People are creating differently, communicating differently, and consuming media differently because of artificial intelligence. As these changes take hold, one question is becoming impossible to ignore: how do we ensure technology evolves without eroding human culture, creativity, and lived experience? MarkHack 5.0, Nigeria’s leading marketing, media, and innovation conference, will take that question head-on, coming to the Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Thursday, 5 June 2026.
Themed “The Culture Algorithm: AI × Human Experience,” MarkHack 5.0 will convene industry leaders, creatives, technologists, startups, policymakers, and cultural innovators to examine how algorithms are increasingly shaping identity, behavior, media, and everyday life and what it means for brands, creators, and consumers in Nigeria and across Africa.
Organised by GDM Group in partnership with Eko Innovation Centre and Brand Communicator, MarkHack 5.0 reflects a deliberate shift from tool-centric AI conversations to a culture-first approach. At a time when AI adoption is accelerating across marketing, media, and the creative economy, the conference positions itself as a forum for deeper reflection on meaning, ethics, creativity, and human agency in an algorithm-driven world.
This year’s edition will feature a curated mix of high-impact experiences designed to move the conversation beyond theory into lived reality. Keynotes and fireside conversations will bring together industry leaders, founders, creatives, researchers, and policymakers to unpack how AI is influencing culture, storytelling, consumer behavior, and trust. A multidisciplinary hackathon and demo day will challenge startups building solutions at the intersection of AI, culture, and human experience, culminating in live demonstrations and recognition of standout ideas.
MarkHack 5.0 will also introduce immersive content creation and media experiences, where filmmakers, creators, and media professionals engage with new storytelling formats shaped by technology and culture. Consumer-led panels will foreground real human perspectives, examining how everyday people experience AI-powered platforms, media systems, and digital products. Startup and corporate exhibitions will showcase innovations redefining marketing, media, lifestyle, and engagement, while the awards and recognition segment will continue to spotlight individuals and organisations driving meaningful change within Nigeria’s marketing, media, and technology ecosystem.
Since launching in 2022 as Nigeria’s first marketing and media hackathon, MarkHack has evolved into a full-scale conference and thought-leadership platform. This evolution mirrors a broader industry shift, from experimentation with new tools to a deeper examination of how technology influences culture, creativity, and human values. MarkHack 5.0 builds on this legacy by expanding the conversation beyond performance and automation to include identity, lifestyle, and human experience.
The conference brings together marketers, founders, creators, investors, media practitioners, and innovators to connect, collaborate, and draw practical insights on how AI can work alongside human creativity and expression, not against it, especially in emerging markets.
Applications are now open at markhack.tech/pitch. Interested participants are encouraged to apply before March 31st, 2026.
