Media and entertainment entrepreneur Seyebomi Ogunsanya, popularly known as Sheye Banks, has reiterated that creativity remains Africa’s most powerful global export. He made the assertion while speaking on a panel on creativity and innovation at the Africa Blockchain Festival 2025 in Kigali.
Banks, who is the founder of Hevy Hub, said that emerging technologies, especially AI, blockchain, and other digital tools, should serve as amplifiers for African culture and storytelling rather than replacements for its identity.
“AI, blockchain, technology should be our global microphone, something that doesn’t change who we are but makes our voice louder, clearer, and impossible to ignore,” he told the audience.
He emphasized that ownership, innovation, and increased digital access are essential if African creators hope to compete meaningfully on a global scale. “If we want African creativity to compete globally, we must leverage blockchain for ownership, AI for innovation, and digital tools for access,” he added.
Speaking on the work of Hevy Hub, his Lagos-based creative-tech incubator, Banks noted that African creators need both artistic skill and technological capacity to thrive in an evolving digital economy. He stressed that Africa’s creative industry has huge potential but continues to struggle due to insufficient resources and weak structural support.
“Creativity is Africa’s strongest export. But without tools, support, and proper ecosystems, our potential remains underserved,” he said. “Hevy Hub exists to ensure young African hybrid creators can thrive in a world where culture meets advanced technology. We don’t just focus on building products and stories, we also focus on building the good character behind these products and stories.”
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