By Efosa Taiwo

Business strategist and youth mentor Abiola Onalaja took centre stage at the NEXTZGEN Awards 2024, where she urged young Nigerians to embrace purpose-driven innovation as they build solutions for the future.

Speaking before an audience of more than 1,500 innovators, entrepreneurs and creatives, Onalaja challenged young people to fuse passion with intention as they leverage technology for national development.

“Technology alone doesn’t create transformation. We are stepping into a world where AI will create ideas, but it is humans who will define meaning. True greatness will belong to those who explore, adapt, and master today’s tools for tomorrow,” she said.

“When passion meets purpose, innovation becomes more than invention; it becomes impact.”

As keynote speaker at the ceremony, hosted by GenerationNextZ at Nelo’s Place Event Centre in Lagos, Onalaja praised Nigeria’s increasingly dynamic innovation landscape and encouraged young people to continue exploring new digital pathways.

Drawing from her experience as founder of Abiola Inspires, she highlighted the need for mentorship and capacity-building, noting that platforms like her mentoring network — The Excel Community — continue to empower young professionals with the confidence to excel in a tech-driven world.

With more than 15 years of leadership across media, marketing, and business development, Onalaja has become a prominent voice advocating for youth empowerment in Africa.

Her message at the NEXTZGEN Awards reinforced her belief that success in the digital age requires values-driven leadership and a commitment to social impact.

This year’s NEXTZGEN Awards celebrated outstanding young achievers across STEM, media, arts, entrepreneurship, and community service. Organizers said Onalaja’s keynote underscored the larger movement of purpose-led innovation emerging among young Nigerians.