DataFestAfrica 2025, Africa’s premier gathering of data professionals and AI innovators, brought together thousands of attendees at the Anchor Event Place in Ikeja, Lagos, on Saturday, October 18, 2025. TechMoonshot was on the ground to cover the event, which marked the fourth consecutive year of this community-driven conference organized by Data Community Africa.
The one-day conference, themed “AI in Africa: Solving Today’s Problems, Building Tomorrow’s Systems,” explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries across the continent while addressing practical challenges unique to African markets.
Star-Studded Keynote: Jade Abbott on Building AI for African Languages
The conference was headlined by Jade Abbott, Co-founder and CTO of Lelapa AI, one of Africa’s most influential voices in artificial intelligence. Abbott is leading the charge to build language models that can handle the complexities of African languages like isiZulu, Yoruba, Twi, and Amharic, positioning herself as a pioneer in making AI accessible to millions of Africans in their native languages.
Abbott co-founded Lelapa AI with data scientist Pelonomi Moiloa in 2022, with the goal of developing localized language models that would allow businesses to use AI to communicate with African customers in their native languages. The South African startup has already released Vulavula, an AI tool that converts voice to text and detects names of people and places in written text, currently supporting isiZulu, Afrikaans, Sesotho, and English.
Abbott’s conviction is that if Africa can solve language barriers, it can unlock every other application of AI. “Language is the enabler,” she says. “If we get it right, we improve quality of life across the continent.”
Abbott’s keynote address resonated with DataFestAfrica’s theme, emphasizing the importance of building AI systems that reflect African contexts, solve African problems, and include African voices—rather than simply importing Western AI models that often fail to understand local languages and cultural nuances.
Strong Turnout Continues Momentum
Following last year’s impressive showing of over 2,000 professionals and enthusiasts participating both in-person and virtually from countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, and Cameroon, DataFestAfrica 2025 continued to solidify its position as one of Africa’s largest data and AI community gatherings.
The event featured over 20 speakers from across various data disciplines, bringing diverse perspectives on artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, and emerging technologies. The venue, Anchor Event Place on Lateef Jakande Road in Agidingbi, Ikeja, provided a modern and accessible space for the day’s activities.
Women in AI: Breaking Every Barrier
A standout session at the conference was the “Women in AI” panel, moderated by Ola Igwe, a Data & Strategy Professional and Conference Organiser. The panel, titled “Breaking Every Barrier: How African Women Conquered Global AI Despite the Odds,” featured four pioneering women in Africa’s AI ecosystem:
- Chinazo Anebelundu – Director, AI Solutions Delivery, DSN Nigeria
- Sharon Ibejih – Founder, Tonative
- Bunmi Akinremi – Machine Learning Engineer, Kochava
- Flora Oladipupo – Data Scientist, AI Researcher
The session highlighted the unique challenges African women face in breaking into AI and data science—from limited access to technical education and mentorship to gender biases in hiring and funding. Yet the panelists’ stories demonstrated remarkable resilience, showcasing how African women are not just participating in the global AI conversation but leading innovations addressing continent-specific challenges.
The panel resonated deeply with attendees, particularly young women and girls exploring careers in technology, who left inspired by the possibility of following similar paths.
Nigeria AI Collective: Official Partner and Exhibitor
The Nigeria AI Collective served as an official partner and exhibitor at DataFestAfrica 2025, showcasing the government-backed initiative’s commitment to fostering ethical AI development and innovation across Nigeria.
The Nigeria AI Collective is a pioneering community of practice dedicated to ensuring that AI development and adoption in Nigeria are safe, ethical, and impactful. Initiated by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, the Collective operates within an enabling policy environment that fosters responsible AI governance and innovation.
The Collective is led by Data Science Nigeria, Lagos Business School, and the Centre for Journalism, Innovation & Development, and is supported by Luminate, Ford Foundation, and AI Collaborative.
At the DataFestAfrica exhibition booth, Nigeria AI Collective representatives engaged with attendees about:
- The National AI Strategy: Nigeria’s comprehensive roadmap for leveraging AI to drive economic growth and social impact
- Sectoral AI Networks: Industry-specific networks driving AI adoption in telecommunications, healthcare, agriculture, fintech, and more
- Nigerian AI Repository: A curated showcase of AI innovations and developments across Nigeria
- Training and Capacity Building: Programs designed to upskill AI practitioners and enthusiasts
The Collective’s presence at DataFestAfrica underscored the synergy between government-led AI governance initiatives and community-driven grassroots movements like Data Community Africa. Together, these efforts are creating an ecosystem where AI innovation can flourish while maintaining ethical standards and societal benefit.
Keynotes, Panels, and Workshops: A Day of Deep Learning
The conference program included a comprehensive mix of formats designed to engage attendees at all levels:
Keynote Presentations: Beyond Jade Abbott’s headline address, industry leaders delivered high-impact talks on AI adoption in Africa, exploring how the continent is not just consuming AI technology but actively building its own intelligent systems tailored to local contexts.
Panel Discussions: Expert panels examined critical topics including AI ethics, data privacy, algorithmic bias, and the role of artificial intelligence in driving economic growth and civic participation across African communities. The Women in AI panel was particularly impactful, drawing standing-room-only crowds.
Hands-On Workshops: Practical sessions allowed participants to learn new skills in data science, machine learning, and AI implementation, with particular emphasis on tools and techniques applicable to African business environments. Workshops covered topics from Python for data analysis to deploying machine learning models in production.
Hackathon: True to Data Community Africa’s mission of solving real problems, the event featured a hackathon focused on addressing African challenges through data-driven solutions, encouraging developers and data scientists to collaborate on innovative applications.
Notable Speakers and Industry Voices
While the full speaker lineup featured over 50 experts, the conference highlighted some of Africa’s most respected voices in data and AI innovation. In addition to Jade Abbott’s keynote, confirmed speakers included Olawole Omotosho, Group Chief Technology Officer of Sterling Financial Holdings Company, bringing insights from the financial services sector on AI transformation and digital banking innovation.
The diverse speaker roster represented various sectors including fintech, healthcare, agriculture, education, and government, reflecting the cross-cutting impact of AI and data analytics across African economies.
Product Showcases and Networking Opportunities
Beyond the speaking sessions, DataFestAfrica 2025 provided extensive networking opportunities that have become a hallmark of the event. An exhibition area featured product showcases from top technology companies and organizations like the Nigeria AI Collective, allowing attendees to:
- Explore cutting-edge AI and data analytics tools
- Connect with potential employers and talent (the event serves as a recruitment pipeline for Africa’s tech sector)
- Discover startup innovations leveraging data science
- Engage with sponsors and partners driving Africa’s data ecosystem
- Learn about government initiatives supporting AI development
The informal networking sessions proved particularly valuable for attendees looking to build connections within Africa’s growing community of data professionals, which has expanded to over 2,500 individuals now working across 15+ countries thanks to Data Community Africa’s community partnerships and training initiatives.
Focus on Real-World AI Applications
A key theme throughout DataFestAfrica 2025 was moving beyond AI hype to focus on practical, measurable applications solving African problems. Sessions explored:
Financial Inclusion: How AI is expanding access to banking and credit services for underserved populations through alternative credit scoring, fraud detection, and automated customer service.
Agriculture: The role of machine learning in precision farming, crop yield prediction, pest detection, and supply chain optimization for African farmers.
Healthcare: AI applications in diagnostics, telemedicine, drug discovery, and health system management addressing Africa’s healthcare access challenges.
Education: Personalized learning platforms, automated grading systems, and AI-driven curriculum development improving educational outcomes.
Language Access: Building on Jade Abbott’s keynote, multiple sessions explored how NLP (Natural Language Processing) can bridge Africa’s linguistic diversity, enabling millions to access digital services in their mother tongues.
Governance: Data-driven policy making, citizen engagement platforms, and AI tools supporting transparent, efficient public service delivery.
Building Tomorrow’s Systems: African AI Sovereignty
A recurring discussion throughout the conference centered on African agency in the global AI race. Speakers and panelists emphasized the importance of:
- Local Data Infrastructure: Building Africa-owned data centers and cloud infrastructure to reduce reliance on external platforms
- Indigenous AI Models: Training machine learning models on African datasets reflecting local languages, contexts, and challenges
- Ethical Frameworks: Developing AI governance structures aligned with African values and addressing continent-specific concerns around bias, privacy, and algorithmic accountability
- Talent Development: Investing in education and upskilling to ensure Africans lead the design, development, and deployment of AI systems affecting African communities
This focus on “building tomorrow’s systems” reflected a maturation of Africa’s AI conversation—moving from passive adoption to active creation and governance. Jade Abbott’s work at Lelapa AI exemplifies this shift, demonstrating that African technologists can build world-class AI systems addressing uniquely African challenges.
Virtual Participation Expands Reach
Recognizing that not all interested participants could attend in person, DataFestAfrica 2025 offered virtual tickets providing access to live-streamed sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities. This hybrid approach expanded the event’s reach beyond Lagos, allowing professionals across Africa and the diaspora to participate and engage with the content.
The virtual component also ensured that knowledge shared at the conference could benefit the broader community, reinforcing Data Community Africa’s mission of democratizing access to data science education and resources.
TechMoonshot’s Observations from the Ground
As TechMoonshot covered the event, several key observations stood out:
Energy and Optimism: Despite global economic headwinds and Nigeria’s specific challenges, the atmosphere at DataFestAfrica 2025 was overwhelmingly optimistic. Attendees expressed confidence in Africa’s ability to leverage AI for leapfrog development across sectors.
Jade Abbott’s Impact: The Lelapa AI founder’s keynote resonated powerfully, particularly her message that success in AI “is not a Google job or moving overseas,” but rather “plotting your own path, staying in the work even when it’s hard. The fact that I’m still here, still building in Africa, that’s success.” This message of building solutions locally rather than seeking opportunities abroad struck a chord with many attendees.
Women in AI Momentum: The packed Women in AI panel demonstrated growing recognition that diversity isn’t just a moral imperative but a competitive advantage. African women bring unique perspectives that can help AI systems better serve Africa’s diverse populations.
Government-Community Synergy: The Nigeria AI Collective’s presence as partner and exhibitor illustrated productive collaboration between government policy initiatives and grassroots community movements. This synergy—rather than tension—between top-down and bottom-up approaches bodes well for Nigeria’s AI ecosystem.
Diversity of Participants: The conference attracted a remarkably diverse crowd—from seasoned CTOs and data scientists to students and career switchers exploring the field. This diversity reflected data science’s growing accessibility and the expanding opportunity landscape.
Practical Focus: Unlike some tech conferences heavy on theory, DataFestAfrica 2025 maintained a relentless focus on practical application. Speakers frequently grounded their presentations in real-world case studies, live demos, and actionable insights attendees could immediately apply.
Community Spirit: The event reinforced that Data Community Africa is more than a conference organizer—it’s a genuine movement. Attendees spoke of the community’s role in their career transitions, with many crediting Data Community Africa workshops and connections for landing roles in data science and analytics.
Investment Interest: The presence of venture capitalists, corporate sponsors, and government representatives signaled growing recognition of data and AI as investment priorities for Africa’s economic future.
The Data Community Africa Mission
DataFestAfrica 2025 continues to advance Data Community Africa’s broader mission: fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing in the field of data across the continent. Since its inception, the organization has organized various events, workshops, and conferences providing opportunities for networking, skill development, and sharing of best practices.
The community’s impact extends far beyond the annual conference. Through year-round initiatives, Data Community Africa has supported over 2,500 data enthusiasts who have transitioned into professional roles across 15+ countries. This track record positions the organization as a critical talent pipeline for Africa’s growing technology sector.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for Africa’s Data Community
As DataFestAfrica 2025 concluded, several themes emerged regarding the future of data and AI in Africa:
Scaling Talent Development: With demand for data professionals far outstripping supply, there’s an urgent need to scale training programs, bootcamps, and certification courses making data science accessible to more Africans.
Infrastructure Investment: Continued growth requires investment in data infrastructure—from cloud computing and data centers to high-speed internet connectivity enabling real-time AI applications.
Language-First AI: Jade Abbott’s keynote underscored that truly inclusive AI must support African languages. The success of tools like Vulavula demonstrates both the demand and the feasibility of African language AI.
Cross-Border Collaboration: Many of Africa’s data challenges transcend national borders. Success requires regional cooperation on data governance, infrastructure sharing, and talent mobility. Initiatives like the Nigeria AI Collective could serve as models for other African nations.
Inclusive AI: Ensuring AI development includes diverse voices—particularly women, rural communities, and marginalized groups—will be critical to building systems that serve all Africans equitably. The Women in AI panel demonstrated the talent and determination already present; what’s needed is systemic support.
Policy Frameworks: Governments must develop forward-looking AI and data policies balancing innovation with consumer protection, privacy, and ethical considerations. The Nigeria AI Collective’s work in this area provides a template.
Sponsor and Partner Support
DataFestAfrica 2025’s success was made possible through strategic partnerships and sponsorships from organizations committed to advancing Africa’s data ecosystem. The Nigeria AI Collective’s partnership role demonstrated government backing for community-driven initiatives, while corporate sponsors gained high-visibility platforms for their brands and direct recruitment pipelines to skilled professionals.
The conference demonstrated the growing commercial interest in Africa’s data and AI space, with corporate partners recognizing the opportunity to tap into the continent’s emerging talent pool and expanding markets.
