IT experts converge on Lagos for Zenith Tech Fair 2.0

Eminent IT practitioners from Nigeria and beyond as well as other interested stakeholders will gather at Eko Hotels & Suites in Lagos.on Tuesday, November 22 and Wednesday, November 23, 2022 for the second edition of the Zenith Tech Fair themed “Future Forward 2.0”.

The fair, cast in the mould of global technological events like the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and EmTech Asia, will showcase leading technology innovations across different aspects of life, including Artificial Intelligence, Computing, Machine Learning, Blockchain, Robotics, Big Data, FinTech, Augmented Reality, Data Analytics, 5G and Communication Technologies, among others.

It will also feature hackathon sessions where innovative startups will be identified, as well as panel discussions, masterclasses and exhibitions.

IT practitioners who represent top global brands are expected to make presentations at the fair. They include Tarik Alatovic, senior partner, McKinsey; Juliet Ehimuan, West Africa director, Google; and Ola Williams, country manager, Microsoft Inc.

Also expected are Andrew Uaboi, vice president/head, Visa West Africa; Rakiya Mohammed, director of Information Technology, Central Bank of Nigeria; Chris Lu, managing director, Huawei Technologies Nigeria, and Adaora Umeoji, deputy managing director, Zenith Bank Plc.

Brett King, founder of Moven and author of Bank 4.0, will deliver the keynote address on “The Future of Banking: Digital Transformation Journey”; Jim Ovia, founder and chairman, Zenith Bank, will give a welcome address, while Ebenezer Onyeagwu, group managing director, Zenith Bank and chairman, Body of Banks’ CEOs, Nigeria, will give the opening remarks.

A statement by the bank said the fair would feature three panel discussions on “The future of payments: what next and how can we get there?”; “What are the main challenges of digital transformation in the financial industry? How do we solve them?”; and “Driving the global trade revolution with technology: current transformation trends”.

The first panel discussion will be hosted by Yinka David West, a professor at Lagos Business School, with Agada Apochi, managing director, UPSL; Olu Akanmu, managing director, Opay; Premier Oiwoh, managing director, NIBBS; and Kari Tukur, V/P & head of products, East/West Africa, MasterCard, as discussants.

Brett King will moderate the second session while the discussants include Tosin Eniolorunda, managing director, TeamApt; Obi Emetarom, managing director, Appzone; Babatunde Obrimah, COO, FintechNGR; and Olugbenga Agboola, founder/CEO, Flutterwave.

The third panel session will be hosted by Samuel Eze, founder/CEO, Ourpass, with Mike Ogbalu III, managing director, PAPSS; Akeem Lawal, divisional CEO, Interswitch; Massimiliano Spalazzi, country manager, Jumia; and Ozoemena Nnaji, director of trade & exchange, CBN, as discussants.

The bank asked interested participants to visit www.zenithbank.com/techfair to register after which they will receive a confirmation email.

“The fair will be live on Zoom for participation and streamed on the bank’s social media pages including YouTube,” it said.

The maiden Zenith Tech Fair held in Lagos on November 27, 2019, tagged ‘Future Forward’, featured a hackathon which produced 10 winners, including Octave Analytics Limited, who won the grand prize of N10 million; Neohaul Technologies, the first runner-up who received N6 million prize; and reQuid Technologies, the second runner-up who won N5 million. Termii, Xcard Nigeria Limited, Payonhold, Escrow Inc, Alerzo, Nairapacket and Qview.ai also won N1 million each.