Representing Dr. John Obaro, Group Managing Director of SystemSpecs Holdings, Mr. Obiofuma highlighted the need for values-based leadership that addresses Africa’s unique challenges.

Speaking on the theme “Value-based Leadership: Model for Africa,” the conference convened distinguished leaders, including Dr. Zienzi Dillon, CEO of Carmel Global Capital; Hon. Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, former Chief Justice of South Africa; Pastor Poju Oyemade, Senior Pastor of Covenant Nation Global; Professor Mike Ozekhome, SAN; and Dr. Vishal Mangalwadi, a social reformer and philosopher, to discuss how values-driven leadership can address Africa’s unique challenges.

Mr. Obiofuma also emphasised the importance of generational understanding, resilience, and localised innovation for sustainable impact. The conference ran from October 21 to 24 under the sub-theme “Arise and Shine: Raising a New Generation of Transformational Leaders,” underscoring the need for ethical leadership rooted in Christian values.

Reflecting on his 25 years with SystemSpecs, Obiofuma addressed the evolving nature of leadership, particularly regarding generational dynamics.

“To lead effectively, we must understand the young generation and adapt our strategies to meet their evolving needs. Leaders today must embrace change, foster empathy, and empower others, creating an environment where innovation and values coalesce,” Obiofuma said.

With a vision of Africa’s potential as a hub of tailored solutions, Obiofuma stressed the importance of an African-driven approach to innovation.

“Nobody in the world is planning specifically for Africa; it is our responsibility to shape solutions that work for us. Innovation must be rooted in local realities, empowering us to address our own challenges and then export our successes globally. Africa’s future depends on our ability to craft solutions with a uniquely African perspective,” he said.

He encouraged leaders to think locally first, with a view to exporting successful innovations worldwide, adding, “If we are to thrive, we must adapt solutions to our environment with a Nigerian mindset.”

He further highlighted the pivotal role of collaboration, stating that no leader can achieve success in isolation.

“No single person has everything it takes to create great value—strong networks are the foundation of success,” he asserted, reminding leaders that strategic alliances are critical for achieving impactful change. He also underscored resilience as a hallmark of great leadership, emphasizing that setbacks are integral to growth. “Each failure teaches a lesson; it’s a step forward, not the end,” he noted.

Encouraging the attendees to embrace resilience in the face of challenges, Mr. Obiofuma noted “In 30 years of building solutions, we have faced both success and failure, each offering valuable lessons. Setbacks are part of growth and should inspire us to persevere.” Further to this, he called on young leaders to harness innovation as a tool for practical problem-solving. “If we aim to address Nigeria’s challenges, we must start small, innovate locally, and scale our solutions,” he added.

The ABLI Conference provided an essential forum for young leaders to exchange ideas, inspired by speakers who underscored the role of integrity and ethical principles in fostering transformational leadership across Africa.

Closing his address, Mr. Obiofuma attributed SystemSpecs’ longstanding success to its commitment to innovation and integrity, principles that have guided the organisation for over 25 years.

“For over three decades, our dedication to integrity, innovation, and service has kept us at the forefront of fintech in Nigeria. Our core values have anchored us, and we invite the next generation to adopt these principles to build impactful leadership.”

SystemSpecs has announced the 2023 edition of its national Children’s Day Essay Competition (CDEC).

SystemSpecs is Africa’s technology powerhouse with interest in payments, e-commerce, HR & payroll, and other software technology solutions and services.

Divided into two categories – Junior (9-12 years) and Senior (13-16 years), participants are required to submit essays on the 2023 theme “Making Nigerian Children Better Citizens through the use of Technology.

Application:

The competition is open to children in Nigeria, and entries are to be participants’ original ideas, devoid of plagiarism and are to be endorsed by an accredited school official, parent, or legal guardian, for submission on the official competition portal.

Entries into the junior category should not exceed 1,000 words, while entries into the senior category should be a maximum of 1,500 words.

Schools that produce the winning participants in the senior and junior categories will be rewarded with 20 and 10 high-capacity personal computers, respectively.

A new prize category to recognise States with the most number of valid entries has also been introduced for the 2023 edition of the competition.

The first-place winner in each category of this year’s edition of the competition will receive a high-capacity laptop, a topnotch headphone, a portable laptop stand, a smart wristwatch, 120-gigabyte internet data for one year, and other gifts at the national award ceremony to be held in Lagos.

Second-place winners will also receive a high-capacity laptop, a top-notch headphone, 60 Gigabyte internet data for one year, and other goodies, while third-place winners will receive a high-capacity laptop, a branded hoodie, and lots more. The top 10 winners in both categories will also be handsomely rewarded.

“This is the fourth edition of what has now become a major point of interest for thousands of public and private schools in Nigeria, as evidenced by the increased participation witnessed every year. We are committed to continuing to explore ways of stimulating and sustaining the interest of young Nigerians in technology by giving them the opportunity to share bright and original ideas”, said Oluwasegun Adesanya, Group Head, Corporate Services, SystemSpecs.

“A major aspect of SystemSpecs Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) focuses on equipping young Nigerians with opportunities to become technology informed, empowered and fulfilled. We believe technology capability has become an essential component of raising globally competitive children and that Nigerian children should not be left behind”, he added.

SystemSpecs, the sponsor of the annual competition, is a leading technology group that has operated in Nigeria and other African countries for over 30 years.

Some of the companies under the group include Remita Payment Services Limited (RPSL), HumanManager Limited (HML), SystemSpecs Technology Services Limited (STSL), and Deelaa.com.