In a bold redefinition of how Africa’s youth can approach business, Chijioke Okonkwo—Group CEO of the global enterprise Goltava Group—delivered a compelling message on the urgent relevance of artificial intelligence (AI) during a high-impact executive bootcamp focused on digital transformation.
Addressing a diverse group of aspiring entrepreneurs at the Digital Business Executive Bootcamp powered by Upkamp, the Germany-based business leader dismantled the notion that AI is a distant or elite concept. Instead, he positioned it as an accessible, immediate engine for creating scalable solutions, launching tech-enabled ventures, and reshaping Africa’s role in the global economy.
“AI isn’t waiting for anyone. It’s already here, rewriting the rules of business,” Okonkwo said during a live strategy session. “If you learn to solve real-world problems with it, you’re not just launching a startup—you’re redefining what’s possible.”
The intensive week-long program equipped participants with future-ready tools in digital branding, SEO, workflow automation, and full-stack web development. Entrepreneurs were guided through real-time implementation of AI applications, using smart platforms to design brand identities, structure websites, and streamline customer engagement systems—all from scratch.
Drawing on his own entrepreneurial journey, Okonkwo shared how he scaled ventures like Cargoburg and Kessel Energies under the Goltava Group’s umbrella. With operations spanning logistics, agriculture, renewable energy, and cross-border trade, he underscored the power of digital thinking and execution over traditional constraints.
“Starting small doesn’t mean thinking small,” he noted. “What matters most is being intentional—armed with vision, consistency, and the willingness to act. Technology can accelerate your journey, but only if you allow it to.”
Participants didn’t just absorb theories—they built. From creating logos and landing pages to automating communication systems, attendees emerged with tangible progress and a transformative shift in mindset. AI wasn’t presented as a threat to human potential, but as a partner in achieving it.
What made the program even more impactful was its ability to build community—connecting driven minds across backgrounds in a collaborative space of purpose and momentum.
In his closing remarks, Okonkwo called on Africa’s young innovators to lead with courage and embrace AI not as a trend, but as a necessity for building people-centered, problem-solving enterprises.
“Let’s stop viewing technology as something out there,” he said. “It’s a tool we have now—and with it, we can design a future where African businesses don’t just compete, but lead.”
With plans to expand the bootcamp to new regions and online platforms, the initiative marks a pivotal step in Okonkwo’s broader mission: to ignite a continent-wide movement of tech-driven leadership among Africa’s next generation.
