Over the past seven years, Peace Itimi has been at the forefront of the tech revolution in Nigeria, contributing to its growth through her multifaceted skillet: digital marketing, content creation, storytelling, and public speaking. Peace went from nursing an interest in medicine to studying medical biochemistry and eventually not practising after her graduation from Delta State University (DELSU) in 2015. 

It was during her degree pursuit at DELSU that she found digital marketing — a skill that she honed by teaching over 350 of her peers in her capacity as a Google Student Ambassador, the first on the campus. In February 2017, she moved to Lagos to begin her national service year at Webcoupers, a digital marketing agency, where it all began officially.

After the one-year service period, Peace joined Wild Fusion, another digital marketing agency, while simultaneously working as a global trainer for Facebook (Facebook for Creators program), Google (Digital Skills via Haptics), Orange Academy, and the British Council (led by WDC). “Training at Wild Fusion was one of the most pivotal parts of my journey,” Peace told Ventures Africa. “There was no aspect of digital marketing I did not train people on, and I did it for people at different career levels. And because I had to teach people, I had to get in-depth knowledge.”

The in-depth knowledge made transitioning into other career paths and juggling multiple roles less daunting for the 1996-born. Itimi began taking content creation seriously after launching her YouTube channel in December 2018, initially sharing marketing tips and life lessons. Two years later, she created a now-popular segment called Founders Connect, where she documents Nigeria’s tech ecosystem, spotlighting key individuals who are making a difference.

“What gives me the most pride is that I am doing something that will serve as an archive for future generations to look through and learn the stories of the entrepreneurs before them,’’ she explained.

Founders Connect was born out of an off-the-chart interview with Atsu Davoh — founder of Bitsika, a tech startup using blockchain technology to facilitate transactions for Africans — in October 2022. Since then, Founders Connect has featured over 80 founders from leading tech companies like AltSchool, Paystack, Piggyvest, Nestcoin, Wakanow, Eden Life, and many others.

In July 2023, Founders Connect hosted its first live event, bringing together its audience for a day of networking, insightful discussions, entertainment, and celebration in Lagos. Two months later, it took a bigger leap with the success of the Founders Connect Live event in London in October. Peace also produced “Innovating Africa,” Nigeria’s first tech-focused documentary, and leads the Black Builders Network, a community of creators, professionals, founders, and investors committed to empowering Africa and its diaspora.

Speaking at a TED conference earlier in April, Peace highlighted the importance of these initiatives in reshaping global perceptions of Africa’s tech ecosystem. “The world only sees us as a continent plagued by poverty, insecurity, and siphoned innovation—a land of endless potential that forever remains unrealised. But underneath these stereotypes, a new reality has emerged, where ambitious Africans are writing their own stories as builders and innovators,” the 28-year-old buttressed.

Peace’s YouTube audience has grown to over 39,000 subscribers, and her influence continues to expand as she continues to etch Nigeria’s tech evolution in the annals of history.