By Nnamdi Ojiego

In a strategic move to equip young Africans for the evolving demands of the modern workforce, TPP Africa has announced EMERGE 2025, a dual-city youth summit set to hold simultaneously in Lagos and Abuja on August 19, in partnership with the U.S. Consulate and American Spaces.

The event, in celebration of this year’s International Youth Day 2025, will explore the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and emotional intelligence (EI) while offering capacity-building opportunities and a N500,000 innovation fund for youth-led solutions.

 Themed “21st Century Intelligence – Artificial or Emotional?”, the annual youth summit is designed to help young Africans navigate leadership in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Speaking at a media parley and soiree held Tuesday in Ikeja, Lagos, Dr. Abiola Salami, Founder of TPP Africa and Convener of EMERGE, described the summit as a platform to bridge the gap between machine intelligence and human insight.

“We want to show young people how to blend humanity and technology. You can learn to code, but you must also master emotional intelligence and human connection,” said Dr. Salami.

Targeted at final-year students, early-career professionals, startup founders, campus leaders, and creatives, EMERGE 2025 will feature expert panels, workshops, mentorship, and networking sessions.

A key highlight is the EMERGE Innovation Fund, which will award a N500,000 grant to the most promising youth-led idea solving a real-world challenge in business, tech, or social development. Finalists will pitch live before a jury of international and local experts. The winner will also receive a 6-month mentorship with TPP faculty: and access to visibility platforms and global coaching resources.

Beyond the summit, EMERGE continues its mission through a mentorship platform known as GREET, currently hosting over 1,000 young people across the continent.

“Not every young person has a godfather. Some face systemic odds. But EMERGE is here to help them thrive despite those odds,” Dr. Salami added.

Speaking on the relevance of emotional intelligence in a tech-driven world, Victoria Uwadoka, an honouree and facilitator at EMERGE 2025, emphasized the need for young people to lead with strategy and self-awareness when engaging with AI tools.

According to her, there’s the need for balance. “Artificial intelligence is a powerful assistant, but it cannot replace human judgment, context, or creativity. Our youth must learn to harness AI without losing the unique value that emotional intelligence brings to leadership and decision-making.”

Uwadoka stressed that “AI is a tool not a leader or strategist. Youth must lead with human intelligence, strategy, and context. AI will never replace your creativity”.

She urged young Nigerians to use AI to enhance their productivity while staying grounded in their personal, cultural, and emotional context.

Uwadoka also highlighted the potential of AI to enhance, rather than replace, human creativity—especially in fields like media and innovation. “For our creative industry, you can actually harness AI to gain speed, but it will never take over your creativity,” she said. “Bring your creativity to bear and tell AI what you want it to deliver, to help you amplify, refine, or accelerate your work.”