Empowering Nigeria’s Youth: Prince Ogbonna at LBS Naija Youth Sustainability Forum
At the recent Naija Youth Sustainability Forum, convened by the Lagos Business School’s (LBS) Sustainability Center, Prince Ogbonna, Managing Partner of Moolu Venture Capital, joined prominent voices in a panel discussion on “Empowering Nigeria’s Youth for Innovation, Impact, and Leadership.” The event focused on fostering a sustainable future for Nigeria through innovation and technology adoption, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), among the nation's youth.
Ogbonna, an engineer with extensive experience in AI and technology-driven ventures, shared his insights on the transformative role AI plays in advancing sustainable development. Reflecting on his role in evaluating over 2,000 applications for top AI programs in Africa like Intel AI program and Meta LIama 3.1 Hackaton programs, including nurturing and scaling AI startups disrupting different sectors across Africa, he underscored the immense potential AI holds for addressing critical challenges across industries. He urged Nigerian youth to be proactive, not just in adopting, but in creating and adapting AI frameworks tailored to Africa’s unique needs.
“AI offers a wealth of opportunities for innovative solutions that can propel Nigeria’s sustainable development forward,” Ogbonna said. “From agriculture and health to education and logistics, AI can address systemic issues, improve efficiency, and create economic opportunities. However, to make a sustainable impact, we need Nigerian youth to actively engage, experiment, and deploy AI with a purpose.”
Throughout the discussion, Ogbonna highlighted case studies demonstrating the success of AI in driving local impact, citing ventures that have transformed sectors such as education and finance, and companies that have successfully scaled AI solutions beyond Nigeria. His insights provided a clear call to action for the audience: that youth-led AI innovation is not only possible but essential for Nigeria’s development and leadership on the continent.
As Nigeria faces both economic and environmental challenges, Ogbonna’s contributions at the Naija Youth Sustainability Forum inspired attendees to leverage technology for sustainable growth. His words emphasized the need for a strong, AI-savvy workforce ready to harness the power of technology for positive, long-lasting change.
