At the opening of TechCabal’s Moonshot 2025 conference in Lagos, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, set a new tone for Africa’s innovation narrative — one that calls for trust, collaboration, and shared purpose between policymakers and the tech ecosystem.
Oduwole revealed that the federal government is actively engaging with African partners to expand market access for Nigerian startups and digital service providers, signaling a shift toward a continent-wide strategy for innovation-driven trade.
“Government and the ecosystem must begin to trust each other,” she urged. “We are engaging with key African partners to open markets for Nigerian startups and digital providers. Let’s communicate and collaborate — we’re on the same side.”
Her message captured the heart of Moonshot 2025: building the frameworks that allow Africa’s innovators to not only thrive locally but scale globally.
Turning Potential into Market Power
While acknowledging the organic growth of Nigeria’s startup ecosystem, Oduwole emphasized that the next phase requires structure — clear policies, market access, and regional partnerships that make scaling across Africa seamless.
“The tech ecosystem has done exceptionally well, not just in Nigeria but across the continent,” she said. “Now, it’s time to strengthen those gains with policies that enable growth beyond borders.”
She advised founders to be deliberate about expansion, highlighting the importance of compliance and credibility at home before venturing abroad.
“Be strategic. Know where your product fits best. Grow where it makes sense, and build credibility here first — that’s what earns you trust internationally.”
From Data to Discovery: Building Africa’s Knowledge Economy
Day 1 of Moonshot 2025 gathered founders, investors, and policymakers around a central question: How can Africa move from potential to performance?
For Dr. Olubayo Adekanmbi, Founder of Data Science Nigeria, the answer lies in reinventing Africa’s approach to research.
“True innovation begins with rigorous research,” he said. “We must move beyond copy-and-paste models to original thinking grounded in data and science.”
John Kamara, Global CEO of Adanian Labs, took it further, describing data as the continent’s new infrastructure.
“Data is not just information; it’s the foundation of innovation. You can invent on innovation or innovate on invention — but without data, you’re building on sand.”
Beyond Hustle: Building Systems That Endure
Olumide Okubadejo, Head of Product at Sabi, reminded attendees that hustle alone cannot sustain African startups in fragmented markets.
“At the beginning, it’s all hustle — long nights, endless work,” he said. “But to grow, you must evolve into structure. Build governance, build systems. That’s how you scale sustainably.”
He explained how Sabi transitioned from a scrappy B2B marketplace into a full-fledged digital infrastructure company operating in multiple countries — by recognizing that every infrastructure problem is an opportunity in disguise.
“When you see market fragmentation, see it as a sign — there’s an infrastructure solution waiting to be built.”
Fintech’s Next Frontier: Stablecoins and Cross-Border Growth
In the fintech sessions, Ray Youssef, CEO of Noones, spotlighted stablecoins as a tool to democratize Africa’s financial systems.
“Africa has built its own financial networks — now it’s time to take control of the monetary system,” he said.
Stablecoins, digital assets pegged to traditional currencies, have already recorded over $54 billion in transaction volume across Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya in 2024. Yet most activity remains speculative.
Satoshi Shinada, Managing Partner at Verod-Kepple Africa Ventures, argued that real transformation will come when stablecoins become part of everyday transactions.
“The next step is institutionalization — integrate stablecoins into normal payment systems to make them credible.”
Still, regulatory ambiguity remains a challenge. Youssef criticized excessive regulation, calling it “a cycle that slows innovation and keeps money from moving where it’s needed most.”
Building Momentum: From Vision to Action
Now in its third edition, Moonshot 2025 — themed “Building Momentum” — has evolved into a space where Africa’s brightest founders, investors, and policymakers converge to chart the next frontier of digital growth.
The conversations made one thing clear: Africa’s journey from innovation to impact will depend not on competition between government and startups, but on collaboration that turns ambition into tangible progress.
