Artificial Intelligence (AI) has shifted from being a buzzword to becoming the backbone of innovation across industries. From finance and retail to education and healthcare, businesses worldwide are racing to adapt. In Nigeria, where small and medium-sized enterprises drive economic activity, the question is no longer if AI will transform business but how fast local entrepreneurs can harness it.
FATE Foundation is stepping into this critical conversation with its 10th Business Conference, themed “The AI-Powered Business.” Slated for September 26, 2025, at the Balmoral Convention Center in Lagos, the event aims to position AI not as a distant future but as a present-day tool for competitiveness, growth, and sustainability.
Unlike typical industry summits, the conference is designed as both a learning hub and a launchpad. With keynote speeches, panel debates, and a live pitch competition, it will blend thought leadership with hands-on entrepreneurship. Grants of up to ₦1 million will be awarded to innovators who showcase AI-driven business solutions, underscoring FATE’s commitment to fueling ideas that can scale.
Speakers confirmed for the conference cut across technology, governance, and enterprise, including Kofo Akinkugbe of SecureID Group, fintech leader Adedeji Olowe, Lagos Commissioner for Innovation Olatunbosun Alake, and KPMG Nigeria’s Yomi Akinyemi. Their presence signals the seriousness with which the ecosystem is approaching AI’s impact.
Toyin Bakare, President of the FATE Alumni, sees the gathering as a platform to spotlight entrepreneurial resilience: “The AI Powered Business conference is a timely opportunity for our community to showcase solutions that can thrive in a fast-changing environment.”
For Adenike Adeyemi, FATE’s Executive Director, the bigger picture is about building an ecosystem of empowered entrepreneurs: “This conference will equip over 1,000 business leaders with insights and tools to innovate, expand, and open new pathways to success.”
By pricing access at ₦50,000 per participant, the Foundation is keeping the doors open for SMEs that often miss out on high-level innovation platforms.
Founded in 2000 by Fola Adeola, FATE Foundation has long championed enterprise development in Nigeria, training over a million entrepreneurs and extending its impact to Kenya and South Africa. With the 2025 conference, the organization is once again positioning itself at the intersection of technology and business transformation.
As global markets accelerate into an AI-driven future, the Lagos gathering offers a rare chance for Nigerian entrepreneurs not only to catch up but to lead.
