Meet Our Keynote Speaker: Ashley Immanuel
Owerri! We are electrified to have Ashley Immanuel, Co-Founder and COO of Semicolon, join us at Break into Tech Conference, 2025 - Owerri Edition.
Ashley is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Semicolon, an organization transforming Africa through technology by equipping young talents with the skills, resources, and opportunities to build innovative solutions and businesses.
With nearly two decades of experience at the intersection of technology, innovation, and financial inclusion, Ashley has made a lasting impact across the continent. She previously served as the CEO of Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA), where she championed inclusive finance initiatives that empowered millions of Nigerians.
In recognition of her outstanding leadership, Ashley was named COO of the Year (Talent Outsourcing) in 2025, and she continues to mentor and inspire the next generation of tech leaders across Africa.
Tomorrow, she will bring to our stage her deep insights, bold vision, and unwavering commitment to driving digital transformation across Africa.
Please Ashley a warm cheer as she inspires the city of OWERRI through tech.
Owerri! We are electrified to have Ashley Immanuel, Co-Founder and COO of Semicolon, join us at Break into Tech Conference, 2025 - Owerri Edition.
Ashley is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Semicolon, an organization transforming Africa through technology by equipping young talents with the skills, resources, and opportunities to build innovative solutions and businesses.
With nearly two decades of experience at the intersection of technology, innovation, and financial inclusion, Ashley has made a lasting impact across the continent. She previously served as the CEO of Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA), where she championed inclusive finance initiatives that empowered millions of Nigerians.
In recognition of her outstanding leadership, Ashley was named COO of the Year (Talent Outsourcing) in 2025, and she continues to mentor and inspire the next generation of tech leaders across Africa.
Tomorrow, she will bring to our stage her deep insights, bold vision, and unwavering commitment to driving digital transformation across Africa.
Please Ashley a warm cheer as she inspires the city of OWERRI through tech.
Break into Tech Conference, Owerri was a success.
Want to see more pictures?
Engage now and read what our CEO says about the conference and lock in on DEXA pages to see more pictures and know if your city is next.
More pictures will drop from tomorrow.
Our CEOs post on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/100002946183668/posts/9789472807827495/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/victor-kelechi-kingsley-4342a0a1_bitt-activity-7332764369568608257-q7-l?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI
DEXA's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/100063724096727/posts/1274938101306981/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
Want to see more pictures?
Engage now and read what our CEO says about the conference and lock in on DEXA pages to see more pictures and know if your city is next.
More pictures will drop from tomorrow.
Our CEOs post on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/100002946183668/posts/9789472807827495/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/victor-kelechi-kingsley-4342a0a1_bitt-activity-7332764369568608257-q7-l?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI
DEXA's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/100063724096727/posts/1274938101306981/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
10 Key Takeaways from Ogboi Lovette’s Session last Saturday at "Break into Tech Conference" Owerri Edition!
We were honored to have Ogboi Lovette — a former Firstbanker turned techie and now a DEXA Staff member — as our first speaker at the BiTT Conference.
She shared her inspiring journey and practical insights on how to break into tech as a Virtual Assistant (VA). Here are the top lessons:
Read more and ask questions on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100063724096727/posts/1277344751066316/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dexa__breakintotech-bittconference-virtualassistant-activity-7333872838891728896-FqyD?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI
We were honored to have Ogboi Lovette — a former Firstbanker turned techie and now a DEXA Staff member — as our first speaker at the BiTT Conference.
She shared her inspiring journey and practical insights on how to break into tech as a Virtual Assistant (VA). Here are the top lessons:
Read more and ask questions on:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100063724096727/posts/1277344751066316/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dexa__breakintotech-bittconference-virtualassistant-activity-7333872838891728896-FqyD?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI
15 Highlights from Prince Achara’s Session: “Building a Non-Code Career in Tech”
at the Break into Tech Conference, Owerri Edition, Last Saturday.
As the Project Management Course Director at DEXA, he delivered an eye-opening talk on building a non-code career path in tech:
🚀 15 Highlights from Prince Achara’s Session: “Building a Non-Code Career in Tech”
1. 💭 “The myth of tech = coding needs to be shattered.”
Tech careers aren’t just for coders — there’s room for all kinds of thinkers.
2. 🔧 “You don’t need to write code to thrive in tech.”
Success in tech is also built through collaboration, communication, and strategy.
3. 🧠 “Tech speaks many languages — code is just one of them.”
Roles like project management, product design, and operations are just as essential.
4. 🛠️ “Behind every great product is a team, not just a coder.”
Think execution, creativity, and clarity — not just lines of code.
5. 🗂️ “Project Management ensures tech gets built on time, the right way, and by the right people.”
PMs are the glue that holds tech teams together.
6. 🧩 “If coding builds the product, project management ensures it works for people.”
7. 🌉 “PMs are the bridge between ideas and execution.”
They connect developers, designers, stakeholders, and clients.
Read more on
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100002946183668/posts/9827368090704633/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/victor-kelechi-kingsley-4342a0a1_15-highlights-from-prince-acharas-session-activity-7334639475110604800-pVBq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI
at the Break into Tech Conference, Owerri Edition, Last Saturday.
As the Project Management Course Director at DEXA, he delivered an eye-opening talk on building a non-code career path in tech:
🚀 15 Highlights from Prince Achara’s Session: “Building a Non-Code Career in Tech”
1. 💭 “The myth of tech = coding needs to be shattered.”
Tech careers aren’t just for coders — there’s room for all kinds of thinkers.
2. 🔧 “You don’t need to write code to thrive in tech.”
Success in tech is also built through collaboration, communication, and strategy.
3. 🧠 “Tech speaks many languages — code is just one of them.”
Roles like project management, product design, and operations are just as essential.
4. 🛠️ “Behind every great product is a team, not just a coder.”
Think execution, creativity, and clarity — not just lines of code.
5. 🗂️ “Project Management ensures tech gets built on time, the right way, and by the right people.”
PMs are the glue that holds tech teams together.
6. 🧩 “If coding builds the product, project management ensures it works for people.”
7. 🌉 “PMs are the bridge between ideas and execution.”
They connect developers, designers, stakeholders, and clients.
Read more on
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100002946183668/posts/9827368090704633/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/victor-kelechi-kingsley-4342a0a1_15-highlights-from-prince-acharas-session-activity-7334639475110604800-pVBq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI
Africans have tons of social media expert-explanations to literally everything we didn't have a part in doing or building or even understand first hand how it works.
Just vibes, curated tips and trust me bro.
I'm really just plain tired of this rinse and repeat ego-massaging side parting that we take in these things.
When exactly will investment on raw human capital or real tech products be made here?
I mean governments and institutions actually investing in the infrastructure and access needed for getting more people trained on raw and deep tech skills.
Everybody knows Africa is the next big market of the future, but do you also know the products that will thrive in Africa may most likely not be of African origin?
I mean...
We literally pay for everything and have no ownership of anything the world is paying for at scale.
We pay every other person for;
- Reliable Hosting Services.
- Cloud computing infrastructure.
- The AI Large language models we use.
- Social media content marketing
- etc and etc.
(and even when we claim we've built, we are literally just replicating what's already there and calling APIs for same).
AI for health. But it's calling API from OpenAi to repeat all that chatgpt can literally say as Chatgpt.
We need real investments in tech development, so we have products that can compete.
And not just write long articles on every trending invention sounding smarter than the builders.
This ego massage lingers way longer than we would prolly want it to.
If it doesn't make you ashamed, it makes me.
"But we have people building stuff too"
Yes we do. I am. My friends are. Probably you have people who are too, but at what percentage?
Compared to what's happening outside here.
At most, boys just build an MVP, raise fund and puffff! They gone. 🤦🏻♀
The tech conference I hosted in Owerri last Saturday showed me 2 things.
1) How far behind our youth are in knowing what's up within deep tech.
2) For the ones building, how badly we are vested in building around comfortable niches.
I'm truly hoping for an opportunity with men like Mr. Peter Obi and his likes who sees light in future focused investments.
Hopefully we can harness his influence and others to bring attention to opportunities that we are ignoring.
What are you Building?
What are you developing?
Or are you just consuming?
Join the conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/victor-kelechi-kingsley-4342a0a1_africans-have-tons-of-social-media-expert-explanations-activity-7335323968360308739-8Wt6?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=android_app&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI&utm_campaign=copy_link
Facebook;
https://www.facebook.com/100002946183668/posts/9840765179364924/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
Just vibes, curated tips and trust me bro.
I'm really just plain tired of this rinse and repeat ego-massaging side parting that we take in these things.
When exactly will investment on raw human capital or real tech products be made here?
I mean governments and institutions actually investing in the infrastructure and access needed for getting more people trained on raw and deep tech skills.
Everybody knows Africa is the next big market of the future, but do you also know the products that will thrive in Africa may most likely not be of African origin?
I mean...
We literally pay for everything and have no ownership of anything the world is paying for at scale.
We pay every other person for;
- Reliable Hosting Services.
- Cloud computing infrastructure.
- The AI Large language models we use.
- Social media content marketing
- etc and etc.
(and even when we claim we've built, we are literally just replicating what's already there and calling APIs for same).
AI for health. But it's calling API from OpenAi to repeat all that chatgpt can literally say as Chatgpt.
We need real investments in tech development, so we have products that can compete.
And not just write long articles on every trending invention sounding smarter than the builders.
This ego massage lingers way longer than we would prolly want it to.
If it doesn't make you ashamed, it makes me.
"But we have people building stuff too"
Yes we do. I am. My friends are. Probably you have people who are too, but at what percentage?
Compared to what's happening outside here.
At most, boys just build an MVP, raise fund and puffff! They gone. 🤦🏻♀
The tech conference I hosted in Owerri last Saturday showed me 2 things.
1) How far behind our youth are in knowing what's up within deep tech.
2) For the ones building, how badly we are vested in building around comfortable niches.
I'm truly hoping for an opportunity with men like Mr. Peter Obi and his likes who sees light in future focused investments.
Hopefully we can harness his influence and others to bring attention to opportunities that we are ignoring.
What are you Building?
What are you developing?
Or are you just consuming?
Join the conversation on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/victor-kelechi-kingsley-4342a0a1_africans-have-tons-of-social-media-expert-explanations-activity-7335323968360308739-8Wt6?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=android_app&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI&utm_campaign=copy_link
Facebook;
https://www.facebook.com/100002946183668/posts/9840765179364924/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
DEXA Website Maintenance!
Status: Ongoing 🟡
Estimated time: 30min.
Kindly exercise patience.
Thank you!
Status: Ongoing 🟡
Estimated time: 30min.
Kindly exercise patience.
Thank you!
DEXA️ (Tech Community)
DEXA Website Maintenance! Status: Ongoing 🟡 Estimated time: 30min. Kindly exercise patience. Thank you!
"We'll fix the website shortly." 👆
"Shortly" - Became seconds,
Seconds became minutes,
Minutes became Hours,
Hours became ~Days~! 🤐 shhh!! 🤫
We are still working on it.
Some parts have been fixed and secured, some are still problematic.
We'll keep working and testing.
Tech is an adventure. The problems and bugs are the experiences.
Hang in there. 😊
"Shortly" - Became seconds,
Seconds became minutes,
Minutes became Hours,
Hours became ~Days~! 🤐 shhh!! 🤫
We are still working on it.
Some parts have been fixed and secured, some are still problematic.
We'll keep working and testing.
Tech is an adventure. The problems and bugs are the experiences.
Hang in there. 😊
We were excited to host the Sterling Bank team at the #BreakIntoTechConference – Owerri Edition!
Sterling Bank remains one of Nigeria’s most forward-thinking institutions, championing innovation and supporting startups and the tech ecosystem.
At the conference, their team shared exciting offerings with our audience — from zero-fee transfer solutions to Café One, their tech-enabled, serene co-working space designed to nurture creativity, collaboration, and product development.
It was inspiring to see a bank not just talking tech, but actively enabling it.
See more pictures on our Linkedin, Instagram and Facebook Pages.
#BiTTConference #BiTT2025 #Tech #Owerri
Sterling Bank remains one of Nigeria’s most forward-thinking institutions, championing innovation and supporting startups and the tech ecosystem.
At the conference, their team shared exciting offerings with our audience — from zero-fee transfer solutions to Café One, their tech-enabled, serene co-working space designed to nurture creativity, collaboration, and product development.
It was inspiring to see a bank not just talking tech, but actively enabling it.
See more pictures on our Linkedin, Instagram and Facebook Pages.
#BiTTConference #BiTT2025 #Tech #Owerri
If you want to get into Tech Sales and build a $20k to $50k business in a matter of months
I have some expensive pieces of advice for you.
I'm not promising that this will be super easy, but the steps are definitely straight to the point.
So... What if you start a SaaS marketing agency? 🤔
SaaS means (Software as a Service).
Now here's the twist...
You don’t build the software.
You just promote and sell it.
But promoting in this sense is slightly different from just advertising.
Let me break it down for you:
👉 Your Game Plan! 👇
- Find high/medium-tier SaaS tech products that work like crazy with tons of good reviews.
- Ensure it's Offering up to 30%+ commission rate.
- Sign up for their affiliate programme. (Avoid ones without automated payout affiliate programs).
- Build web pages just to talk about products in that line. with a goal to help people who need it to make a choice.
- Create YouTube educational content about it.
- Run ads. (But not immediately)
Before you go spending money, try to hack it organically first.
Your job is just to sell it to the end users.
👉 Now Let’s talk Numbers... 👇
Imagine a tech product that sells at $500 for a 40% commission.
Each one you sell leaves you with $200 commission.
Promote and sell 100 and that's $20,000 in the bank.
If it sells at $1,000, then do the math. (It is mathing.)
👉 How do you promote? 👇
You don’t need to have a large ad budget. Especially if you’re just starting out.
Just jump on TikTok and YouTube and create content on it.
Do videos — not just to teach how to use it, but mainly to compare it against other products in that niche.
"This vs That" - kind of videos.
"Top 5 affordable xxxx tools to use for xyz task" - kind of posts.
Let’s say it’s a Plugin, an Agentic AI tool or chatbot programme.
Look for others that do the same thing or slighlty different from the one you're promoting.
Compare them, their prices, and make your star product the second-best choice.
Let the first choice be a product that’s not quite different from what your star product does, but way more expensive than it.
The remaining options should have notable lapses why they shouldn't be a top pick (your videos, emails and blog posts should communicate that).
Post these videos and YouTube and tiktok, collect leads, create topics and respond to enquiries on Reddit.
I think this is getting too long now.
I have more ideas and strategies to this. But if you get it, you get it. If you don’t, maybe it’s not for you.
Hope you got value.
If you want me to drop 3 SaaS products you can start with today or part 2 of this, do let me know in the comments.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/victor-kelechi-kingsley-4342a0a1_if-you-want-to-get-into-tech-sales-and-build-activity-7336037828532805632-xSQ9?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=android_app&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI&utm_campaign=copy_link
DEXA CEO
I have some expensive pieces of advice for you.
I'm not promising that this will be super easy, but the steps are definitely straight to the point.
So... What if you start a SaaS marketing agency? 🤔
SaaS means (Software as a Service).
Now here's the twist...
You don’t build the software.
You just promote and sell it.
But promoting in this sense is slightly different from just advertising.
Let me break it down for you:
👉 Your Game Plan! 👇
- Find high/medium-tier SaaS tech products that work like crazy with tons of good reviews.
- Ensure it's Offering up to 30%+ commission rate.
- Sign up for their affiliate programme. (Avoid ones without automated payout affiliate programs).
- Build web pages just to talk about products in that line. with a goal to help people who need it to make a choice.
- Create YouTube educational content about it.
- Run ads. (But not immediately)
Before you go spending money, try to hack it organically first.
Your job is just to sell it to the end users.
👉 Now Let’s talk Numbers... 👇
Imagine a tech product that sells at $500 for a 40% commission.
Each one you sell leaves you with $200 commission.
Promote and sell 100 and that's $20,000 in the bank.
If it sells at $1,000, then do the math. (It is mathing.)
👉 How do you promote? 👇
You don’t need to have a large ad budget. Especially if you’re just starting out.
Just jump on TikTok and YouTube and create content on it.
Do videos — not just to teach how to use it, but mainly to compare it against other products in that niche.
"This vs That" - kind of videos.
"Top 5 affordable xxxx tools to use for xyz task" - kind of posts.
Let’s say it’s a Plugin, an Agentic AI tool or chatbot programme.
Look for others that do the same thing or slighlty different from the one you're promoting.
Compare them, their prices, and make your star product the second-best choice.
Let the first choice be a product that’s not quite different from what your star product does, but way more expensive than it.
The remaining options should have notable lapses why they shouldn't be a top pick (your videos, emails and blog posts should communicate that).
Post these videos and YouTube and tiktok, collect leads, create topics and respond to enquiries on Reddit.
I think this is getting too long now.
I have more ideas and strategies to this. But if you get it, you get it. If you don’t, maybe it’s not for you.
Hope you got value.
If you want me to drop 3 SaaS products you can start with today or part 2 of this, do let me know in the comments.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/victor-kelechi-kingsley-4342a0a1_if-you-want-to-get-into-tech-sales-and-build-activity-7336037828532805632-xSQ9?utm_source=social_share_send&utm_medium=android_app&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI&utm_campaign=copy_link
DEXA CEO
Heads up! Here's your daily reminder to spend atleast 25 to 40mins today on finishing your online course.
Ampifire is looking for a head of Customer success. Fully remote
Apply here https://ampifire-1738143252.teamtailor.com/jobs/5996818-head-of-customer-success
Apply here https://ampifire-1738143252.teamtailor.com/jobs/5996818-head-of-customer-success
*Another Highlight of Break into Tech Conference, Owerri: Ashley Immanuel's Session!*
Today, we're taking a closer look at the awesome session we had with a tech ecosystem leader, who is Cofounder & COO at Semicolon, Ashley Immanuel, at BiTT Conference Owerri, on SAT, 24th May, 2025.
Ashley shared some super valuable insights for anyone thinking about getting into tech, or even those already in it and looking to grow in thier career!
Ashley kicked things off by talking about something really important: figuring out your "why" and your purpose before you dive into a career.
She shared a bit about her own journey, from being a consultant at IBM and Google Business Services in the US, to an internship in PR which made her realize just wasn't the right fit for her.
Her big takeaway here? Don't get too hung up on a specific job title; focus more on where you want to go in the long term.
Now, if you're wondering if tech is for you, Ashley, with her experience at Semicolon, has seen people from all sorts of backgrounds absolutely crush it in the tech world. Her message is clear: anyone can succeed!
➡ She gave us some fantastic tips to keep in mind:
- Embrace a Growth Mindset: This means believing you can learn and improve, even if something seems tough right now.
- Be Curious and Learn by Doing: Don't be scared to just jump in and try things out!
- Seek Quality Information and Collaborate: Listen to good podcasts, follow reliable sources, and definitely connect with mentors, teachers, and coaches. They're super helpful!
Ashley also gave us a real dose of reality – the journey isn't always smooth sailing.
You're going to face some bumps and feel that discomfort that comes with growing, but those are actually crucial for long-term success.
So, don't be too hard on yourself! She also encouraged everyone to spend a little less time on social media, explore the awesome opportunities at Semicolon, and even come visit Semicolon Village whenever you're in Lagos.
Today, we're taking a closer look at the awesome session we had with a tech ecosystem leader, who is Cofounder & COO at Semicolon, Ashley Immanuel, at BiTT Conference Owerri, on SAT, 24th May, 2025.
Ashley shared some super valuable insights for anyone thinking about getting into tech, or even those already in it and looking to grow in thier career!
Ashley kicked things off by talking about something really important: figuring out your "why" and your purpose before you dive into a career.
She shared a bit about her own journey, from being a consultant at IBM and Google Business Services in the US, to an internship in PR which made her realize just wasn't the right fit for her.
Her big takeaway here? Don't get too hung up on a specific job title; focus more on where you want to go in the long term.
Now, if you're wondering if tech is for you, Ashley, with her experience at Semicolon, has seen people from all sorts of backgrounds absolutely crush it in the tech world. Her message is clear: anyone can succeed!
➡ She gave us some fantastic tips to keep in mind:
- Embrace a Growth Mindset: This means believing you can learn and improve, even if something seems tough right now.
- Be Curious and Learn by Doing: Don't be scared to just jump in and try things out!
- Seek Quality Information and Collaborate: Listen to good podcasts, follow reliable sources, and definitely connect with mentors, teachers, and coaches. They're super helpful!
Ashley also gave us a real dose of reality – the journey isn't always smooth sailing.
You're going to face some bumps and feel that discomfort that comes with growing, but those are actually crucial for long-term success.
So, don't be too hard on yourself! She also encouraged everyone to spend a little less time on social media, explore the awesome opportunities at Semicolon, and even come visit Semicolon Village whenever you're in Lagos.
What was your biggest takeaway from Ashley's inspiring session at the Break into Tech conference Owerri, as you read above 👆? Let us know in the comments below!
Tell us
On Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/100063724096727/posts/pfbid02bew59BxmurCchkJeX8pR3rho5HqfVwAMY9JhWwY1mLJu1RnArmraruAXiLxG5xq3l/?app=fbl
On LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dexa__bittowerri-techcareers-ashleyimmanuel-activity-7338175592153907200-XEUq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI
Tell us
On Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/100063724096727/posts/pfbid02bew59BxmurCchkJeX8pR3rho5HqfVwAMY9JhWwY1mLJu1RnArmraruAXiLxG5xq3l/?app=fbl
On LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/dexa__bittowerri-techcareers-ashleyimmanuel-activity-7338175592153907200-XEUq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAABWT1GgBwkWbzDs7R_LwZqL4xhpqUGm3FKI