Nigeria’s Lagos Tech Fest Celebrates 5th Edition

Hundreds of attendees from across Nigeria turned out for the 2025 edition of Lagos Tech Fest.

Now in its fifth year, the latest iteration saw a strong turnout, with over 500 attendees, 57 speakers, and 50-plus companies from across sub-Saharan Africa. The organizers marked this edition by extending the program to a two-day event held from 19-20 February at Four Points by Sheraton, VI, on the first day and Landmark Event Center on day two.

Lagos Tech Fest: Nigeria’s Tech Ecosystem Stakeholders

Launched in 2021, Lagos Tech Fest is a leading gathering for players across various verticals of Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. The event gathered talents, startups, innovators, investors, and government representatives to shape Nigeria’s tech future. 

Organized by Eventhive.ng, the event addresses critical developments in the African tech ecosystem while uncovering countless opportunities within the Nigerian and African tech markets. 

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With a strong focus on spotlighting opportunities within the tech space, the event unpacked conversations on Fintech, Venture Capital, Crypto and DeFi, Payments and banking, E-commerce, Talent and workforce, Cybersecurity and fraud, Digital Infrastructure, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Transformation, Corporate Governance, Innovation and governance, Capital Market Opportunities for Tech Startups, and more.

Held at Four Points by Sheraton, Club House, and Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, the agenda included a leadership roundtable, keynote speeches, panel discussions, and other conversation and networking opportunities for attendees. 

Speakers and Conversations at 2025 Lagos Tech Fest

Speaking about the 5th edition of the event, Folasade Femi-Lawal, Country Manager and Area Business Head for West Africa at Mastercard said, “… As technology continues to shape the future of commerce, security, and financial services, this event provides a vital platform for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and investment in cutting-edge solutions…”

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The impressive line-up of speakers at the 2025 edition of Lagos Tech Fest included Kehinde Ogundare, Country Manager, Nigeria, Zoho; Tolulope A. Adeyinka, Fintech Business Development Lead, Mastercard, West Africa; Yewande Adewusi, Chief Operating Officer, Alitheia Capital; Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku, Managing Partner, Ventures Platform, Satoshi Shinada, Partner, Verdi-Kepple Africa Ventures, among others.

UrbanGeekz’s Stephen Oluwadara on the ground reporting at Lagos Tech Fest

A panel discussion that excited attendees was titled, “Tough times don’t last, tough startups do; an uphill battle for VC funding in Africa.” One of the panelists, Fola Olatunji-David, Founding Partner Kickoff Africa, mentioned some of the sectors he’s excited about, “Anything that’s building the foundation and the rails that other businesses can build on. Whether in finance, you’re building payment rails so that other people, innovators, and creators can build consumer products on top. It shows a deeper level of thinking and an ability to see beyond who your direct customers are, but you can also facilitate their work.” 

Speaking on traits he looks for in founders before investing, Fiyin Ogunlesi, Managing Principal of TAG Africa, said, “On our end, we look for something I like to call pattern recognition muscle, the ability to connect the dots. The founders should know the gaps in the field they’re playing in, and they should have a solution that can solve that problem. Founders should also have experience in the space.”

Networking And Dealmaking In Full Flow

Between the insightful panel conversations, keynote addresses, and live pitches, attendees had ample opportunity to network. The conference had lounges for efficient one-on-one networking and stakeholder discussions.

Over the years, Lagos Tech Fest has built a track record for introductions to investment, customers, talent, M&A activity, mentorship, and dealmaking. The 2025 edition was no different in this regard. 

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An attendee, Sandra Agarin, said, “It was an exciting opportunity to connect with industry leaders, innovators, and like-minded professionals. The event was a great platform for exploring the latest trends in technology and innovation while also showcasing our solutions to a wider audience. The energy was palpable, and it was inspiring to see so many creative minds come together to discuss the future of tech and how we can drive positive change across various sectors.”