foundation, the U.S. Consulate General Lagos, Ascend Studios Foundation, and Venture Garden Group, among others.
In consonance with its theme of “Global Collaborations, Local Transformations” the conference attracted over 6,000 participants, and featured more than 100 expert speakers across at least 85 sessions. It also provided an opportunity for groundbreaking exhibitors and innovative startups to showcase their productivity.
Given the vastness of the digital economy spectrum, the GTA conference was structured into three stages for maximum coverage.
In the first stage, tagged Epicentre Stage, government representatives, corporations, and VVIP delegations explored opportunities and addressed challenges in Africa’s tech landscape.
The Startup Stage was devoted to panels and workshops by thought leaders and tech founders on emerging trends and dynamic developments in AI, fintech and cybersecurity, among others.
The Outsource Factory Stage, designed to empower Africa’s young talent with training workshops and outsourcing career connections, was conducted in partnership with GFA Technology, Kryptr, and Jobberman.
A series of enlightening presentations were delivered by keynote speakers Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General of NITDA, who emphasised government’s commitment to technological innovation for economic diversification; Ralph Simon, founder of Mobilium, a software company, who discussed AI’s potential for Africa’s local transformation; Kenise Hill, acting Political and Economic Chief at the U.S. Consulate General Lagos, who highlighted US-Africa partnerships in AI development; and Akinyemi Ajigbotafe, Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, who introduced the Empower Lagos Project for youth and small-scale entrepreneurs.
There was also a session by Anna Sophie Herkin, Managing Director of German Development Agency (GIZ), on closing the finance gap for women entrepreneurs.
The panel sessions covered a range of topics in the African tech and innovation sector, including women empowerment, AI, fintech, agriculture, edutech, health tech, and cybersecurity.
One of the notable panel sessions, “Unlocking Liquidity: Catalyzing Growth Through Strategic Investments and Innovation” featured industry leaders from Venture Garden Group, SEC Nigeria, NITDA, MoFI, Flying Doctors Healthcare Investment Group, and Deloitte.
Another session titled “Empowering the Workforce: Addressing Africa’s Talent Crises (Tech Roles)” had experts from Career Buddy, who Helium Health, Semicolon, and Alajo.
Leaders from NITDA, Simplify Synergy, Sh’Emerge, Nextwearin Technologies, and Yudimy conducted them panel session on AI Training for Women in Business and Tech, while an Edutech Roundtable featured experts who discussed the future of learning in Africa and intellectual property rights.
A panel of representatives of the American Business Council, Lagos Business School, PwC, and National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, also discussed how best to adapt global best practices to shape Nigeria’s AI policy for Africa.