Hello.cv is a promoter of Cape Verde country code top level Domain (Cape Verde ccTLD) under the 3 Million Technical Talent programme.

It will be recalled that FMCIDE under the leadership of Dr. Bosun Tijani, recently announced a $10 million partnership agreement with Hello.cv.

According to the Minister, the deal will see Hello.cv providing 20,000 3MTT fellows access to the company’s profile package valued at $500 per fellow, comprising a personal .cv domain, an AI-powered job search agent, and a professional CV writer.

But stakeholders in the industry argue that mandating the 3MTT fellows to acquire a foreign domain (.cv) contravenes the provisions of the “Nigeria First Policy” and relegates the Nigeria’s country code Top Level Domain (CcTLD) and identity, .ng.

While applauding the initiative to partner with a foreign company to join the indigenous trainers and train 20,000 3MTT fellows, some of the stakeholders, suggested that the Federal Government should have agreed on the other provisions of the partnership, but give Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the Registry for the .ng domain, the right to host the 3MTT fellows on .ng domain, in adherence to the “Nigeria Firs” policy.

Others say Hello.cv could be mandated to host the fellows on .ng with .cv as a secondary domain host, such as hello.cv.ng.

Speaking on the issue, Chief Executive Officer, DNS Africa Media and Communications, Dr. Adebunmi Adeola Akinbo said: “Okay, the first thing we want to understand is this, the number of people that will be onboarded to the .cv ccTLD is huge. Does .cv ccTLD have the policy to protect the privacy of Nigerian’s data? Even if they have, it is it proper, when we are talking about a government that says, “Nigeria First” as its priority? it is very improper, very, very improper.”

He further noted that the .ng domain name is a domain name that can easily accommodate such a huge number of proposed job seekers. “If they say their brand is a Hello.cv, no problem, they should come and buy a hello.cv.ng if the branding is a priority for them. If they decide that this becomes like a business opportunity, an entrepreneurial ground for them to grow upon, they can send a mail and propose that, and we can onboard three million Nigerians or five million Nigerians to the .ng domain name.”

Approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on the May 5, 2025, the “Nigeria-First Policy Agenda” is an economic initiative that mandates all Federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to prioritize locally produced goods and services in government procurement.

Its primary goal is to reduce import dependency on foreign goods and services, stimulate domestic industries, and boost job creation.

Pundits note that the $10 million Agreement package with Hello.cv (the Cape Verde ccTLD) by FMCIDE which includes a .cv domain, an AI-powered job search agent, and professional CV writing assistance for each of the 20,000 3MTT fellows, will only cede these fellows to utilize a foreign country’s domain, rather than Nigeria’s indigenous domain thereby promoting another country’s digital identity.

They argue that providing a domain name, which is a country’s identity on the internet space, shouldn’t have been part of the agreement, especially since Nigeria has the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), the custodian of .ng CcTLD.

NiRA is the registry for .ng Internet Domain Names and maintains the database of names registered in the .ng country code Top Level Domain.

Speaking on the partnership, Emmanuel Amos, CEO, Programos and Innovationbed-AI Academy boss,  noted that the activities of government has made Nigerians gradually loose trust in its policies, as there is no stability in execution and compliance by the same MDAs responsible for driving the goals and objectives of government.

“Nigeria seems to have lost the collective-will to allow any technology deliver real value for the ecosystem. We plan elections, invest in technology, and yet we often lack the institutional resolve to let that technology work effectively for us. We do not have that system-will for us to envision solutions and implement something right for our system.”

Dr. Akinbo had reiterated also:

“Don’t forget that recently, the FMCIDE held a conference on cybersecurity. Now, when we’re talking about cybersecurity, these are the things that we should always put at the front burner, to ensure that the .ng is always at the forefront, and every other domain is at the back end in order to protect Nigeria’s data.

He concluded by stating that as good as it may sound, leaving the .ng domain name out of this circle of engagement is wrong.

“Taking information or data outside the .ng domain name and outside the domain of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is also wrong, where Nigeria has neither control nor significant influence to control how and where the data is used. I hope that the people in charge will hear this and make amends. All these, just started going out last month, so there’s room for amendments, there’s room to make the change, and ensure Nigeria retains its digital value”

According to Ugonma Egwuatu of ECAM Global Services, an ICT and Data Protection firm, if a government Ministry has given the trainees the permission to use a foreign domain, then the attention of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) should be drawn to it.

The NDPC has subscription to .ng as requirement for its Data Protection Compliance Organisations (DPCOs).

The concern, she notes, is about the security of the data.

“We are talking about 20,000 data sources here, so NDPC should be concerned.”

“There should be explanations regarding the backend: what are they doing with the data of the people that visit the sites? What is the reason behind the use of foreign domain as against the .ng that we know about? Are they trying to phish data? Are they trying to sell data? These are questions that need to be asked to know the reason why the ministry insists on the trainees using a foreign domain.”

She suggested that there should be a third-party agreement.

“I want to believe that as a ministry, they have done their due diligence, because the security of people’s data is involved”, she said.

Designed to expand practical technology training for students and young innovators, the facility was unveiled on Monday, June 8, by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, during a ceremony held at the university.

The hub was launched under the National Information Technology Development Agency in partnership with the Renewed Hope Initiative.

It comes equipped with laboratories focused on artificial intelligence, robotics, additive manufacturing and the Internet of Things. These are areas the government says are highly important to modern industry, both in Nigeria and globally.

Inside the campus, the space is meant to move students beyond theory and into hands-on work. It provides tools that many public universities in the country have found difficult to provide consistently.

Dr Tijani said the NITDA innovation hub should be seen as an investment in young people, both in and outside OAU, rather than just a collection of machines and lab equipment.

He also encouraged students to make use of the facility and take an active role in building solutions that can work in real settings, not just in classrooms.

With this development, the government is linking education more directly with needs across the industry. Officials present repeatedly returned to the idea of practical output, not just academic learning.

The robotics and IoT labs are expected to support hardware development, an area where many Nigerian startups still face limitations due to the cost of equipment and prototyping.

Additive manufacturing, often referred to as 3D printing, also features strongly in the hub’s design. It has growing use across sectors such as healthcare, construction and engineering.

The federal government has in recent years increased attention on digital infrastructure as a foundation for these kinds of projects. Earlier plans outlined by the Ministry include nationwide fibre deployment, expansion of communication satellites, and new rural telecom towers aimed at improving access to connectivity across the country by 2027.

Alongside the government’s initiative, private sector investment is also beginning to impact the direction of innovation hubs in Nigerian universities.

Fintech company Moniepoint has committed about N3 billion to establish innovation centres at Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Nigeria Nsukka, and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

The initiative, announced in May 2026, is designed to support training in areas such as artificial intelligence, software engineering, robotics, data science, product development and entrepreneurship.

The company says its engineers and product teams will be involved in mentorship, workshops and internship pathways. The aim is to make sure students are exposed early to how technology products are built and scaled in real business environments.

Government-led programmes and private funding are now being directed towards building a pipeline of tech talent across different regions of the country.

OAU in the South-West, UNN in the South-East and ABU in the North are among the institutions selected for these projects. The idea is to spread access beyond Lagos and Abuja, where most of Nigeria’s tech ecosystem has traditionally been concentrated.

There are still questions about how sustainable these initiatives will be. Funding is still a challenge, particularly when it comes to maintaining advanced equipment and keeping facilities up to date.

Hardware-based innovation also requires consistent technical support, which universities have sometimes found difficult to provide over time.

Connectivity is another factor that will determine how far these hubs can go. Many of the planned activities depend on reliable internet access and stable power supply, both of which are uneven in parts of the country.

The findings also show strong support for regulation, with 83.4% backing restrictions on children’s access to social media.

The survey results were presented in Lagos during a roundtable on child online safety, organised in collaboration with the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC).

With 585 Nigerians taking part in the consultation, the survey examined risks, enforcement options and possible legal frameworks.

Among the group of respondents, 64.8% want outright regulation, while 18.6% prefer regulation tied to a different minimum age threshold.

Only 16.6% opposed regulation, while 51% said education and digital literacy should be prioritised instead, and 40% pointed to parental supervision tools as a better precaution.

Age preference also split responses, with 36.8% saying 16 years should be the minimum age for access, closely aligning with Australia’s recent approach. Another 27.7% preferred 17 years. A smaller share, 13%, supported the global platform standard for 13 years.

Harmful content emerged as the most reported risk, cited by 90.9% of respondents. Digital addiction followed at 83.6%, while 82.4% pointed to online grooming as a major threat.

The survey also found that 74.5% believe children and parents do not fully understand the legal consequences of cyber offences. Almost all respondents, 97.6%, supported a duty-of-care approach requiring platforms to take proactive steps against harm.

Communications Minister Bosun Tijani said the consultation reveals the pace of change in the digital space and the need for policy to keep up.

He said, “The debate should focus on implementing age restrictions effectively rather than questioning the need for such safeguards.

“Nigeria can deploy digital identity infrastructure and existing platform verification systems to strengthen enforcement of age-based social media regulations.

“The fact that some people may bypass regulations is not a reason for safeguards not to exist.”

Tijani added that social media still offers opportunities for learning and innovation, but children must remain protected from exploitation, harmful content and other risks.

He also said enforcement would require cooperation across government, parents, schools and technology platforms.

NDPC National Commissioner, Dr Vincent Olatunji, also spoke about the risks facing children online. He pointed to cyberbullying, cyberstalking, exposure to harmful content and mental health pressures as key issues.

He also mentioned that access to the internet is highly important for education and development, but protection measures must sit alongside that access. Olatunji described child online safety as a shared responsibility across government agencies, families, schools and platform operators.

The discussion encapsulates a global shift in children’s access to social media. Several countries have already introduced, or are moving towards, better age-based management.

Australia introduced a ban on social media access for children under 16 in December 2025, requiring platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to restrict underage users. Indonesia has also announced plans for a similar restriction.

In Europe, Denmark is preparing to ban social media for children under 15. The Danish government secured backing from both coalition and opposition parties in November 2025. France passed a bill in January 2026 banning social media use for children under 15, with President Emmanuel Macron supporting the measure.

These developments show a policy trend where governments treat child online safety as a public concern that extends beyond regulation of content alone. In several cases, it now sits alongside debates on health, education and digital identity systems.

In Nigeria, the proposed direction indicates a combination of age restrictions and verification systems rather than a single enforcement model. Officials have pointed to digital identity infrastructure and platform-level verification tools as possible mechanisms.

The survey indicates strong public appetite for intervention, especially given the level of concern about exposure to harmful content, addiction and grooming risks. At the same time, a smaller but notable group continues to argue for education and parental oversight rather than formal restrictions.

The government says no final decision has been made, insisting that any policy will follow nationwide consultation before implementation.

Presented in Lagos at the UNDP Innovation Hub in Ikoyi, where officials handed cheques to the beneficiaries on Sunday, the funding falls under the Student Venture Capital Grant (SVCG), a scheme designed to back student-led businesses with equity-free funding.

The 45 winners emerged from a shortlist of 65 finalists who had earlier taken part in a three-week bootcamp. In total, more than 30,000 students from over 400 institutions applied in the first round.

Each beneficiary can access up to N50 million without giving up ownership of their ideas. Beyond the money, the programme also provides mentorship, incubation support and tools to help validate and grow early-stage ventures.

The University of Lagos produced the highest number of winners, with eight students receiving N50 million each. Others came from the University of Ilorin, the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Lagos State University and Bayero University, Kano.

Most of the selected projects are built around artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. They are aimed at solving problems in areas such as health, education and access to services.

Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, used the event to push for a change in how universities operate. He said institutions must move beyond theory and focus on practical innovation.

He said, “For too long, our tertiary institutions have been seen primarily as centres for certification. But under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, we are redefining that narrative.

“Our institutions must now become centres of innovation, engines of enterprise and launchpads for global solutions.”

He also made it known that the programme is meant to unlock ideas that often remain unused in classrooms.

“Now, our students will not only learn, but they will create knowledge. Now, students will not only acquire theoretical understanding, but they will also operate at the highest levels of Bloom’s taxonomy, applying transformative critical thinking and research skills to advance the frontiers of knowledge and solve real societal problems.

“Not only will they create new solutions, but through upscaling and commercialisation, they will transform these innovations into vehicles for sustainable growth and economic development, with catalytic impact on improving the health and wealth of Nigerians.”

Alausa urged students to think beyond profit in the early stages and focus on building solutions that matter.

“This initiative is not only about individual success, it is about national transformation.

“The SVCG scheme will strengthen Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, build a pipeline of young entrepreneurs and job creators.

“It will also position Nigeria as a hub for deep-tech and innovation-driven growth. This is how nations rise, not by consuming ideas, but by creating them.”

He added that the government may increase funding in future rounds if the first set of projects delivers measurable results.

Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, told the students to stay committed to their ideas, even when things go wrong. He urged them to keep improving their work and build solutions that can scale.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Muntari Dandutse, also spoke on the need to connect classroom learning with real-world application. 

He said the Senate supports programmes that encourage entrepreneurship and practical skills.

Programme coordinator, Adebayo Adebajo, said the next phase will be much bigger. According to him, the government is targeting up to 200,000 applications.

The SVCG scheme is part of a plan to turn Nigerian campuses into centres of innovation. It also aligns with initiatives to build a steady pipeline of young entrepreneurs and support the growth of technology-driven businesses across the country.

Announced by Dr. Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, the approval marks a transition from a 1980s-era numeric system to a geospatial intelligent framework designed to eliminate the last-mile delivery bottlenecks currently stifling the nation’s e-commerce and logistics sectors.

The 17-Year Wait: A Brief History

While the announcement has been hailed as a breakthrough, the journey to a digital postcode has been a long-standing aspiration for the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).

2009 Origins: The concept was first introduced nearly 17 years ago but struggled to move beyond the proposal stage due to a lack of political will and fragmented geospatial data.

2018-2023 Iterations: Previous administrations launched various Digital Addressing pilots and signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) with the National Population Commission (NPC). However, these lacked the Alphanumeric precision and high-level FEC mandate required for a nationwide rollout.

The 2026 Milestone: This week’s approval is distinct because it integrates real-time GIS mapping. Unlike the old six-digit numeric codes (e.g., 100001 for Lagos Island) which covered broad areas, the new system assigns unique combinations of letters and numbers to precise coordinates, enabling pinpoint accuracy even in areas without formal street names.

What this Means from Techeconomy perspective

For Nigeria’s rapidly growing digital landscape, the implementation of this system is considered soft infrastructure, invisible but essential for scaling.

1. Logistics and eCcommerce Efficiency

Nigeria’s logistics players currently face high failed delivery rates because addresses often rely on landmarks (e.g., the yellow house near the transformer).

With an alphanumeric code, machine-readable data can automate sorting and routing, drastically reducing the cost of last-mile delivery.

2. The KYC Revolution for Fintech

Address verification is a major pain point for the banking and fintech sectors. A reliable digital postcode allows for instant, automated KYC (Know Your Customer) checks, reducing the risk of fraud and speeding up the onboarding process for millions of unbanked Nigerians.

3. Emergency Response and National Planning

Beyond commerce, the system serves as a national enabler for security. Emergency services (fire, police, and medical) will no longer struggle to find callers in informal settlements, while the government can leverage the data for more accurate national planning and resource distribution.

The Road Ahead

Working in collaboration with NIPOST under the leadership of Tola Odeyemi, the postmaster general the Ministry aims to integrate this system into the broader National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).

“We are not just fixing mail delivery; we are building the foundational systems required to connect people and businesses in a globally competitive economy,” Dr. Tijani noted.

As Nigeria moves toward full implementation, the tech ecosystem will be watching closely to see how quickly this data becomes accessible via APIs for developers, startups, and service providers.

In a statement on Tuesday, the commission said it endorsed the “Joint Statement on AI-Generated Imagery and the Protection of Privacy”, a document coordinated by the International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group of the Global Privacy Assembly.

The statement highlights concerns over tools that can create realistic images and videos of identifiable people. Regulators say such tools are being misused to produce non-consensual images, defamatory materials and other harmful content. Children and other vulnerable groups face the greatest risk.

According to the NDPC, the initiative with data authorities urges organisations to put safeguards in place before deploying such systems. It also asks companies to be transparent about how their tools work, set up effective content removal channels and comply with data protection laws in their countries.

AI tools are now widely accessible, and in many cases, they can generate images that look real within seconds. When those images feature real people, the privacy impact is immediate.

The commission said its participation reveals Nigeria’s ongoing efforts to promote responsible use of artificial intelligence, referring to steps already taken at home, including work on a national policy framework.

The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, previously led the development of Nigeria’s National AI Strategy.

In addition, the NDPC issued its General Application and Implementation Directive (GAID), which requires data controllers and processors to embed privacy protections into their systems from the design stage.

The National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, has now directed that Compliance Audit Returns under the Nigeria Data Protection Act will be used to assess how major data controllers and processors apply AI in their operations.

The commission said the audit process will serve as a benchmark for monitoring responsible data processing practices, especially where AI tools are involved.

At the heart of the conference, held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, was a clear message: Nigeria is ready to shape the future of digital governance through innovation, research, and collaboration.

A Renewed Digital Vision

Guided by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes economic reform, infrastructure development, good governance, and digital inclusion, Nigeria used the ICEGOV 2025 platform to reaffirm its commitment to driving a people-centered digital economy.

Leading this charge were Dr. Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and Kashifu Inuwa, director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

Together, they echoed a unified vision: technology must not only fuel economic growth but also build trust, transparency, and efficiency in governance.

Setting the Global Digital Governance Agenda

Co-chaired by Prof. Tshilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and UN Under-Secretary-General, alongside Dr. Tijani, the 18th edition of ICEGOV, themed “Shaping the Future of Digital Governance through Cooperation, Innovation, and Inclusion”, brought together experts from academia, government, and industry to explore how technology can improve public service and social inclusion.

Prof. Marwala, in his keynote, called for the responsible and inclusive development of artificial intelligence (AI), stressing that AI must serve humanity, not divide it.

“Artificial intelligence is shaping many areas of our lives, but it must be designed so that it does not leave anyone behind. AI will remain suboptimal until it works equally for all people, including Africans,” he said.

He urged leaders to democratize AI by ensuring that citizens have not only access to the technology but also a collective voice in deciding its use, a call that resonated strongly with Nigeria’s digital inclusion agenda.

Tijani: Innovation Must Serve Humanity

In his keynote address, Dr. Bosun Tijani described Nigeria as standing at the intersection of innovation, youth, and digital transformation.

“The state of a society reflects the ideas that dominate it. When good ideas strike, nations prosper; when bad ideas prevail, nations decay,” he said.

He introduced a thought-provoking model, the Source Balance Ratio, explaining how diverse ideas from government, civil society, academia, and the private sector must align to create effective digital policies.

Dr. Tijani emphasized that technology should always be guided by ethics and research rather than politics or profit.

“If our ideas are driven solely by short-term gains, we end up with regulations that react to innovation rather than guide it,” he cautioned.

NITDA’s Commitment to Digital Skills and Public Infrastructure

Echoing the Minister’s vision, Kashifu Inuwa described ICEGOV 2025 as a milestone in Nigeria’s journey to becoming a digital governance powerhouse.

He highlighted several ongoing initiatives under the Ministry’s strategic roadmap, Accelerating the Nation’s Collective Prosperity through Technical Efficiency, built on five pillars: Knowledge, Policy, Infrastructure, Trade, and Innovation.

Among the achievements he cited:

• National Digital Literacy Framework: to equip every Nigerian with digital skills from early education to adulthood.
• Collaboration with the Ministry of Education: to integrate digital literacy into school curricula by next year.
• 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Programme: training Nigerians in high-demand digital skills.
• Civil Service Digital Training Initiative: with over 24,000 public servants already enrolled.
• Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI): development of a national data exchange platform and a Centre of Excellence for DPI to promote trust, transparency, and interoperability in governance.

“Digital transformation is not just about technology; it’s about improving how we serve citizens. Governance must meet people where they are, online,” Inuwa remarked.

Collaborating for Africa’s Digital Future

The conference drew a distinguished lineup of dignitaries, including Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, Minister of State for Education; Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (represented by Mrs. Fatima S.T. Mahmood); Senator Shuaibu Afolabi Salisu, chairman, Senate Committee on ICT & Cybersecurity; and Stanley Adedeji, chairman, House Committee on ICT.

They commended the Federal Government’s leadership in advancing digital governance, AI ethics, and innovation ecosystems, noting that sustained progress will depend on multilateral collaboration, institutional capacity-building, and stronger digital public infrastructure.

Nigeria’s Leadership on the Global Stage

As ICEGOV 2025 concluded, one message rang clear: Nigeria’s digital reform agenda is not a local ambition, it’s a continental mission.

With its growing investment in digital literacy, AI policy frameworks, and public sector innovation, Nigeria is positioning itself as a key player in shaping the future of electronic governance in Africa.

In the words of Dr. Tijani:

“Digital technologies are no longer just economic tools; they reshape our societies and our citizenship. Our responsibility is to ensure that innovation is guided by ethics, inclusivity, and the public interest.”

The target, he said, is within reach through the Federal Government’s 90,000-kilometre fibre optic rollout and the world’s largest coordinated digital skills programme, both designed to enable expansion of the sector, among other initiatives.

Addressing innovators, investors, policymakers, and global partners, Tijani framed Lagos as Africa’s innovation epicentre, noting the city attracts about 2,000 new residents daily, hosts the continent’s largest number of tech hubs, and has birthed at least six unicorns. 

Beyond technology, he highlighted Nigeria’s $15 billion creative economy, powered by Nollywood and Afrobeats, as proof of the country’s unique fusion of culture and innovation shaping global markets.

“The digital economy is not just about apps and platforms. It is about efficiency and productivity that transform agriculture, education, manufacturing, and governance,” Tijani said.

At GITEX NIGERIA, the minister outlined ongoing initiatives, including the Project Bridge fibre pipeline to connect every Nigerian state, local government, and ward, and the 3MTT programme, which is preparing young Nigerians for global jobs. 

He also confirmed a new round of funding for 75 academic research projects, to be announced on 1 October, alongside efforts such as the AI Collective and a forthcoming National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill designed to build trust, security, and accountability.

Tijani called on startups, corporates, academia, the diaspora, and international partners to boost the transformation. “Government investment builds the foundation, but the opportunity and responsibility lie with all of us,” he said.

“Nigeria is not only keeping pace with the digital future, we are shaping it.”

As local and international guests descended on the nation’s commercial and innovation capital for a potentially future-defining two days, anticipation was high for the conversations shaping Africa’s digital trajectory.

From Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, the message on Wednesday was emphatic: Lagos is ‘a launchpad for Africa’s tomorrow’ – ready to propel Nigeria’s quest for a data-driven government and digitally empowered population. 

Held under the patronage of Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, GITEX NIGERIA takes place across Abuja and Lagos from 1-4 September.

Supported by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the event is endorsed by Lagos State Government and organised by KAOUN International, global producer of GITEX events.

Elaborating on Lagos’s digital economy leadership credentials and quest to harness technological capabilities for the betterment of regional society, H.E. Babajide Sanwo-Olu stated: “Lagos is not just a city for today – it is Africa’s innovation nerve centre and a launchpad for Africa’s tomorrow. At the heart of our efforts to unlock digital transformation possibilities is an unshakeable belief that governance in the 21st century must be digital, inclusive, and data-driven.

“As Peter Drucker once said, ‘The best way to predict the future is to create it’. Here in Lagos, we are creating that future, building a data-driven government where policy decisions respond to real-time insights and inclusive connectivity empowers every citizen in one of the world’s most vibrant tech ecosystems.”

Over two action-packed days, Nigeria’s commercial capital and innovation hub hosts dual showcases across the city: the GITEX NIGERIA Tech Expo & Future Economy Conference at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre, and the GITEX NIGERIA Startup Festival at the Landmark Centre.

Together, these platforms spotlight the immense digital potential of Lagos and the nation – enabling non-tech sectors to accelerate digitalisation roadmaps through enterprise-grade solutions while highlighting a burgeoning startup ecosystem, strong investor confidence, and valuable public-private partnership opportunities. 

Addressing GITEX NIGERIA attendees, Hon. Minister Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, emphasised the essential nature of sustained digital economy development, insisting: “The digital economy is not just about mobile apps or platforms; it is about technical efficiency and delivering productivity gains that transform entire sectors. This is why His Excellency President Bola Tinubu GCFR has placed the digital economy at the heart of the Renewed Hope agenda.

“His vision is very clear – that technology must not only grow GDP but also expand opportunities, reduce inequality, and create shared prosperity for all Nigerians. Under the President’s leadership, Nigeria has embraced the digital economy as a key driver of inclusive growth. We are not building just for elites; we are building for every Nigerian.”

Between 2019 and 2024, Lagos attracted over US$6 billion in foreign tech investment, cementing its position as the epicentre of Africa’s digital growth. The state today hosts hyperscale data centres and extensive fibre connectivity, accounting for more than 70% of Nigeria’s total tech inflows. Already Nigeria’s undisputed innovation hub, Lagos is also home to 23 of the country’s 28 fastest-growing companies, according to the Financial Times. 

Reflecting on the significance of GITEX NIGERIA making its way to Lagos, Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General/CEO of NITDA, said: “The energy is palpable, and the potential is boundless. Nigeria and Lagos in particular are a crucible of innovation, where raw talent meets the unshakeable will to succeed, a factory of unicorns.

“Lagos is the place where people use talent and come up with solutions without infrastructure. In other places, they use capital infrastructure to fuel innovation, while here, we use our resilience. Because we have no options, and we need to create the solutions. We are ready for it. As a nation, our vision is clear.”

GITEX NIGERIA is West Africa’s largest gathering of technology visionaries, industry leaders, and decision-makers overseeing digital transformation of non-tech sectors. The event also presents Nigeria’s largest and most globally diverse investor programme, facilitating concierge meetings between startups, investors, corporates, industry leaders, and prospective partners.

Discussing the unique value proposition that Lagos presents businesses, Trixie LohMirmand, EVP of Dubai World Trade Centre and CEO of KAOUN International, organisers of GITEX NIGERIA, said: “Lagos is a mega high-speed technology testbed that is dense, diverse, and demanding, where SMEs, startups, and entrepreneurs succeed not by conventional rules but by distinctiveness and necessity-driven innovation.

“Rising above power outages, currency fluctuations, and maturing infrastructure, they scale faster and endure longer. Survive and thrive in Lagos, and your products and solutions can compete and flourish anywhere around the world.”

The event runs with support from partners AWS, Cisco, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), Kaspersky, Federal Ministry of Art, Culture, Tourism and the Creative Economy; Federal Ministry of Youth Development, and Space42. 

For more information, news and updates on GITEX NIGERIA, please visit the website.

Tijani warned that Africa risks being left behind if the continent does not fast-track AI adoption across key economic sectors.

He highlighted that nations already leveraging AI are achieving exponential gains in agriculture, finance, logistics, and education, while many African economies still rely on guesswork and outdated practices.

“AI will widen the productivity gap between nations. Countries that are already ahead will move even faster, while those still catching up will find it even more difficult,” Tijani said.

AI in Agriculture: A Stark Contrast

Drawing from his recent visits to Brazil and South Africa, Tijani cited precision agriculture as a prime example of AI’s transformative power.

Farmers in Brazil now deploy soil sensors, predictive analytics, drones, and satellite imaging to boost yields and cut input costs by up to 95%.

By comparison, Nigerian farmers still average 2.5 tonnes of maize per hectare, far below Brazil’s 10–12 tonnes.

Africa’s AI Roadmap

To guide Africa’s AI journey, Tijani outlined four priorities:

1. Balancing Sovereignty with Collaboration – developing national AI strategies while pursuing continental standards to avoid fragmentation.
2. Leveraging Africa’s Youthful Population – equipping young people with skills for the future through programmes like Nigeria’s “3 Million Technical Talent”
3. Digitising African Realities – building relevant datasets in agriculture, health, and education to ensure AI solutions reflect local needs.
4. Investing in Infrastructure – expanding affordable connectivity and clean energy to support AI-driven development.

Tijani stressed that Africa must aim to become a producer of innovation, not merely a consumer.

“If we cannot close this gap, Africa risks becoming a continent that imports food, imports services, and imports innovation. That is not the Africa we want,” he said, urging stakeholders to move from dialogue to action.

NITDA DG Calls for Shared AI Infrastructure

Supporting Tijani’s message, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), called for pan-African collaboration in building shared AI infrastructure to ensure the continent is not left behind in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“Any country left behind in this AI revolution risks catastrophe, while those who lead will shape the world,” Inuwa said.

He cited research by Epoch AI, which projects automation could increase global economic growth by 20%, potentially doubling the world economy within five years.

Inuwa outlined four areas critical for Africa’s AI capacity building:

• Human Capital – harnessing Africa’s youthful, digitally native population.
• Infrastructure – expanding connectivity, data centres, and local computing power.
• Policy and Legal Frameworks – with Nigeria already leading under Tijani’s guidance.
• Enabling Ecosystem – supporting start-ups, AI research, and global partnerships, with Nigeria already funding 45 AI-focused start-ups.

He further stressed the importance of developing local large language models (LLMs) to ensure African values and cultures are represented in global AI systems.

Global Partnerships and Nigeria’s Digital Future

Closing the summit, Trixie LohMirmand, executive vice president of the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), emphasized Nigeria’s role as a digital frontier.

With its population projected to grow from 230 million today to 400 million by 2050, she said Nigeria’s opportunities far outweigh its current challenges.

“Nigeria is not defined by the headlines or its current challenges, but by the scale of opportunities of tomorrow. Those who stay the course are the future of Africa,” LohMirmand said.

She highlighted GITEX as a global ecosystem for investors, innovators, and start-ups, reaffirming DWTC’s commitment to providing a platform where Nigerian SMEs and innovators can access global partnerships and compete on the world stage.