Istanbul gave me so much ❤️
Thank you @trtworldforum for having me at NEXT TRT 2026 - what an honour to be in a room full of such curious, passionate, and brilliant young minds.
The conversations didn’t stop on stage. Meeting attendees from Türkiye and students from all over the world including so many amazing young Africans who are thinking deeply about our digital world was a major highlight for me.
A full vlog is coming up soon.
Istanbul, here I come! 🇹🇷
I’m so excited to be speaking at NEXT by @trtworldforum - an incredible international platform that has brought together over 5,000 students, academics, and changemakers across panels, talks and workshops.
I’ll be speaking on a topic close to my heart:
💬 “Freedom from Algorithms: Breaking the Cycle of Endless Scrolling”
AI-powered algorithms are quietly shaping what we see, think, and feel every single day. Our attention has become the product.
How do we leverage the opportunities while still scrolling with intention? What does digital autonomy mean in 2026?
I can’t wait to explore these questions with the brilliant young entrepreneurs, journalists, academics, and next gen leaders in the room on 9 May 2026.
See you tomorrow ✨
Challenging my camera roll to be freeeeee this 2026.
In the video clip, I’m talking about how as African women, it’s important that we continue to own our power and embrace being subject matter experts in fields including AI as we are already doing the work.
Yay it’s May.
The year has been centered around reflections around @bellanaija ’s 20th anniversary. Thank you for all the well wishes.
One of the highlights of 2026 so far was ideating and convening the "Power, Platforms, Profit & Parity: Gender-Equitable Storytelling in the AI Age" workshop.
As part of the Entertainment & Media Hubs Champions Project, driven by the Creative Economy Practice at CcHUB. I’m so proud of this project and it was a year of learning and sharing. Thank you 👑 @ritadominic and all the amazing participants.
For April, we spotlight Uche Pedro, Founder and CEO of BellaNaija, and a proud alumna of the Harvard Kennedy School.
In June 2006, days after graduating from the Ivey Business School at Western University, Ontario, Uche launched what began as an anonymous blog about Nigerian pop culture, a simple but powerful act of cultural storytelling that would change the African digital media landscape forever.
This year, BellaNaija turns 20, and the milestone is a testament to two decades of a platform built on the belief that African narratives deserve space, attention, and care.
Today, BellaNaija’s social footprint, through its collective brands including BellaNaija.com, BellaNaija Weddings, and BellaNaija Style, has grown to become the largest on the African continent, with over 200 million impressions monthly.
Uche’s impact extends far beyond media. She co-founded PVCitizen, an organization dedicated to encouraging millennials and Generation Z Nigerians to register, vote, and become active citizens. She is also the founder of #BNDoGood, an initiative that consistently supports a wide range of non-profits and social impact organizations across Nigeria.
Uche holds a Bachelor’s degree in Honours Business Administration from the Ivey Business School, graduating with distinction, and completed the MC/MPA Mason Fellowship at the Harvard Kennedy School, where she was a student fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation and the recipient of the Josephine S. Vernon Award. She is also a Fellow of TEDGlobal, a Nigeria Leadership Initiative associate, a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, and an Obama Foundation Summit invitee, recognised as a civic leader making a difference around the world.
As BellaNaija marks its 20th year, Uche Pedro stands as a defining voice of African digital culture, proving that a story told with purpose can shape a continent.
#HKSAAN #HKSAlumni #SpotlightSeries #UchePedro BellaNaija BellaNaija20 LeadershipForImpact AfricanMedia DigitalMedia PublicPolicy CivicLeadership AfricaLeadership HarvardKennedySchool
@ucheoedro ✨✨✨✨✨
There’s something about quiet glam… it just sits better.
Clean skin, soft definition, nothing harsh — just a look that feels easy and effortless.
This is my kind of beauty.
Makeup by me @bimpeonakoya
Hairstylist @touchofibee
#BimpeOnakoya #EffortlessGlam #SoftBeauty #MelaninGlow #SkinFirst
#Always great to see @uchepedro the legendary founder of @bellanaija we connected last week at @phenomcommunications event hosting influencers and agencies and in my keynote I told the story of how I met her. This was in 2006 a full 20 years ago and I received a very well written email from her asking for permission to report and cover our upcoming production of the first #bigbrothernaija2006. She was still in university then in the states and I told her let me get the tv channel to confirm. After I made the connection they gave her access and they covered the show and they still work with @africamagic and those brands and many others. I am so proud of her and her achievements, she always kept her brand premium and this year will be massive for her and her brands. I think it was @naetosuperc who knew her or something but here we are 20 years later. Keep pushing Uche and thanks to @phenomcommunications for inviting me to promote. @bodepedro@tolaodunsi@chrisubosi@yetsasika@busola.tejumola@john_ugbe #originstories #bellanaija #fashion weddings and more have been presented by @bellanaija at the highest levels.
As we get set for the “Power, Platforms, Profit & Parity: Gender-Equitable Storytelling in the AI Age” workshop next week, I’m reflecting on the stakeholders roundtable.
It was an inter-generational blend of industry leaders and rising stars filled with an abundance of wisdom, wit and warmth. Thank you to everyone who joined us!
Click below or the link in my bio to find out more about the workshop and if it’s a great fit for you, apply. See you soon.
🗓 Application deadline: Friday, January 16th, 2026 👉 Apply here: https://forms.gle/ytpBU5Cy7qNFgKEDA
