By Chinenye Anuforo
The Lagos StartUp Expo, organized by Techpoint Africa, served as a vibrant hub for innovation, drawing thousands of curious minds and seasoned entrepreneurs alike. The event underscored maturity in the African tech landscape, championed by leaders like Adewale Yusuf, CEO of AltSchool Africa and TalentQL, as well as Ifeanyi Ndiomewese, Chief Commercial Officer of Businessfront.
Yusuf, a three-time founder and keynote speaker at the expo, captivated attendees with his speech, “From Hustle to High Growth: The African Founder’s Journey”. He emphasized the unique resilience inherent in Nigerian entrepreneurship. ‘Hustle is hustle, he stated, adding, the crucial part is just also having the will to just say you want to grow, you want to do something. He asserted: “We are Nigerians. We are built different. If you can survive here, you can build anything in any part of the world and survive.”
Yusuf, who now oversees a global company with offices in over three countries, highlighted the importance of continuous striving: “The elements are just keep thriving every day. Try to build something and you keep going no matter how difficult.”
For aspiring and early-stage founders, his message was one of empowerment. “I just want people to know that they can build, anybody can build. And we are entering a time where we need to build. We are going to see more builders actually.” He urged attendees to embrace courage in transitioning from idea to execution, irrespective of every challenges around.”
AltSchool Africa, Yusuf’s venture, aims to equip 10 million Africans with profitable skills. To achieve this ambitious goal, they collaborate with diverse stakeholders. “We work with different governments in different countries, policymakers,” he explained. “Also, we work with different organizations from university to polytechnic, and also directly to the NGO and everyone as much as possible.” Yusuf stressed the universal need for education: “Educating Africans is important and it’s all our job. People have to learn irrespective of AI or whatever is happening in the market.”
He further clarified the synergistic relationship between AltSchool Africa and TalentQL. “AltSchool train, TalentQL engage people in job,” he succinctly put it. “That’s just it. We’ll engage people in opportunity.”
Reflecting on over a decade in the African tech ecosystem, Yusuf observed significant evolution. “The market is maturing. It is also evolving,” he noted, contrasting the current thousands of curious attendees with the few people just thinking with our laptops” from earlier days. He sees a future where data connectivity drives further growth. “Right now, people are using data. People can’t do without data. People that haven’t eaten, they will buy data before they buy food. It’s like someone that smokes. Right now, data is like that.” This, he believes, signifies Africa’s deep desire for global connection and online opportunity, forecasting more mature businesses across Africa.
Despite the optimism, Yusuf acknowledged persistent challenges including funding, infrastructure, electricity, and also a major part is talent. He reiterated his call to action stating, “These challenges, we need entrepreneurs to build them. And I am glad a lot of people like myself and some other people are stepping up to do that. Also, my call is just to call more people to build. Come let’s build.”
Yusuf emphasized the crucial role of policy makers and governments as enablers. He highlighted the urgency for curriculum reform: “Our curriculum are obsolete. We can’t train anybody to be part of this new market we are in. So, policy needs to change for us to embrace that to the core.”
Beyond education, he expressed a continued passion for addressing food and agriculture challenges through technology.
Ifeanyi Ndiomewese, Chief Commercial Officer for Businessfront, the parent company of Techpoint Africa, shed light on the purpose and impact of the Lagos StartUp Expo. “What we are doing here today is a startup and business showcase, where you have businesses, startups come to show what they are building,” he explained. He differentiated the expo from typical conferences, emphasizing its exhibition-centric nature: “Basically, it is an expo, it’s an exhibition expo, where we have more exhibitions than any other thing happening. “This format allows businesses to connect with the audience, they can connect with the customers, you know, on a more than personal level.”
The expo, now in its 2.0 iteration, built on the success of its inaugural event. “Lagos Startup Expo 1.0 was really massive,” Ndiomewese recalled, noting that “about 99 businesses actually exhibit.” The return of major players like Cardify for the second edition serves as a testament to its value. “The fact that they are here today showed that they had value, and it means that this is a movement.”
On the role of government, Ndiomewese said they are performing their own role by providing a favorable policy environment, citing the impact of the Startup Act championed by various stakeholders. However, he stressed the necessity of private sector support, stating, “I don’t think the government should do it alone. They need the support of the private sector.”
Looking ahead, Businessfront remains committed to empowering small businesses. “We want to support small businesses to be able to meet their goals,” Ndiomewese affirmed.
He highlighted the expo’s effectiveness in generating leads. “You can spend a lot of money on marketing and a lot of times, or sometimes, they don’t get the right people, right leads or prospective buyers. But with expos like this, you can, when you have about 20, 40 people walk up to your booth, chances are one third of that number are prospects. And that’s what we want to amplify going forward.”
The Lagos StartUp Expo reinforces the narrative of a dynamic and evolving African tech ecosystem, driven by a spirit of innovation, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to building a prosperous future for the continent.