Digital Professional Fair 2025: Industry leaders share strategies to empower Africa’s digital workforce

By Tunji Faleye

Over a two-day event at the Landmark Centre in Lagos, leading figures in the digital industry engaged young professionals on an array of business growth tools designed to help them thrive in today’s competitive digital marketplace. The occasion was the inaugural edition of the (video) Digital Professional Fair 2025, a platform aimed at equipping participants with practical strategies and skills for sustainable business advancement.

Opening the event, convener Adetutu Adetunmbi explained that the vision behind the Digital Professional Fair was to arm digital professionals with the expertise required to elevate their businesses and seize limitless opportunities. She stressed that Africa’s workforce is poised to become a major global player, but warned that skills development must keep pace with the continent’s rapidly growing population.

According to her, “Africans have been marginalized despite the fact that Africa’s work force is the next global workforce because our population is going to be double in the next ten years. Out of the population, 46.3 per cent will be in digital economy, and 33.3 per cent of these people are skilled. So, what we need now is to upscale our knowledge to service global clients and that is why we have as our theme for this year is ‘Shaping Africa’s Digital Workforce.’”

Adetunmbi described the fair as both a career-building and business-enhancing initiative designed to sharpen the expertise of digital practitioners, address pressing challenges in the sector, and create a healthier digital economy. She emphasized that the forum was intended to help Nigerian youth connect with seasoned experts, broaden their perspectives, and adopt innovative approaches to their work.

Delivering the keynote address, Olisa Adibua, represented by Omobosola Alake, Founder and CEO of Hafriqplay, spoke on “Digital Professionals and Workforce Readiness, Excellence, Communication and Global Standard in Today’s Digital Economy”. According to her, “In today’s digital economy talent get you in the room – excellence keeps you there. It keeps you to find your footing in the digital ecosystem.”

Highlighting the urgency of workforce readiness, she stated, “skills alone are no longer sufficient, the key differentiator for success are excellence in delivering consistent high-quality output, effective communication and global standard alignment.” She urged participants to adopt a world-class before the world calls mindset and encouraged the integration of Artificial Intelligence as a transformative tool for boosting the digital economy.

Also speaking, Uchechi Uhuomah, creative business consultant, digital strategist, and founder of Consistently Curated, encouraged practitioners to consistently hone their craft through practice. Sharing insights in her session “Digital Skill 101: From First Gig to CEO – My Journey Through the Digital Economy”, she underlined the importance of networking as a gateway to opportunities, urged the acquisition of solid business skills, and advised participants to remain adaptable to emerging technologies.

From a structural perspective, Hassanat Abubakar, a founding member of FUSE Varsity, outlined four essential pillars for growing a digital business—skills, systems, structure, and strategy—stating that these elements ensure consistency and forward momentum.

Speaking on the dynamics of freelancing and corporate roles, Amarachi Ogbonna stressed the significance of effective time management and personal branding. She noted that networking enhances career opportunities and advised, “you must be ready and consistent to develop relevant information that will attract followers, and know what is trending on social media.”

Princess Wilson, strategic data-driven product manager who currently leads product at Hello Tech, advised participants to craft globally competitive résumés. She revealed, “75 per cent of résumé never pass initial screening for global positioning due to non-conformity of their resumes to global standard.”

In his view, Olufemi Oguntamu, talent manager and CEO of Penzaville Africa, stressed the need for discipline, strategic thinking, and leadership values in aspiring global creatives. He urged attendees to actively network, explaining that meaningful connections can transform potential into tangible progress, and encouraged them to remain consistent while adapting to evolving markets.

Held on August 11–12, the **Digital Professional Fair 2025** established itself as a premier platform for emerging talents, freelancers, and seasoned professionals across Africa’s digital space. Spearheaded by visionary strategist and tech advocate Adetutu Adetunmbi, the event has been widely commended as a timely intervention to foster upskilling, connectivity, and visibility within the continent’s rapidly expanding digital economy.

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