Inspire Africa conference highlights techology’s role in continent’s growth

Innovate Africa Foundation in collaboration with Interswitch Group, Silicon Valley Product Group (SVPG), and WorkNigeria, have just concluded the 2024 Inspire Africa Conference, which took place in Lagos.

The conference with the theme: “Product Is Hard,” reflected on the challenges of building and leading in complex environments, especially within Africa’s fast-evolving tech landscape.

The Founder, Innovate Africa Foundation and the Convener, Christian Idiodi, said: “Our focus is on empowering Africa to build and solve problems in Africa for Africans. This year’s theme is ‘Product is Hard.’ We recognise the challenge of building or solving problems in Africa is very hard. This year, we had conversations on the hard problems that organisations face in trying to solve problems.”

“Over 2,000 attendees gathered for the four-day immersive learning, hands-on training, and networking event. .”

The focus centered on how African companies could optimise product teams, hire top talents, and harness new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to solve difficult problems and drive success. The first day of the conference was dedicated to practical training and exploration of key trends in the tech industry. Participants gained insights from Silicon Valley Product Group renowned teachings, covering essential topics like product management, team optimisation, and the latest in AI. The remaining three days were of master-classes and coaching which provided deeper insights for founders and entrepreneurs.

Founder and Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Interswitch Group, Mitchell Elegbe, said: “We prioritise partnerships and platforms that enable individuals and communities prosper across Africa. As an African-oriented organisation, we are committed to driving Africa’s development and we understand the power of nurturing African led innovation by providing African talents with opportunities of this nature.”

Idiodi added: “By 2030, Africa is projected to have the largest working population in the world. That’s a lot of people with the potential to work together towards a common goal driven by technological innovation. The key for us, is providing them with the skills and capital they need to thrive in the global market and that is what the Inspire Africa Conference seeks to do.”