In Shenzhen, widely regarded as one of the world’s leading technology and manufacturing hubs, Nigerian technology expert Francis Okafor is gaining recognition for his contributions to artificial intelligence and advanced engineering within China’s innovation ecosystem.

Okafor, who hails from Anambra State, has been based in China for eight years. “I’m based in China, and I’ve been here for about eight years now,” he said. “What I do full-time is tech, real, deep tech.”

He currently serves as a Tech Lead at IDEMIA, a multinational company known for its work in identity security, biometrics, cryptography, secure financial systems, and expanding interests in quantum computing.

From China, Okafor coordinates DevOps operations, software development, artificial intelligence systems, and robotics-enabled manufacturing tools across global hubs in China, India, France, Brazil, and the United States.

Despite his leadership position, he maintains an active engineering role. “Even though I’m a tech lead, I still write the core code,” he said. “My work is about 70 per cent tech and 30 per cent managerial. I’m still a full-fledged tech guy.”

Okafor said operating in China’s advanced technology sector has exposed him to stereotypes about Africans. “In China, Africans are usually seen as being good at sports or music,” he said. “When you say you’re an engineer or working in AI, people don’t really associate that with Africans.”

He added that his experience in elite engineering and hacker communities revealed a lack of African representation. “What pained me the most was that Africa had zero representation in these serious tech spaces,” he said. “Not Nigeria, but Africa.”

Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Okafor is involved in technology advocacy and community building. He chairs the Shenzhen Afrotech Community and co-founded the Shenzhen–Hong Kong Afrotech Network. He is also active in French and German technology communities and international AI business platforms.

Through conferences, hackathons, and policy dialogues, he has advocated greater African participation in global innovation. “China is many steps ahead in manufacturing, hardware, and AI,” he said. “Africa has always been the last to receive innovation. We don’t have a say in development, and that’s the problem I wanted to address.”

Speaking on China’s industrial ecosystem, he said, “This is where Apple, IBM, everybody comes to manufacture. So I asked myself, how do I use my position here to benefit Africa?”

Okafor has also been invited by Shenzhen authorities to speak on artificial intelligence and innovation. He attended the opening ceremony of the 2025 China National Games following an official invitation. “That event is not open to the public,” he said. “Only people selected by the government attend, and the President was there.”

On China’s technology model, Okafor said deliberate localisation and strong government commitment have been key. “The Chinese don’t just adopt technology,” he said. “They take the idea, block it, improve it, and build their own.”

Comparing this with Nigeria, he added: “In Nigeria, we accept and consume. Instead of copying and localising, we remain users.”

Addressing concerns about artificial intelligence and job displacement, Okafor said similar fears accompanied the emergence of the internet. “When the internet came, people were scared,” he said. “But new jobs emerged: web designers, content creators, digital assistants.”

He acknowledged that AI could displace some roles but said it would also create new opportunities. “If you don’t upskill, then yes, AI will replace you,” he said. “But if you use AI as an assistant, it will empower you.”

He urged Nigerians to take personal responsibility for adapting to technological change. “Don’t wait for the government,” he advised. “Every Nigerian has a responsibility to understand AI and apply it in their own field.”

Highlighting the broader scope of artificial intelligence, he said, “AI is beyond ChatGPT. It’s computer vision, prediction, automation, and it can work even without the internet.”

Okafor said he is exploring ways to formally connect Nigerian and China-based technology ecosystems.

“She told me it wasn’t good that I was contributing so much in China and nothing back home,” he said of a conversation with Ambassador Nini Okey-Uche, a minister at the Nigerian Embassy in Beijing. “That conversation changed my thinking.”

He added: “I’m on ground here. I see new technologies every day, and Africa needs access to that knowledge.”

Expressing his broader vision, Okafor said, “I want to change the narrative. Africans are not just entertainers. We are very good engineers too.”

First Trustees Limited, a subsidiary of First HoldCo Plc., and a leading provider of trust solutions to individuals, corporates, and government institutions, partners with The Metropolitan Law Firm and Al-Ameen Trustees to host the 8th Annual Islamic Estate Planning Clinic in Abuja, bringing together leading Islamic legal, financial, and policy experts.

With the theme “From Informality to Legacy: Structuring Islamic Wealth Transfer,” the highly anticipated forum underscored the urgent need for Nigerian families to transition from informal inheritance practices to professionally structured, Sharia-compliant estate planning frameworks as a tool to seamlessly transfer and protect wealth, prevent family conflicts, and ensure legacies endure for future generations

Speakers emphasized the need to adopt a structured Islamic estate planning framework to ensure wealth preservation, reduces legal disputes, and ensures compliance with both Shari’ah principles and the Nigerian statutory law.

Stating that the transition from informal arrangements to a structured legacy is not merely a financial decision; it is a profound act of stewardship. By documenting and formalising intentions today, we replace potential family discord with clarity and peace of mind.

Rotimi Obende, representing the Managing Director of First Trustees Limited, highlighted estate planning as a sacred duty. “Estate planning is more than documentation—it is stewardship. Informal arrangements expose families to avoidable risks. Structured, Sharia-compliant plans provide clarity, transparency, and true generational protection,” he said.

He noted that regulated trustees play a crucial role in ensuring proper execution of wills and trusts, reinforcing public trust and accountability.

Delivering the keynote address, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, cautioned against relying on verbal inheritance promises, which frequently lead to conflict and asset loss.

He also urged the integration of modern technology, including blockchain, to securely store and have seamless access to wills and estate documents and also bridging traditional Islamic principles with cutting-edge innovation.

Ummahani Amin, Managing Partner at The Metropolitan Law Firm, added that Islamic inheritance law offers both structure and flexibility.

“Individuals can allocate up to one-third of their estate through properly documented wills and trusts. Too many families suffer because intentions were never formally recorded,” she explained.

As discussions progressed, a consistent message resonated clearly: with today’s increasingly complex and diverse assets, from digital holdings, cross-border investments and complex business interest, informal inheritance practices are no longer sufficient.

Participants agreed that structured Islamic estate planning delivers clear advantages, including legal certainty, tax efficiency, family unity, and long-term wealth preservation.

By Lukman Otunuga, Senior Market Analyst, FXTM

In a welcome development for Nigeria’s economy, inflation unexpectedly slowed in January, with prices rising 15.1% year-on-year.

Lukman Otunuga

This represented a slight decline from 15.2% in December and was well below the 19.5% medium estimate. Lower food prices have helped offset inflationary pressures, paving the way for the CBN to cut rates in February after leaving benchmark rates at 27% in November.

In addition, the argument for lower rates has also been reinforced by Naira’s 8% appreciation against the dollar year-to-date.

So, the question is not if but how much the CBN will slash interest rates next week.

Outside of Nigeria, it’s a quiet start to another potentially busy week for markets.

The dollar is rangebound, gold is lower, bitcoin lacks direction, while oil benchmarks await a fundamental spark.

Nevertheless, things could spice up thanks to top-tier data and geopolitical developments.

On Tuesday, the US-Iran talks in Geneva may shape the near-term outlook for oil, which has gained over 10% year-to-date amid geopolitical risk.

Throughout the week, key data from Europe, the United Kingdom, Japan, and Australia may inject fresh life into global FX markets.

In the crypto space, Bitcoin is down over 20% year-to-date with prices currently hovering around the $70,000 level. Prices remain under pressure on the daily charts with $60,000 marked as a liquidation level, according to reports from Bloomberg.

This week’s main event may be the Fed minutes, US PCE, and the delayed US Q4 GDP report. The December PCE report will offer fresh insights into consumption while the GDP should provide insight into the health of the largest economy in the world.

Last Friday, the soft US CPI report supported the case for lower rates with traders pricing a 50% chance of a three Fed interest rate cuts in 2026.

Should the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge and latest GDP reinforce these dovish bets, this may deal another blow to the dollar while lending support to gold and US equities.

Speaking of gold, prices ended last week above the psychological $5000 level but has kicked off Monday on a timid note. With markets in China closed this week, liquidity is likely to be thinner with geopolitics and US data driving prices. Should $5000 prove reliable support, gold may rally back toward $5100. However, weakness below $5000 could see a decline back toward $4880 and $4850.