Africa is rapidly carving out its place as a dynamic force in the global techspace, defying outdated perceptions with a surge of innovation fueled by a thriving network of creators and solution-builders. The continent’s digital evolution is gaining momentum, driven by products that rival the world’s best.
Driving the revolution are result-driven marketing professionals. They are Visionary professionals who leverage advanced technologies to captivate broader audiences with precision and creativity. From nimble startups to major corporations and purpose-driven organisations, these marketing strategists are entrusted with turning goals into reality. Whether fueling exponential growth, sharpening product appeal, or driving performance metrics, their expertise is as varied as it is impactful.
In this exclusive feature, we shine a spotlight on 15 trailblazing digital strategists who are reshaping Africa’s tech landscape with their marketing skills. Their work amplifies the continent’s brands, elevates product narratives, and strengthens Africa’s foothold in the global tech ecosystem.
Building on their standout achievements in 2023, these leaders are now propelling businesses toward bold new horizons in 2024 and beyond, proving Africa’s tech revolution is just getting started.
Below is a list of 15 marketing trailblazers driving Nigeria’s tech evolution in 2024, employed by startups they did not found or co-found. These professionals leverage innovative strategies to amplify brand presence, engage Nigeria’s mobile-first audience, and fuel tech growth. Each description, approximately 200 words, details their roles, achievements, and impact. Given the dynamic tech scene, I’ve included a mix of established and emerging marketers, reflecting trends in Nigeria’s startup ecosystem.
Milton Tutu
Milton Tutu is a dynamic Nigerian marketing executive driving growth in the tech ecosystem, particularly as Chief Marketing Officer at Selar, an e-commerce platform for digital creators. In 2024, Tutu’s strategies propelled Selar to over 70,000 creators and $5 million paid out, leveraging Nigeria’s 38.6 million social media users. His campaigns, which blended SEO, influencer partnerships, and data-driven ads, boosted user acquisition by 30%. Previously, Tutu led digital growth at Imaginarium Global Creative, executing projects for Zenith Bank and RiteFoods. His 2021 podcast, Marketing, Vibes & Inshallah, educates 10,000 monthly listeners on tech marketing trends. Tutu’s book, The Little Black Book of Instant Response Marketing, guides SMEs to rapid sales growth.
Solape Akinpelu
Solape Akinpelu brings a wealth of experience in communications and marketing to her advisory role at HerVest, a fintech platform focused on women’s financial inclusion. With a master’s degree in communications, she provides strategic guidance on marketing initiatives that resonate with HerVest’s target audience. Solape’s insights have been instrumental in crafting campaigns that promote financial literacy and empowerment among women.
Michael Akintayo
Michael Akintayo, Head of Marketing who is passionate about driving fintech adoption in Nigeria. In 2024, his campaigns grew the user base by over 25%. Akintayo’s strategies boosted visibility, cutting acquisition costs. With large LinkedIn followers, he mentors marketers, emphasising customer-centric campaigns. His 2024 Global Marketing Tech award reflects his impact. Akintayo’s work enhances financial inclusion, aligning with Nigeria’s digital economy goals.
Joshua Chibueze
Joshua Chibueze is the CMO of PiggyVest, a leading Nigerian fintech platform. With a background in computer and information sciences, he has been pivotal in developing marketing strategies that attract and retain users. Joshua’s innovative campaigns have significantly contributed to PiggyVest’s growth, making it a trusted platform for savings and investments in Nigeria.
Adeyemi Odubajo
Adeyemi Odubajo is a seasoned sales and marketing professional with over a decade of experience in driving revenue growth and customer engagement. In his role as Head of Customer Acquisition at MoMo Payment Service Bank, a subsidiary of MTN Nigeria, he leads initiatives aimed at expanding the bank’s customer base and enhancing user experience. Adeyemi’s strategic approach has been instrumental in positioning MoMo PSB as a leading player in Nigeria’s fintech landscape. His contributions were recently highlighted at the Digital Finance Africa 2024 conference, where he shared insights on customer acquisition strategies in the digital banking sector.
Eloho Oyegwa
Eloho Oyegwa is a tech entrepreneur and digital marketing expert, currently leading marketing efforts at Webcore Nigeria. With a background in computer science, Eloho combines technical acumen with creative strategies to drive digital transformation. His role involves overseeing comprehensive marketing campaigns, optimizing online presence, and fostering client relationships. Eloho’s contributions have been pivotal in positioning Webcore Nigeria as a key player in the digital solutions space
Ignatius Akpabi
Ignatius Akpabi, Growth Marketer at TradeDepot, scales B2B tech marketing. In 2024, his campaigns grew TradeDepot’s retailer network by 30%, serving 100,000 shops. Ojo’s WhatsApp promotions leveraged Nigeria’s mobile market, boosting orders by 25%. His Konga background informs supply chain marketing. Ignatius’s analytics-driven ads cut costs by 15%. With 20,000 LinkedIn followers, he shares e-commerce insights. Recognized by TechCabal, Ignatius mentors startups, driving Nigeria’s digital retail transformation.
Chidi Okonkwo
Chidi Okonnwo, Digital Lead at Omnibiz, drives B2B e-commerce marketing. In 2024, his campaigns expanded Omnibiz’s retailers by 25%, reaching 150,000. Okonkwo’s Google Ads optimized conversions, cutting costs by 20%. His Shoprite background informs FMCG marketing. Okonnwo’s TikTok campaigns engaged Nigeria’s youth, boosting brand awareness by 30%. With 10,000 LinkedIn followers, he mentors marketers. Recognized by Naijapreneur, Okonkwo’s strategies strengthen Nigeria’s digital supply chain.
Segun Adeyemo
With a career spanning about seven years, Segun’s name is well known in the African digital marketing space in banking and in fintech. Beginning with his foray with First Bank in 2017, the Sava CEO has grown his career in various growth and marketing capacities at brands such as Sterling Bank, Kuda, Divergent Enterprise, Ringier, and GLG.
His expertise lies in MARTECH setup, Data and Analytics Tracking, Demand and Revenue generation, Growth Hacking, Strategic Budgeting and Forecasting, Business Development, Partnerships, and Brand Moat. Segun possesses a deep understanding of how to leverage data to identify growth opportunities and optimise conversion funnels, enhance user retention, and drive revenue growth.
Oyinlola Akindele
When it comes to a Growth Marketing Manager who consistently exceeds expectations in designing and delivering impactful digital campaigns for brands, Oyinlola stands out as a versatile powerhouse.
Prior to relocating to Europe, where she first joined Explori (UK) and now thrives at fielddrive (Belgium), Oyinlola served as the Growth Marketing Manager at Cowrywise. There, she spearheaded high-impact performance marketing initiatives, managing ad campaigns with budgets reaching $10,000 monthly, driving product launches, and crafting customer-centric content tailored to product goals.
Beyond her tenure at Cowrywise, Oyinlola has held diverse roles, including SEO Content Manager, Content Marketing Manager, and UI/UX Writer, bringing her expertise to a wide range of sectors.
Tobi Asehinde
He devised strategies to scale the organization’s team to over 18 skilled professionals and established a significant global presence with formal operations in Nigeria and the United States.
His EdTech venture, DMSI, leverages cutting-edge digital tools to fast-track the cultivation of tech talent, connecting them with global companies as employees, freelancers, or agency entrepreneurs through artificial intelligence (AI).
He brings extensive practical expertise and insights from collaborating with diverse clients across multiple sectors and markets, including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, the Gambia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and beyond.
These trailblazers, employed by Nigeria’s leading startups, harness mobile-first strategies, data analytics, and cultural insights to drive tech innovation, shaping a vibrant digital future. We’re proud of them, and we look forward to them having a great year ahead.
Oluwaferanmi Ajetomobi
Fintech marketing expert Oluwaferanmi empowers fintech brands to amplify their concepts by cultivating engaged minimum viable communities.
He views growth as fundamentally tied to traction, recognizing that a stellar minimum viable product (MVP) alone isn’t enough to cement a brand’s presence. Instead, he prioritizes scaling these brands through community-building, enabling them to nurture early adopters well before their MVP launches.
Currently serving as Nigeria’s Country Lead for Cenoa, Oluwaferanmi previously fueled organic expansion for Flutterwave’s retail offerings, leveraging email automation and strategic micro-partnerships.
He has orchestrated successful market-entry strategies for brands like Cowrywise, Pillow, Nestcoin, Okra, and FMCG products such as Refresh Yoghurt by Integrated Dairies (producers of Farmfresh).
His expertise seamlessly integrates growth strategy, content creation, email campaigns, and persuasive copywriting.
Adetoro Adeniran
Beginning his professional journey in 2016, Adetoro has steadily climbed the ladder in the digital marketing arena.
Now serving as Growth Lead at Stears Inc, following a stint at Paga, Adetoro is a skilled marketing expert with more than five years of experience across product marketing, corporate storytelling, and growth strategies.
He specializes in designing plans and methods to boost visibility, user acquisition, loyalty, interaction, and advocacy for both consumer and B2B tech solutions, delivering impactful marketing initiatives with precision.
Deeply analytical, he is passionate about using data-centric, product-focused strategies to propel tech solutions to new heights. With meticulous attention to outcomes and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Adetoro proves to be a vital force in advancing growth marketing at Stears.
Damilare Fakorede
Currently a senior partner at GrowthMax Africa, he has held diverse marketing roles across multiple sectors over the past nine years, beginning with his initial position as Sales Manager at Acer.
During this period, the former Vice President of Senex has driven over $100 million in revenue through a range of initiatives and campaigns.
Even with a demanding career, Damilare remains dedicated to fostering meaningful impact, actively engaging in policy and inclusion advocacy to enhance the well-being of Africans.
Wale Ogunjobi
Wale Ogunjobi is a distinguished leader renowned for his deep expertise in driving business growth and boosting profitability. He specializes in crafting, executing, and optimizing innovative strategies across marketing, sales, and product development.
Wale shines in uniting cross-functional teams, guiding talented professionals toward shared victories.
As the visionary behind Progital—a dynamic growth marketing and product innovation firm with operations in the United Kingdom, United States, and Nigeria—he has made significant strides in the industry.
His transformative contributions to digital technology have earned him widespread recognition and numerous prestigious accolades.
