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The narrative of Africa’s rising influence in global marketing and business unfolded at the Brand Handlers Summit & Awards 2026 as industry leaders challenged conventional thinking and presented a compelling vision for the continent’s future.
The summit, held at Sheba Centre in Lagos, opened with a thought-provoking presentation by Wole Olagundoye, Managing Director of Outori Limited, who set the tone for the day with a bold assertion: the next global marketing playbook may no longer emerge from traditional powerhouses such as New York or London, but from African cities like Lagos, Nairobi and Accra.
Speaking on the theme, “Marketing the New Africa: Driving Growth Through Innovation, Culture and Youth Influence,” Olagundoye painted a picture of a continent experiencing a profound shift in consumer behaviour, digital adoption and cultural influence.
With nearly 70 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s population under the age of 30, he described Africa as home to one of the most dynamic and influential consumer markets in the world.
He noted that, “Today’s African consumer is expressive, connected, community-driven, experience-seeking, and deeply conscious of cultural relevance. Africa is no longer following global trends but creating them.”
Throughout the session, Olagundoye challenged brands that continue to import Western marketing models without adapting them to local realities.
According to him, brands that simply translate campaigns rather than localise them, or target young audiences without genuinely listening to them, risk becoming irrelevant in an increasingly sophisticated market.
He argued that the era of interruption marketing is fading rapidly, giving way to a new age of participation, co-creation and storytelling.
“Consumers do not want to be talked at; they want to be invited into the story,” he explained.
Central to his message was the growing power of culture as a commercial force. From Afrobeats and fashion to social media communities and creator-led commerce, African culture has become one of the continent’s most valuable exports. As global audiences continue to embrace African creativity, brands that align authentically with culture stand to gain enormous relevance and influence.
Drawing lessons from globally celebrated campaigns such as Share a Coke, Nike’s purpose-driven branding and Spotify Wrapped, he demonstrated how successful brands increasingly build emotional connections rather than simply pushing products.
He highlighted the rapid expansion of Africa’s creator economy, projected to grow dramatically over the coming years, positioning creators not merely as promoters but as architects of brand identity and cultural relevance.
Delivering the keynote address in the second session, Victoria Uwadoka, Head of Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability at Nestlé Nigeria, expanded the conversation beyond marketing into the broader challenge of building brands that can scale across borders and compete globally.
Speaking on “Scaling African Brands: Leveraging Data, AI and Creativity for Continental Impact,”
Uwadoka argued that Africa’s greatest challenge is not a lack of ideas, entrepreneurship or creativity. Rather, it is transforming successful local brands into continental and global champions.
“What we often struggle with is transforming great local brands into brands that can travel, compete and win across borders,” she said.
Her presentation centred on what she described as three critical growth engines: data, artificial intelligence and creativity.
She explained that, “In an increasingly competitive marketplace, scale is no longer determined solely by financial resources but by intelligence. Brands that learn fastest, understand consumers deepest and make decisions based on evidence rather than assumptions are emerging as global winners.”
Using Netflix as a case study, Uwadoka illustrated how data-driven decision-making can reduce risk while enhancing creativity.
She noted that the streaming giant’s success comes not only from producing compelling content but from leveraging consumer insights to inform strategic investments.
She emphasised the transformative role of artificial intelligence, describing AI not as a futuristic concept but as essential business infrastructure.
According to her, AI presents Africa with a unique opportunity to leapfrog traditional barriers, enabling businesses to better understand fragmented markets, personalise customer experiences across cultures and languages, and unlock insights hidden within vast amounts of consumer data.
“The question is no longer whether organisations will adopt AI; the question is whether they will adopt it fast enough,” she said.
Yet despite her strong advocacy for technology, Uwadoka maintained that creativity remains the ultimate differentiator.
Highlighting the global rise of African music, fashion, cuisine, film and innovation, she challenged brands to convert cultural relevance into commercial relevance through powerful storytelling.
