By Sofiyyah Layole
The Zenith Bank Tech Fair 2025, Future Forward 5.0, delivered one of the most compelling panel discussions on Africa’s digital future.
The event took place on 20th November 2025, in Lagos, Nigeria, featuring Aisha Tofa, Board Chair of Startup Kano Center for Innovation Development; Bradwin Roper, Chief Payments & Partnerships Officer at JUMO; and Dr. Stanley Jacob, President of the Fintech Association of Nigeria (FintechNGR), offering a unified reflection on technology, artificial intelligence, talent, and the continent’s readiness for the future.
A key concern raised was the widening disconnect between academic learning and industry requirements.
Many Nigerian graduates, including those with advanced degrees, remain unprepared because universities continue to operate with outdated curricula. The panel stressed that the future cannot be built with theories alone and called for practical exposure through yearly internships and access to the tools students need to apply what they learn. Without this, the region risks producing highly certified but poorly skilled graduates.
The discussion also highlighted the importance of curiosity and continuous learning. Those who thrive in technology are not necessarily the smartest, but those who are curious and willing to learn on the job. The panel encouraged young Africans to embrace a personal cycle of learning, practising, building, and sharing, as visibility and consistency now play major roles in career growth.
The urgency of developing digital talent at scale was also emphasised. What was relevant in 2020 is no longer sufficient, and only adaptable, teachable individuals can keep pace with technological change. Organisations like FintechNGR are working to train undergraduates and corps members, highlighting that moving slowly is dangerous in today’s fast-moving digital economy.
Collaboration was highlighted as another critical pillar for Africa’s tech growth. Innovation cannot thrive in competition alone; banks, fintechs, and other stakeholders must form strong alliances. Progress is faster when institutions work together, supported by favourable policies, access to capital, and an enabling environment provided by ecosystem leaders. The panel underscored that Africa’s future must be built together through intentional partnerships.
Artificial intelligence dominated much of the discussion, with the panel noting that the real divide will not be between educated and uneducated people, but between those who can use AI and those who cannot. Humans who work with AI will replace those who work without it, and customer service roles are already shifting rapidly to Agentic AI systems. Companies were urged to move beyond merely adopting innovations to applying them meaningfully, exploring deeper use cases that drive transformation.
