United Bank for Africa Plc, Africa’s Global Bank, has reaffirmed its commitment to empowering entrepreneurs across Africa through knowledge-sharing and capacity-building initiatives such as the Business Series.
Speaking at another edition of the UBA Business Series, where some digital entrepreneurs and influencers discussed the secrets behind building impactful online communities in Lagos, Kayode Olubiyi, group head, Digital Banking, UBA, who welcomed participants and panellists to the session, emphasised that the quarterly event continues to serve as a vital avenue for supporting innovation and entrepreneurship, equipping individuals with practical insights to grow their brands and businesses in a competitive digital economy.
This edition of the Business Series, was themed ‘Content that Converts: Building Influence and Driving Growth Through Strategic Marketing’.
The session shed light on how authenticity, consistency, and passion remain true cornerstones of success in the ever-evolving digital landscape, while the content creators shared first-hand experiences from their journeys across diverse industries and markets.
In his keynote address, Dr Lampe Omoyele, managing director/chief executive officer at Nitro 121, who said: “You can create something out of what appears to be nothing,” gave insight into key trends to develop content that creates impact.
He noted that content creation should go beyond aesthetics or trends to focus on value, purpose, and agility, as he pointed out that creators who aim to make a difference must develop a clear personal brand identity and remain consistent in delivering messages that resonate with their audience.
The panel session featured an impressive line-up of digital entrepreneurs and content creators, including Digital Creator and Actor Elozonam Ogbolu; Digital Health Educator Chinonso Egemba (Aproko Doctor); Kenyan Actress and Media Entrepreneur Catherine Kamau; Content Creator Nasiru Lawal (Nasboi); and Digital Influencer Enioluwa Adeoluwa, who was also the moderator of the event.
“Growth is very important,” said Lawal. “For the younger creators here, my best advice is this: please prioritise your growth. As a creator, the moment you become famous, you no longer move at your own pace; you move at the people’s pace. It is therefore important to ensure you grow consistently, and then over time, the recognition and the money begin to roll in.”
Elozonam, who agreed with Lawal, added, “Content creators have to engage their audience with proper storytelling, because brands are always out to carefully choose their creators. For the brands, you must pick your influencer or ambassador very deliberately and work together over time to grow. That is when you will see a proper return on investment.”
In his submission, Egemba said, “If you’re building a business or doing content creation, treat content creation as a business. When you treat it as a business, it needs a proper structure. Otherwise, it won’t last. If you don’t put structure in place, you’ll end up responsible for everything, and that leads to burnout. You have to build structure because if you want longevity, structure is essential.”
For Kamau, “It is important for content creators to find a balance and stay close to their community. What I realised is I have a community that keeps me grounded, and that’s family. When you get famous, you tend to forget where you come from. You know, social media is an illusion, and you start assuming that it is your real family until bad things happen to you. So please remember the real people in your life, because fame can get to your head, but those are not the people who are going to have your back when things go south.”
The creators, while sharing their diverse experiences, collectively emphasised that building a personal brand should take precedence over chasing financial gain. They also underscored the importance of originality, urging young creators to find their unique niche rather than replicating what others have done.
Alero Ladipo, group head of Marketing and Corporate Communications, who commended the panellists for taking time to share their useful insights at the event, celebrated the UBA management for organising conversations like this, which, according to her, “remain impactful and will benefit not just individual customers but also economies at large.”
