LAGOS—It was a historic moment in Nigeria’s financial literacy drive as Zikoko, Africa’s leading youth-focused digital platform, successfully hosted the inaugural Naira Life Conference on August 8, 2025, at Jewel Aeida, Lagos, drawing over 900 participants.

The landmark event, inspired by Zikoko’s popular #NairaLife series, became Nigeria’s biggest youth-focused money forum, bringing together corporate employees, professionals, and entrepreneurs under one roof to share practical strategies on wealth building, business growth, and career advancement.

Headlined by PiggyVest as lead sponsor and supported by Carbon as silver sponsor, the conference also had activity sponsors including Owo, Sparkle, Doroki (Paga), United Capital, MyCoverGenius, and ticket sponsors Geegpay, Busha, Branch, Bravewood, VFD and Bundle.

The gathering featured four major content tracks—Personal Finance, Balance Sheet, Building Wealth, and Career Growth—delivered through masterclasses, panels, workshops, and fireside chats.

Among the high-profile speakers were Nike Ogunlesi of Ruff ’n’ Tumble, former Ambassador Nimi Akinkugbe, Chess-in-Slums founder Tunde Onakoya, Odun Eweniyi of PiggyVest, Seye Dele of PaidHR, Sony Music Publishing’s Godwin Tom, Afrobeats journalist Joey Akan, and Tosin Olaseinde of Money Africa.

Speaking at the event, Toheeb Lanlehin, Senior Editor at Zikoko and Programming Lead, said the conference was aimed at closing Nigeria’s financial knowledge gap.

“We’ve spent years telling stories of how Nigerians make sense of money on Zikoko. The Naira Life Conference was our opportunity to pioneer something unprecedented by creating a real-time platform where professionals and entrepreneurs could share their playbook for financial success,” Lanlehin said.

Despite concerns that ticketed financial events often struggle to attract large audiences, the turnout of over 900 participants exceeded expectations.

According to Lanlehin, the overwhelming response confirmed that Nigerian youths have a growing appetite for practical, transparent, and relatable financial education.

Following its success, Zikoko announced that the Naira Life Conference will now be held annually, with future editions expected to expand across Africa. Video highlights are available on Zikoko’s YouTube channel, while updates will be shared via the Naira Life website.

With its mix of star power, practical lessons, and conversations, the conference has set a new benchmark for financial literacy engagement among young Nigerians.