Business founders, investors and growth professionals converged in Lagos on November 1, 2025, as Growth Padi hosted the second edition of the Growth Africa Summit, with discussions centred on building structured and sustainable growth models for African businesses.
The event, held at Eridan Space in Alausa, Ikeja, brought together stakeholders from across the business and technology ecosystem under the theme “Redefining the Growth Playbook”. It was supported by partners including MTN, ScalePadi, Rozlyn, Swan, Risevest, TechCabal, Gala, the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, mytherapist.ng, Xara, SBD Global Media, Nerthbox and The Nest.
Participants included startup founders, operators, creators, investors and growth experts, who engaged in conversations on scaling businesses within the realities of African markets. Speakers at the summit were drawn from banking, technology, consulting and consumer-focused organisations. They included Solomon Ayodele, head of innovation at Wema Bank; Eneyi Alexandra Obi, global chief marketing officer at Risevest; Felix Bissong, lead consultant at GenZHR; Gertrude Umeh, sales operations lead at BigCabal; Kemi Sope-Agbebi, head of partnerships and commercial excellence at PBR Sciences; Esohe Igbinoba, director of programmes at BusinessFront; Titilope Macaulay, chief operating officer for growth and expansion at Enyata; and Dara Ahmed, tech commercial operator and co-founder of TSPC.
Activities around the summit began on October 31 with a pre-event mixer, where selected founders presented early-stage pitches and interacted with other participants. The session featured a fireside chat with Ella George, managing partner at HillBridge Consulting, and served as a lead-up to the final round of the Growth Africa Summit business pitch competition.
At the main event on November 1, Viro Solutions, founded by Precious Nwalozie, emerged as the winner of the pitch competition. The startup received a cash prize, mentorship opportunities, visibility support and access to business tools. Organisers said all pitch participants also benefited from pre- and post-event coaching aimed at helping them develop structured and scalable business models.
Speaking during the opening session, the convener of the summit, Victory Mesona, said the event was designed to help founders reconnect with purpose and build confidence. “My hope is that this summit reminds you of your own heart, your confidence, your why. Somewhere in this room is the partnership you need, the next role you need, or the courage to finally start,” she said.
In her keynote address titled “Engineering Growth for African Businesses”, Mesona argued that growth should be deliberate and system-driven rather than accidental. “Growth is not a mystery. It is built,” she said. “What growth means for one business may not be what it means for another, even within the same industry.”
The summit also featured an exhibition area, where organisations such as ScalePadi, Rozlyn, LSETF, 234Project, SBD Global Media, Xara and Lily Finance showcased tools, resources and services to participants.
A new initiative, the GAS Docuseries, was introduced during the second edition of the summit. The YouTube-based podcast documents the experiences, challenges and frameworks of African founders and growth experts, with three episodes already released.
Growth Padi said the summit aligns with its wider work across the continent, including ScalePadi, an AI-powered platform designed to help businesses identify growth challenges, receive tailored recommendations and connect with vetted experts within 48 to 72 hours.
Organisers said the 2025 edition reinforced the summit’s role as a meeting point for African business builders seeking practical insights, partnerships and long-term strategies for growth.
