Please Note: Times below are listed in GMT. The event starts promptly at 8:30am EDT, 12:30pm GMT, 1:30pm WAT, 2:30pm CAT, 3:30pm EAT.
Get Settled in. Head over to the group chat to say hello and shoutout your city/country. Stop by the “Info Desk” at the Expo if you have any questions.
Welcome. Statement of Purpose. 2-Day Overview.
Speaker: Ngozi Odita, Founder, AfricaNXT & Founder, SMW Lagos
This panel is focused on unpacking the opportunities a post COVID world presents to Africa and the role that digital transformation and technology will play. In order for the continent to integrate into the new digital first world order areas such as technology strategies, infrastructure, education and policies need to be addressed. The panelists will discuss digital transformation strategies for the African private and public sector that will help drive economic development and take Africa to the next level.
Speakers: Nkem Uwaje Begho, CEO Futuresoft (Nigeria) / Melvin Lubenga, Co-Founder GO1 (Uganda) / Lesley Donna Williams, CEO Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct (South Africa), / Joseph Agunbiade, Founder Univelcity & CoFounder BudgIT (Nigeria)
Organized By: Futuresoft
The advent of the corona virus has shown that our approach towards inclusive development for young people needs to be reevaluated. The effect of the pandemic spotlights how our priority on vocational skills traps young people in low-wage, dead-end jobs and caps the growth of small businesses. Nigeria currently has only about ten percent of her 70 million youth population gainfully employed and this crisis means that most of this youth will be out of jobs in weeks. Join us to as we convene capacity building and workforce experts from the public, private and social sector to explore the skills that young people need to break out of dead-end work and future-proof their careers. We will discuss the best way to bridge the broken education to employment pathway, how to make continuous learning accessible to frontline as well as blue collar workers, and the best way to build behavioral nudges into workplace learning. In addition we will share best practices and explore partnerships to bridge education (SDG4) and employment (SDG8) in Nigeria.
Speakers: Olanrewaju Gideon, CEO, Aid for Rural Education Access Initiative (AREAi) / Joshua Alade, Project Coordinator, Nigeria Youth SDGs Network / Mobolaji Olorisade, Chief Encouragement Officer, The Skill Up School / Abimbola Ajala, CEO, Lend A Hand For Africa
Organized By: The Nigeria Youth SDGs Network
It’s networking on overdrive! Connect with innovators and creatives from across Africa and the Diaspora in fast paced, 3-minute, one-on-one video chat sessions. Navigate to the Networking Room on the side menu bar. Once you’re in, hit the “Ready” button and the networking begins!
In the wake of the spread of the Coronavirus across Africa, there has been a rise in fear, panic and reports of the crisis taking a toll on the mental and emotional health of individuals and families. This session will provide answers to questions on how to deal with anxiety caused by this public health crisis, what to do to build resilience and become better at accepting the situation without it negatively affecting your emotional wellbeing. Speakers in the session will not only talk about how to cope, but how to thrive and flourish in spite of this pandemic.
Speakers: Chude Jideonwo, Founder, Joy Inc.(Nigeria) / Amanda Iheme, Psychotherapist, Ndidi (Nigeria) / Naeem Dalal, Medical Doctor and Psychiatrist Registrar (Zambia)
Organized By: Joy, Inc.
COVID-19 has exposed challenges within our healthcare system, specifically uncertainties in the nature of the job of frontliners and the increased need for greater access and improved services for citizens. The current pandemic has also put our existing digital health infrastructures to the test.
In this roundtable session we will be discussing the effectiveness of digital health structures currently in place, their sustainability, and impact on the lives of frontliners, health workers and the general public. In addition, we’ll collectively outline how we can build strong, healthy and resilient societies during and post COVID-19.
Speakers: Adesuwa Ozasuwa, Head of Public Health, Restructure Africa (Nigeria) / Debo Odulana, Founder, DoctooraHealth (Nigeria) / Adaorah Momodu, Co-founder and COO, Oncopadi (Nigeria) / Olayemi Dawodu, MD/ CEO, Clina-lancet Laboratories
Organized By: Restructure Africa
It’s networking on overdrive! Connect with innovators and creatives from across Africa and the Diaspora in fast paced, 3-minute, one-on-one video chat sessions. Navigate to the Networking Room on the side menu bar. Once you’re in, hit the “Ready” button and the networking begins!
For an industry that is highly dependent on in-person and face to face interaction, the creative economy in Africa has been forced to shift down to gear one and stay in place. Given the rise of the instantaneous culture and our ever accelerating pace prior to lockdowns and sheltering in place orders, the question is if this is not an opportune time for Africa’s storytellers and creatives to “wait” actively for the new normal, and scheme on the openings that may arise.
We will explore how this downtime in place is forcing our creatives to slow down, and “wait” for what’s the new normal will be after this explosion which is COVID-19. With a lens towards waiting not as a burden, but more so as an important feature of human connection, intimacy, creativity and learning, this highly interactive session will address what creative output will look like in the coming days, and how Africa will be better for it.
Speakers: Zain Verjee, CEO, Zain Verjee Media (Kenya) / Chidi Afulezi, co.founder, Rouse Media (Nigeria) / Biola Alabi, Founder and Executive Producer, Biola Alabi Media and Entertainment (Nigeria)
Organized By: Rouse Media
One of the hardest hit industries in the face of COVID19 is the travel and tourism industry. From experiential travel to traditional tourism; from cultural tourism to high-end luxury tourism; from transport companies to hospitality, the tourism value chain consists of many moving parts that are all being severely affected by the global pandemic. At this time, it is crucial that key players in Africa’s tourism industry begin thinking about what is next.
We will never go back to the way things were. So how do we prepare for the way things will be from now on? This roundtable will bring together tour operators, policy makers, and entrepreneurs to discuss what will travel and tourism look like in this new world?
Speakers: Speakers: Clare Akamanzi, CEO, Rwanda Development Board (Rwanda) Cherae Robinson, Founder and CEO, Tastemakers Africa (US) / Bonita Mutoni, Founder Uberluxe Safaris + Chairperson of the Rwanda Tours and Travel Association / Joan Mazimhaka, CEO, illume creative studio(Rwanda) / Gael Ruboneka Vande weghe, Co-founder of Illume Ltd and Illume Editions, CEO of Illume Editions(Rwanda)
Organized By: illume Creative Studio
It’s networking on overdrive! Connect with innovators and creatives from across Africa and the Diaspora in fast paced, 3-minute, one-on-one video chat sessions. Navigate to the Networking Room on the side menu bar. Once you’re in, hit the “Ready” button and the networking begins!
How we worked in a pre-covid world needed changing. This pandemic has accelerated that need to adapt and evolve. Many organizations have been forced to adopt remote work and there’s been an explosion in consumption of online educational content. There’s also been massive displacement of employees and gig workers who now have to acquire new skills for today and the post-covid world. As the Future of work is now upon us, this session aims to explore new methods required to build required skills to thrive.
Speakers: Kayode Nubi, Operations Program Manager at Stripe/Program Manager at SMWLagos LaunchedInAfrica( Nigeria) / Eyitayo Ogunmola, Founder, Utiva (Nigeria) / Femi Longe, Founder, Qiesto (Nigeria) / Bridget Boakye, Founder, TalentsInAfrica (Ghana)
Organized by: Nubi Kayode
Speaker: Ngozi Odita, Founder, AfricaNXT & Founder of SMW Lagos
Please Note: Times below are listed in GMT. The event starts promptly at 8:30am EDT, 12:30pm GMT, 1:30pm WAT, 2:30pm CAT, 3:30pm EAT.
Get Settled in. Head over to the group chat to say hello and shoutout your city/country. Stop by the “Info Desk” at the Expo if you have any questions.
Welcome. Statement of Purpose.
Speaker: Ngozi Odita, Founder, AfricaNXT & Founder of SMW Lagos
This is a stressful time, to say the least. Everything is impacted by COVID-19 in some way, including content creation and the way business is done.
Once we’ve taken time to acknowledge how lucky we are to work in the digital sphere, it is time to assess if our current content strategy needs any adjusting post-COVID-19, what content would be appropriate, what business model would work best for the rest of 2020 and how do you assure your clients and staff that there is a light at the end of this tunnel
Speakers: Tonye Bakare, Team Lead, Digital Editorial, Guardian Newspapers Ltd (Nigeria) / Sean J Burrows, Ingressive LCC COO (Nigeria/US) / Bukola Akingbade, Founder and CEO Kucheza Gaming (Nigeria)
Organized By: The Guardian
With uncertain times upon us, we see that investments are still happening – only slower and more selective. Investors seem to be more focused on portfolio management when it comes do deploying capital. Founders are advised to optimize cash flow and restructure capital for an 18-24 month runway. What else can you as a founder do to survive and even thrive in a high risk – low trust period. Join the conversation with a founder who has experience bootstrapping multiple startups and an early stage investor.
Speakers: Kayode Nubi, Operations Program Manager at Stripe/Program Manager at SMWLagos LaunchedInAfrica (Nigeria) / Kareem Mostafa, Co-Founder, TribeTactics (Egypt) / Chidinma Iwueke, Partner at Microtraction (Nigeria)
Organized by: Nubi Kayode
It’s networking on overdrive! Connect with innovators and creatives from across Africa and the Diaspora in fast paced, 3-minute, one-on-one video chat sessions. Navigate to the Networking Room on the side menu bar. Once you’re in, hit the “Ready” button and the networking begins!
The COVID-19 pandemic has taken its toll on the global economy and Nigeria is not left out. With its current effect on local businesses and the looming recession ensuing as projected by International Monetary Fund (IMF), the government, private sector and other stakeholders must work together to minimise permanent damage to the Nigerian lives and businesses.
Given the clampdown on economic activity in the past month and lockdown of key economic zones in the country, entrepreneurs have been badly hit and feel the brunt of this global crisis.
A recent report of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) projects a drastic reduction in demand for the products and services of key economic sectors, as visibly evident in the Oil & Gas sector. This in turn will largely affect the survival and profitability of most Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), who currently are running out of working capital and ability to pay employees. It is important to note that MSMEs occupy about 70% of the Nigerian economy and employ majority of its citizens.
Therefore, the NESG Community of Practice on MSMEs seeks to discuss the following questions:
[1] How can MSMEs survive in this difficult financial climate?
[2] What are new business models that can be adopted?
[3] How can you successfully access necessary funding?
[4] How can MSMEs take advantage of the government intervention to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on their business?
Speakers: Amaka Nwaokolo, Head, Research & Policy, Fate Foundation / Co Facilitator, NESG (Nigeria) / Titilope Oni, Ag. Head Think Tank Operations, NESG (Nigeria) / Akintunde Maberu, Thematic Lead, Access to Finance, NESG Community of Practice on MSMEs/Rep NASME (Nigeria) / Segun Adaju, Chief Energizing Officer, Consistent Energy Limited(Nigeria)
Organized By: Nigerian Economic Summit Group
A review of investments in Africa pre and post COVID. This panel will also look at new opportunities created within the crisis.
Speakers: Anie Akpe, Founder, African Women In Technology (Nigeria) / Tomi Davies, Founding President, African Business Angels Network (ABAN) (United Kingdom/Nigeria) / Danai Musandu, Investor Relations Associate, Goodwell Investments (South Africa)
Organized By: Innov8tiv
It’s networking on overdrive! Connect with innovators and creatives from across Africa and the Diaspora in fast paced, 3-minute, one-on-one video chat sessions. Navigate to the Networking Room on the side menu bar. Once you’re in, hit the “Ready” button and the networking begins!
Over the past ten years, Africa’s creative economy has grown significantly due to events and gatherings centered around arts and culture that take place across the continent. Creatives across Africa have turned to creating unique moments that are more than just events. They are experiences that diversify storytelling, foster cross-border collaboration, enable authentic connection, bring creatives together with consumers of arts and culture, and generate income for all players that are part of the ecosystem required to bring these moments to life and make them sustainable.
With the advent of COVID19 and the uncertainty that comes along with it, arts and culture are more important than ever. People need to create, to feel inspired, to feel connected, and to feel a sense of community at a time of isolation and limited movement. Now that people are unable to come together as communities, the creative industry has the opportunity to rethink and reimagine how we gather. This session will bring together artists and creatives to discuss this fundamental shift in the way people gather and consume arts, entertainment, and culture across Africa now, and in the future.
Speakers: Dillion S. Phiri, Founder, Creative Nestlings (South Africa), Maame Adjei, Actor, Producer (Ghana) / Kampire Bahana, writer, DJ, Founding member of the Salooni Project and the Nyege Nyege music festival (Uganda)
Organized By: illume Creative Studio
How to come together again after a time of social distancing? In this session, event and festival organizers in Africa will discuss how the pandemic has affected their work. The conversation will explore current approaches to convening audiences to experience arts and culture with attention to the particular opportunities afforded by social media. Ultimately, the session will aim to reimagine the work of event and festival organizing for the near, post-COVID-19 future.
Speakers: Ifeanyi Awachie, Chief Curator, AFRICA SALON / Ivan Laranjeira, Mafalala Festival/Director (Mozambique) / Nandi Dlepu, Creative and Managing Director, Mamakashaka (South Africa) / Nadu Placca, Event and Experience Architect at The Zoo (Mozambique)
Organized By: AFRICA SALON
It’s networking on overdrive! Connect with innovators and creatives from across Africa and the Diaspora in fast paced, 3-minute, one-on-one video chat sessions. Navigate to the Networking Room on the side menu bar. Once you’re in, hit the “Ready” button and the networking begins!
It’s take a village… these words have never been more true. It’s also the case that our village extends way beyond the continent’s borders. In this regard, the Diaspora has historically served as a support network, investment partners, and policy advocates for Africa. However, the west and now China in more recent years are often viewed as Africa’s biggest allies and strategic partners.
COVID-19 has exposed the pitfalls of Africa’s reliance on the west and China. Amidst a worldwide health and economic crisis global partners must and are focusing on industries and institutions at home. The Diaspora must do the same.
This panel will explore how we can reframe how we approach and go about achieving African Progress and role the diaspora can play. Discussions will focus on how we build and strengthen bridges between Africa and the diaspora. We’ll also look at how we are and can further pursue investment and equitable economic development on Africa terms.
Speakers: Claudine Moore, Founder/MD C. Moore Media, International Public Relations // Semhar Araia, Head, Diaspora Public Policy, Facebook Africa // Narendra Reddy, Executive Vice President & General Manager, The Africa Channel Inc // Amy Andrieux, Executive Director, The Museum of Contemporary African Diasporan Arts (MoCADA)
Organized By: AfricaNXT
Speaker: Ngozi Odita, Founder, AfricaNXT, Founder of SMW Lagos
Closing DJ: Teck-Zilla
