Tijani, Alake, NITDA Boss Lead Virtual Forum Before Foreign Investment Network’s Conference

The Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani; the director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi; Lagos State Commissioner for Innovation, Science & Technology, Olatunbosun Alake; and other dignitaries will lead the discussion as the Foreign Investment Network (FIN) hosts a high-impact Pre-Event Virtual Forum in the build-up to the FIN Web Conference & AI Expo 2025.

It is instructive to note that the FIN Web Conference & AI Expo will take place on November 16–18, 2025, at the Computer History Museum, Silicon Valley, Northern California, United States.

The event’s theme is “Igniting the Future—AI Innovations Shaping a Sustainable Digital Economy, Connecting to Africa,” the pre-virtual forum will take place on Friday, October 10, 2025, between 5 pm and 6 pm GMT.

Ayo Ayeni, the FIN’s director of international Communications, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Monday.

According to Ayeni, the session will spotlight the intersection of AI, investment, sustainability, and Africa’s digital future, convening global tech leaders, investors, innovators, and policymakers for one power hour of insight and action.

Other speakers at the event include : Eric Schmidt (former CEO, Google); Sabeer Bhatia ( co-founder) Hotmail ; Mark Minevich (global AI strategist & venture advisor); Mehdi Paryavi (Chairman, IDCA—data-center standards leader) — hosted by Dalith Steiger (Co-Founder, SwissCognitive).

The host and moderator of the event, Dalith Steiger (SwissCognitive) is a foremost global AI convener and industry voice and she is expected to shape the executive dialogues on AI adoption and impact.

The chairman of FIN, Dr Olayinka Fayomi, will deliver the opening remarks with a topic titled: “Championing Africa–Silicon Valley investment bridges and digital economy” while Mark Minevich, a Global AI Strategist & Venture Advisor, will deliver the keynote address with a topic titled: “Sovereign AI for Inclusive Growth: A Practical 12-Month Roadmap for Africa’s Digital Economy.”

Other keynote speakers are Eric Schmidt — Former CEO, Google and Mehdi Paryavi — Chairman, IDCA, who will deliver a topic titled: “Building AI-Ready Data Centers: Standards, Sustainability, and Sovereign Digital Infrastructure.”

Distinguished global thought leaders at the event include: Sabeer Bhatia — Co-Founder of Hotmail; serial tech investor enabling new digital frontiers; Prabhav Sharma — AI/industry transformation leader bridging enterprise scale and public value; Wayne Ronhaar — Digital infrastructure and sustainability strategist for AI-ready operations and Tim Kline — Enterprise innovation and emerging-tech commercialization specialist;

Others are Gaurav Dhar — CEO, Marshal Fintech Partners; MENA Fintech Association board member, open-finance advocate; Dr. Nizar Ben Neji — Former Minister of Communication Technologies, Tunisia, cybersecurity & digital policy expert; Paula Ingabire — Minister of ICT & Innovation, Rwanda, driving Rwanda’s digital economy and innovation agenda.; William Kabogo Gitau — Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communications & the Digital Economy, Kenya; leading Kenya’s national digital transformation; Enzo Di Taranto, President Xzen Technologies INC; Samuel Nartey George — Minister for Communication, Digital Technology & Innovations, Ghana; advancing Ghana’s connectivity, policy, and tech ecosystem; Sid Ali Zerrouki (TBC) — Minister of Post & Telecommunications, Algeria; championing national connectivity and digital information.

Speaking on the event’s uniqueness, the organisers said, “Africa must do what is necessary at the AI table, and it is important to elevate Africa’s leadership in shaping sustainable digital economies.

FIN further disclosed that global connectivity will ensure direct access to Silicon Valley investors, policymakers, and innovators. It will also encourage stakeholders to showcase AI, fintech, cybersecurity, sustainability, and infrastructure experts.