Meet the speakers set to ignite ideas and innovation at Moonshot 2025

Get ready, Lagos. Moonshot 2025 is landing on October 15–16, bringing together some of Africa’s brightest minds and global innovators shaping the future of technology, business, and creativity.

From artificial intelligence to venture capital, policy, and digital transformation, the speaker lineup for this year’s edition is a powerful mix of thinkers, builders, and changemakers redefining Africa’s innovation story.

Ikemesit Effiong, Partner, SBM Intelligence

Ikemesit Effiong is a lawyer and Partner at SBM Intelligence, where he manages the firm’s African research network and works with clients across Nigeria’s political, economic, and social sectors. His experience spans judicial administration, geopolitics, corporate communications, and political consulting — including serving as a consultant to four Nigerian governorship races and advising leading multinationals on

compliance and CSR.

Since 2021, he has led projects on countering COVID-19 misinformation, shaping post-lockdown education policy, strengthening press freedoms, and improving democratic participation for vulnerable groups. Outside his professional role, he manages a 1,300-member finance professionals mentoring network, chairs the Technology Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association’s Section on Business Law, and contributes to West Africa’s first civil society self-regulatory framework.

Olubayo Adekanmbi, PhD – CEO/Founder, DSN

Dr. Olubayo Adekanmbi is the CEO of Data Scientists Network (formerly Data Science Nigeria), a non-profit building a world-class AI knowledge, research, and innovation ecosystem delivering high-impact research, AI-first startups, employability, and social good use cases. He is also the Co-Founder of EqualyzAI, which advances inclusive and context-driven AI for emerging markets.

With over 24 years of executive and technical experience, Dr. Adekanmbi is recognized as one of Africa’s foremost leaders in AI for development. His pioneering work on inclusive innovation earned the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Global Grand Challenge Award for developing large language models that expand financial inclusion.

A key contributor to Nigeria’s National AI Policy, he collaborates with global technology leaders such as Google, Meta, Microsoft, and GSMA. A published scholar and ranked data scientist, Dr. Adekanmbi is dedicated to building Africa’s AI talent pipeline and shaping the continent’s digital future.

Dr. Vincent Olatunji, CPPPS, CDPO, FIIM – National Commissioner/CEO, NDPC

Dr. Vincent Olatunji holds a PhD in Geography and Planning from the University of Lagos, an Advanced Diploma in Computer Studies, and certifications as a Public-Private Partnership Specialist and Data Protection Officer.

With over 34 years in the public sector, he joined NITDA in 2002 and rose to Director in 2014, later serving as Acting DG in 2016. As Director of e-Government Development and Regulations, he led the creation of major national frameworks, including the Nigeria Inter-Operability Framework, Cloud First Policy, and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation.

Rosy Fynn, Country Director, Mastercard Foundation Nigeria

Rosy Fynn is the Country Director of the Mastercard Foundation in Nigeria, overseeing the Young Africa Works strategy to enable ten million young Nigerians to access dignified work by 2030. In 2024, she was named a Top 50 Women of Impact Honoree for her role in empowering African youth through employment initiatives.

Mr. Carlos Rojas-Arbulú, Deputy High Commissioner of Canada

Carlos Rojas-Arbulú has over 20 years of international experience, having worked in nine countries across four continents. Currently serving as Deputy High Commissioner of Canada in Lagos, he has previously held senior diplomatic and commercial roles in Chile, India, and Haiti.

At Global Affairs Canada, he served as Senior Departmental Advisor to two Ministers of International Cooperation and as Director of the Environment Division. Fluent in four languages, Carlos holds degrees from Concordia and McGill Universities and serves on multiple community and business boards.

Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Founding Partner, Future Africa

Iyinoluwa “E” Aboyeji, OON, is the Founding Partner of Future Africa, the continent’s largest seed-stage investor, backing over 100 startups with millions of dollars in funding.

Internationally, he has been named a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, among other awards and fellowships.

Malik Afegbua, CEO, Slickcity Media

Malik Afegbua is a Nigerian contemporary artist, filmmaker, and creative technologist redefining the intersection of human creativity and machine intelligence. His viral project, The Elder Series, used AI to reimagine seniors in vibrant fashion shows—challenging ageism and earning him a Game Changer Award in 2023.

Recognized by the World Health Organization for reshaping perceptions of aging, Malik’s work continues to influence global conversations around inclusivity and artistic innovation.

Emmanuel Sohe (E.S.), CEO, The Tonic Technologies

Emmanuel Sohe, CEO of The Tonic Technologies (parent company of Cardtonic), leads a platform revolutionizing cross-border digital payments across Nigeria and Ghana. With a background in big data and business strategy, E.S. is passionate about using crypto and digital assets to solve real-world payment challenges in Africa.

He is a first-class graduate of Demography & Statistics from Obafemi Awolowo University and an MBA Essentials alumnus of the London School of Economics.

Tomi Oduyemi, Growth Leader, The Tonic Technologies

A full-stack marketer and growth strategist, Tomi Oduyemi has led multi-country campaigns across fintech, SaaS, and healthtech sectors. She is passionate about building scalable systems that drive lasting growth and mentors emerging marketers into confident professionals.

Armed with an MSc in Marketing and a BSc in Mass Communication, Tomi blends creativity and analytics to help African brands grow and thrive.

Dayo Fagade, Director of Global Sales, BD & Partnerships, Cedar Money

Dayo Fagade leads global business development at Cedar Money, a fintech transforming cross-border business payments. With nearly 20 years of experience at Oracle, SAP, and Finastra, he has championed digital transformation initiatives that delivered multimillion-dollar growth across Africa and Europe.

Chimene Chinah, CEO, Dantown

As CEO of Dantown, Chimene Chinah is driving financial inclusion through innovative fintech solutions. With over eight years of experience, he combines strategic thinking and executional excellence, holding advanced degrees and global certifications in product management and financial modeling.

Chimene’s leadership philosophy centers on empowering people and building strong teams that drive organizational success.

Ayotunde Alabi, CEO, Luno Nigeria

Ayotunde Alabi leads Luno Nigeria, focusing on providing secure access to digital assets and improving financial inclusion. With a decade-long career in finance and tech, he has held leadership roles at ARM HoldCo, FBNQuest, and Spektra.

Chinedu Obidiegwu, Business Development Lead, Luno Nigeria

Chinedu Obidiegwu leads retail growth at Luno Nigeria, helping democratize access to cryptocurrency. With over a decade of experience in fintech and financial services, he drives strategies that help Nigerians take control of their finances.

Bolakale Mallick, CEO, Startbutton

Bolakale Mallick combines law, compliance, and fintech expertise to power Startbutton’s cross-border payment infrastructure. His experience with Paystack, Interswitch, and Chipper Cash gives him a unique edge in regulatory strategy and operational leadership.

Raphael Dana, Co-Founder, Gozem

A Swiss serial entrepreneur, Raphael Dana co-founded Gozem after leading multiple ventures in Asia and Europe. Recognized as the Most Promising Entrepreneur of the New Millennium by Bilan Magazine at 26, he now mentors startups in Singapore and across Africa.

Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, Nigeria

Dr. Jumoke Oduwole MFR currently serves as the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, spearheading initiatives to drive economic growth and innovation in Nigeria. A distinguished reformer, she has held pivotal roles in both the Buhari and Tinubu administrations, delivering impactful reforms that have improved Nigeria’s ease of doing business and boosted investor confidence.

Her career spans academia, corporate governance, and public service. As a Senior Fellow at Harvard Kennedy School’s Mossavar-Rahmani Centre and Governance Advisor at MIT’s Governance Lab, she has brought a global perspective to governance innovation. Her academic achievements include degrees from the University of Lagos, Cambridge University, and Stanford Law School.

Freda Isingoma, Senior Fund Manager, Octopus Investments

Freda Isingoma is an investment professional and founder of KIISA, dedicated to growing Africa’s creative industries. Now at Octopus Investments, the UK’s largest venture capital firm, she manages the Octopus AIM Venture Capital Trusts, focusing on small-cap UK companies.

Uwem Uwemakpan – Head of Investments, Seed Fund II at Launch Africa

As Head of Investment at Launch Africa VC, Uwem Uwemakpan leads strategic investments in early-stage African startups, leveraging his deep understanding of both local markets and global investment landscapes. Through The Grinders Table Podcast, he amplifies African founders’ stories while sharing practical insights on navigating the investment landscape. His track record includes managing $200M+ in funds and facilitating 100s of successful deals that have transformed startups into market leaders.

Tito Cookey-Gam – Principal, Partech Africa

Tito Cookey-Gam is a Principal at Partech Africa, one of the continent’s largest technology-focused venture capital funds. Based in Lagos, he plays a pivotal role in driving Partech’s investment strategy, leading the firm’s efforts in sourcing, evaluating, and supporting high-potential startups across Africa. His work focuses on partnering with founders who are building transformative companies in fintech, logistics, mobility, and the future of work.

In addition to his VC career, Tito is an active angel investor, leveraging his expertise and network to mentor and fund early-stage founders.

Roosevelt Elias – Founder & CEO, Payble

Roosevelt Elias is a visionary product strategist, technology entrepreneur, and founder of Payble, a next-generation financial technology and product innovation company focused on solving complex economic and digital inclusion challenges for micro and small businesses across Africa and globally.

With over a decade of experience spanning product design, payments, and creative technology, Roosevelt has built companies at the intersection of design, technology, and social impact. Under his leadership, Payble is redefining the role of financial technology, not just as a utility, but as an ecosystem that transforms local businesses into global players.

Odunayo Eweniyi – Co-founder and General Partner, FirstCheck Africa

Odunayo Eweniyi is co-founder and General Partner at FirstCheck Africa, a pre-seed and seed fund that invests in high-growth tech startups with at least one female founder. She is also the co-founder and Chief Operations Officer of PiggyVest, Nigeria’s largest digital savings and micro-investment platform.

Uyoyo Edosio – Chief ICT and Innovation Expert, African Development Bank

Uyoyo Edosio is the Chief ICT and Innovation Expert at the African Development Bank, with 14 years of experience in infrastructure finance, human capital development, and ICT for development. She leads the Bank’s Digital Transformation Action Plan for Africa and oversees its four-year ICT investment strategy. Her work involves structuring and leading large-scale investments, managing sovereign operations, and shaping digital policy for governments, the private sector, and Regional Economic Communities.

In human capital and ICT development, Uyoyo leads the Bank’s work on AI policy at the G20 and other global platforms. Previously, she led the Bank’s Coding for Employment program, training over two hundred thousand youth in demand-led digital skills. She has championed academic-led innovation hubs in collaboration with the African Union and East African Community, extending the triple-helix model through the Pan African University and Nelson Mandela Institutes in seven countries.

Habiba Ali – CEO, Sosai Renewable Energies

Habiba Ali is a pioneer in Nigeria’s renewable energy sector with nearly two decades of experience driving clean energy access and innovation. She co-founded the Developmental Association for Renewable Energies in 2005, where she served as National Coordinator and led initiatives such as the Clean Development Mechanism project Efficient Cook Stoves for Nigeria, the Solar Lamps Assembly and Sales Training Program, and the Solar Dryers for Healthy Foods Project.

As managing director and CEO of Sosai Renewable Energies, Habiba manages a partnership with C-Quest LLC to implement a nationwide Programme of Activities for improved cook stoves in Nigeria.

Her leadership has been recognized globally through fellowships and programs, including the Cherie Blair Foundation, GSBI, Vital Voices GROW, the World Bank WomenX program, and SEForum Business Accelerator.

Deepankar Rustagi – CEO, Omnibiz

Deepankar Rustagi is the Co-founder of Omnibiz Africa (Mplify Limited), a B2B FMCG e-commerce platform transforming the African supply chain. With over 23 years of experience in Africa, he has built a career around small business solutions, business planning, and innovation.

He began his career in sales and marketing, serving in leadership roles at Dufil and Lucky Fibres Plc, before founding VConnect in 2010. VConnect became one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s pioneering SME tech platforms, helping businesses acquire and engage customers. Building on this success, he launched Omnibiz Africa to digitize distribution for retailers and Mplify, a sales force automation tool that empowers businesses with data-driven insights.

Deepankar is a Stanford SEED alumnus with strong expertise in sales, customer relations, and team building. Known for his motivational leadership style, he has consistently built high-performing teams that drive growth and impact.

Ebi Atawodi – Director of Product Management, YouTube Studio

Ebi Atawodi is the Director of Product at Google for YouTube Studio, the home of millions of creators worldwide. She has built a career at the intersection of technology, design, and business, leading teams that develop sustainable products and platforms designed to impact lives for generations.

Before Google, she was Director of Product at Netflix, where she led Payments in EMEA, and Head of Product at Uber, driving the global payments experience across Uber’s apps. She joined Uber in 2014 as General Manager for Lagos and went on to become General Manager for West Africa, scaling operations from a handful of cars to a major regional business.

Before Uber, she held several roles, from the Head of Corporate Communications and Sponsorships at Etisalat, where she created the Etisalat Prize for Literature, Africa’s most prestigious literary prize. She started the first half of her career as a full-stack engineer working for various global brands such as Nokia, Booz & Company (now Strategy&), GlaxoSmithKline, Channel 4, and Bupa.

Bernard Ghartey – Principal, Norrsken22

Bernard Ghartey is a Principal at Norrsken22, where he leads West Africa investments for the African tech growth fund. With over a decade of experience in venture capital, investment banking, and telecommunications strategy, Bernard has been a key player in the African venture capital ecosystem since 2019. Prior to Norrsken22, he was Head of Investments at Acuity Venture Partners, an early-stage fund, and served as Senior Associate at I-DEV International in Kenya. His tenure at Vodafone as Senior Strategy Specialist saw him driving the company’s WIN-2020 strategy. Earlier in his career, he worked in investment banking at IC Securities, raising capital for blue-chip clients across multiple sectors. Bernard graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Management Information Systems from Ashesi University.

Jade Abbott – Co-founder, Masakhane

Jade Abbott (CTO) has over a decade of experience spanning the banking sector, non-governmental organisations, and startups. She is the co-founder of Masakhane, a grassroots initiative focused on advancing Natural Language Processing (NLP) research for African languages.

Jade holds an MSc from the University of Pretoria and has received numerous accolades for her work, including being recognised by InspiringFifty, which highlights exceptional women in tech, and Mail & Guardian’s ‘200 Young South Africans’ list, which honours trailblazing young professionals. In 2024, she was named to MIT Technology Review’s prestigious Innovators Under 35 list, a global recognition celebrating the most promising young minds driving the future of technology.

Ire Aderinokun – Limited Partner, Angel Investor

Ire Aderinokun is an investor, entrepreneur, and software engineer with a decade of experience building and backing technology ventures in frontier markets.

As an invited Google Expert in Web Technologies specialising in the core user interface technologies of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, Ire has authored widely-read technical content and spoken at dozens of conferences around the world. She co-founded Helicarrier, a Y Combinator-backed blockchain company for Africa that built some of the continent’s earliest crypto-fintech products, and is passionate about how technology can support global financial inclusion. Ire partners closely with founders as an advisor, investor, and operator who understands the full startup journey.

Andrew Alli – Chairman, FirstBank UK

Andrew Alli is a seasoned business leader, investor, and institution builder with over 35 years of experience, 25 of which have been dedicated to investing in and managing businesses across Africa. Trained as an engineer and investment banker, he has been involved in over USD 10 billion worth of investments on the continent.

Andrew began his career in management consulting and investment banking in the UK before joining the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 1996. During his 11 years at the IFC, he gained deep expertise in energy and telecommunications, serving as Country Manager for Nigeria and later for Southern Africa.

In 2008, he was appointed President and CEO of the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), where he served for a decade, overseeing over USD 4.5 billion in infrastructure investments across 30 African countries. He later became Partner and CEO of SouthBridge Group, a pan-African investment bank.

Beyond his executive roles, Andrew serves on the boards of several leading organisations and has been an active angel investor since 2009, backing numerous well-known startups at their earliest stages.

Victor Fatanmi – Director of Strategy, FourthCanvas

Victor Fatanmi (also known as Fá) is a purpose-driven business leader who is leading the teams at FourthCanvas and Fullgap to elevate experiences and shape the future of work.

In 2015, Victor co-founded FourthCanvas — a design agency that has grown to become Nigeria’s number #1 provider of transformative brand identities. Inspired by insights from this journey, he co-founded Fullgap, a tech startup powering the ultimate client management tool for service providers and small businesses. In 2023, Victor received The Future Awards Prize for Technology, followed by a recognition by The Ooni of Ife as a recipient of the Royal African Awards in 2024. He is constantly rediscovering and living out his own voice while helping other people and businesses create and earn more value.

Salem King

Salem King is a creator, teacher and social media influencer with fast-growing repute in new media/communications circles. With a passion for empowering the next generation of creatives, Salem has trained over 3,000 budding creators and built a vibrant community of 350,000+ like-minded individuals. His dedication to nurturing talent has earned him a prestigious TFAA nomination and partnerships with top brands like Spotify, YouTube, HP, MTN, Stanbic IBTC, and the South African Government. Through his digital platforms, Salem shares curated content that inspires collective action and amplifies his mission of growth and empowerment. As a leader in the new media landscape, Salem continues to shape the future of African creativity, fostering connections and driving positive change.

Femi Aluko

Femi Aluko is the co-founder and CEO of Chowdeck. In 2017, Femi started as the fifth engineer and then the first Core Payments Engineer at Paystack, an African payments company acquired by Stripe in 2020.

He co-founded Chowdeck, one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing on-demand food delivery platforms, in 2021, and within 6 months of launching, Chowdeck had completed over 80,000 food deliveries.

Chowdeck has expanded its reach to 11 cities across Nigeria and Ghana, serving 1.5 million customers and partnering with over 3,000 businesses. With a robust network of more than 20,000 riders, the startup has successfully facilitated over ₦30 billion in total deliveries, cementing its position as a leading player in the region’s food delivery market.

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