Africa’s marketing and advertising landscape could be entering a new era as Ad-Agency GPT, billed as the continent’s first generative artificial intelligence platform designed specifically for agencies, is set to be unveiled at MarkHack 5.0 in Lagos.

The platform will be introduced by Tomi Davies, Collaborator-in-Chief at TVC Labs and founding President of ABAN, alongside Dr. Victor ‘Gbenga Afolabi, Group Chief Executive Officer of GDM Group, during the conference scheduled for June 5 at the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The launch comes at a time when businesses and agencies across Africa are increasingly exploring artificial intelligence to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer engagement.

Why It Matters

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming industries worldwide, including advertising, media, and communications. However, many existing AI tools have been criticised for lacking local context and cultural understanding, particularly in African markets.

According to its developers, Ad-Agency GPT has been built to address this challenge by incorporating African consumer behaviour patterns, regional language nuances, cultural insights, and market-specific campaign strategies.

The platform is designed to support agency operations from interpreting client briefs and developing campaign concepts to generating content, planning strategies, and validating marketing outputs.

Developers say this could allow smaller agencies to access capabilities typically associated with larger international marketing networks.

What the Developers Say

Speaking ahead of the unveiling, the organisers described Ad-Agency GPT as a significant advancement in Africa’s marketing technology ecosystem.

“Ad-Agency GPT represents a significant leap in marketing infrastructure across Africa,” the organisers said.

They added that the platform functions as an end-to-end intelligent system capable of supporting agencies throughout the entire marketing workflow.

At the heart of the platform is what its creators describe as “deep contextual intelligence.”

“By encoding African consumer behavior, regional language nuances, FMCG activation models, and cultural dynamics, Ad-Agency GPT produces outputs that are inherently market-ready,” the organisers stated.

According to GDM Group, the system is also designed to help agencies preserve institutional knowledge and improve campaign development over time.

MarkHack 5.0 Focuses on AI and Culture

The unveiling will take place during MarkHack 5.0, one of Nigeria’s leading marketing, media, and technology conferences.

This year’s theme, “The Culture Algorithm: AI × Human Experience,” reflects growing conversations around how artificial intelligence is influencing culture, creativity, identity, and business decision-making.

Industry leaders, technology experts, policymakers, and creative professionals are expected to attend discussions examining the opportunities and challenges presented by AI adoption.

For many participants, the launch of Ad-Agency GPT may serve as a practical example of how AI is being adapted to solve uniquely African business challenges.

Live Demonstrations Planned

Conference attendees will have an opportunity to see the platform in action through live demonstrations.

Organisers say the sessions will showcase campaign ideation, multi-format content generation, and culturally adaptive marketing strategy development.

The demonstrations are intended to provide agencies with practical insights into how AI can help streamline operations, accelerate creative processes, and improve campaign effectiveness across diverse African markets.

Open Access Launch Strategy

Ad-Agency GPT will initially be available through an open-access model aimed at encouraging adoption across the marketing ecosystem.

A premium version, known as the Pro tier, is expected to be introduced later. It will include expanded output capacity, collaborative workspaces, and access to GDM Group’s proprietary campaign playbooks.

Developers say the long-term goal is to position the platform as more than a productivity tool, but as an operating system that supports agency growth, competitiveness, and innovation.

Industry Perspective

Marketing analysts say AI-powered platforms tailored to local markets could become increasingly important as African businesses seek digital transformation solutions that better reflect regional realities.

The emergence of locally developed AI products may also help reduce dependence on global platforms that often struggle to capture cultural and linguistic nuances across Africa’s diverse markets.

As competition intensifies within the advertising industry, agencies are likely to continue investing in technologies that improve efficiency while maintaining authentic audience engagement.

What Happens Next?

The official unveiling at MarkHack 5.0 will provide the first public look at Ad-Agency GPT’s capabilities and market potential.

The event could also offer insight into how African-developed AI solutions are evolving and whether they can help shape the future of marketing, communications, and creative industries across the continent.

HabariPay, the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, has announced Team “Block X” as the winner of the Squad Hackathon 3.0, after a nationwide competition showcasing artificial intelligence-driven solutions from young Nigerian innovators.

The winning team impressed judges with “Guild”, an AI-powered platform designed to connect informal workers with employers while helping them build access to financial services and credit.

The competition’s grand finale took place at the GTCentre and featured software developers, engineers and AI innovators presenting technology solutions aimed at tackling economic and social challenges through automation, productivity systems and digital inclusion.

Why the hackathon matters

Nigeria’s growing technology sector has increasingly become a hub for young developers building solutions around financial inclusion, employment and digital transformation.

Organisers said this year’s edition attracted more than 1,600 applications from students and innovators across Nigerian universities, highlighting rising interest in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

More than 600 applicants were shortlisted based on technical ability, team structure and GitHub portfolios, while over 500 participants advanced to the final stage of the competition.

Industry analysts say programmes like the Squad Hackathon could help bridge the gap between classroom learning and practical innovation in Nigeria’s digital economy.

The winning AI solution

Team “Block X” was made up of Treasure Uvietobore, a Platform and Systems Engineer, Naheem Olaide, a Frontend and Machine Learning Developer, and Enoch Idowu, an AI and Machine Learning Engineer — all from Obafemi Awolowo University.

Their platform, Guild, uses an AI voice assistant called “Tola” to help informal workers secure jobs and receive digital payments through Squad.

According to the developers, a worker such as a bricklayer can call the platform, get matched to a job opportunity, complete the task and receive payment digitally. Over time, transaction records generated through the platform can help users qualify for banking services and credit within 90 days.

The team’s innovation addressed one of Nigeria’s longstanding economic issues — the exclusion of informal workers from formal banking systems.

GTCO CEO praises young innovators

Speaking during the event, Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Segun Agbaje, described the participants as future technology leaders.

“You are the best of the best. Everybody who made it into this room today is already a winner,” Agbaje said.

“The world is not ruled by extroverts; it is ruled by thinkers.”

He also stressed the importance of resilience, teamwork and ethical innovation in building sustainable technology businesses.

HabariPay plans mentorship pipeline

Managing Director of HabariPay, Eduofon Japhet, said the company intends to extend support for selected participants beyond the competition.

“We realised there is still a gap between classroom theory and practical problem-solving,” Japhet said.

“This platform is designed to help students build real-world solutions using emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and smart systems.”

She added that HabariPay is developing a long-term mentorship programme that could include training, tuition support and employment opportunities.

“We are not stopping at the competition,” she said. “Some of these participants will work with us directly over the next few years through structured mentorship and hands-on development programmes.”

Other standout innovations

Among other projects showcased at the event was “Tracker”, an AI-powered workforce productivity platform developed by Sherif Sani, a Computer Science student at University of Lagos.

The solution analyses workflow patterns, browser activity and task completion timelines for remote and physical teams while incorporating privacy-focused monitoring systems.

Participants also took part in coding marathons, technical assessments, live product demonstrations and networking sessions.

Judges evaluated teams based on creativity, scalability, execution and real-world impact.

Nigeria’s AI ecosystem gains momentum

Technology experts say the competition reflects the rapid expansion of Nigeria’s startup and AI ecosystem, especially among university students building solutions around finance, employment and productivity.

The hackathon also reinforces efforts by financial institutions to position Nigeria as a major digital innovation hub in Africa.

With rising investment in fintech and AI across the continent, initiatives such as the Squad Hackathon are increasingly viewed as talent pipelines for the next generation of African software engineers and entrepreneurs.

The Olusegun Agagu University of Science and Technology (OAUSTECH), Okitipupa, Ondo State, has announced plans to hold its 12th inaugural lecture focusing on artificial intelligence, ethical hacking and the future of cyber defence.

The lecture, titled “The Vigilant Watchman and the Serpent’s Wisdom: Artificial Intelligence, Ethical Hacking, and the Future of Proactive Cyber Defense,” will be delivered by Professor Aderonke Justina Ikuomola, a professor of Computer Science and Information Security.

The event is scheduled to take place on Wednesday, 20 May 2026, at the university auditorium by 1:00pm, with guests expected to be seated by 12:30pm.

The lecture will be hosted under the leadership of OAUSTECH Vice-Chancellor, Professor Temi E. Ologunorisa, on behalf of the university senate.

Why the lecture matters

The event comes at a time when concerns over cybercrime, online fraud, digital surveillance and AI-driven threats are increasing globally.

Experts say universities are playing a growing role in shaping conversations around cybersecurity, ethical technology and digital governance, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes more integrated into finance, education, healthcare and public administration.

The lecture’s focus on “proactive cyber defence” highlights a shift from reacting to cyberattacks to preventing them before they occur.

Industry analysts say ethical hacking — where cybersecurity professionals test systems for vulnerabilities before criminals exploit them — is becoming increasingly important for organisations and governments.

Growing focus on AI and cybersecurity in Nigeria

Nigeria’s digital economy has expanded rapidly in recent years, with more businesses, institutions and government services moving online.

However, cybersecurity experts warn that the growth has also increased exposure to phishing attacks, ransomware, identity theft and financial fraud.

Universities and technology institutions are increasingly introducing cybersecurity programmes and AI-focused research to help bridge skills gaps in the sector.

Professor Ikuomola, who is affiliated with the Department of Cybersecurity at OAUSTECH’s School of Computing, is expected to address how artificial intelligence can strengthen cyber defence systems while also raising ethical and security concerns.

Academic community expected to attend

The inaugural lecture is expected to attract academics, students, technology professionals, public officials and cybersecurity stakeholders from across Nigeria.

University inaugural lectures are traditionally used to showcase major research contributions by professors while also addressing pressing national and global issues.

The event invitation was signed by the university registrar, Abiodun P. Okunniga.