George Agu, the MD/CEO of ActivEdge Technologies Limited, is an astute founder and technology leader whose illustrious career spans over twenty-five years across core banking systems, enterprise applications, fintech, cybersecurity, and AI-powered e-government services.

His experience blends strong technical expertise with strategic business leadership, having successfully built and scaled enterprise and public-sector technology platforms across West, East, and Southern Africa.

A Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Agu is also an alumnus of The Wharton School and the London School of Economics (LSE) through executive education, with specialisations in Entrepreneurship Acceleration, FinTech Revolution, Strategic Innovation, and Public Policy Analysis.

He began his professional journey as a software developer at CSA Nigeria in 2000, later joining Neptune Software, where he rose from Systems Implementation Manager to Managing Director/CEO for West Africa. At Neptune, he played a pivotal role in the success of the Equinox and Orbit core-banking platforms, with Orbit earning the No. 1 global ranking in microfinance core banking by CGAP (Washington DC).

As a serial founder, Agu established ActivEdge Technologies, a pan-African systems integrator delivering solutions in cybersecurity, GRC, enterprise automation, cloud, and core infrastructure, executing projects in more than six African countries.

He went on to found PayEdge, a fintech company addressing MSME liquidity and supply-chain finance challenges, and Introspec, a settlement and reconciliation platform used by banks in over fifteen African countries.

His latest innovation, HarmonyEdge, is an AI-powered e-government platform that digitises workflows, enables analytics and decisioning, supports citizen engagement, and powers payment and e-reconciliation systems, currently being piloted in a leading African nation.

Beyond entrepreneurship, George Agu contributes actively at board and civic levels. He serves on the Abia State Global Economic Advisory Council, chairing a sector committee, and on the board of TN Cybertech Bank, where he leads the Technology and Strategy Committee.

He also chairs the Business Roundtable of the African Bar Association and serves as Deputy President of the South East–South South Professionals.

Speaking ahead of AfriTECH 5.0, Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, co-convener, described Agu as a “seasoned technology visionary whose work embodies the spirit of African innovation and digital self-reliance.”

“His keynote will provide practical insights on how AI and sovereign technologies can redefine digital transformation across Africa’s public and private sectors”, Onwuegbuchi said.

AfriTECH 5.0 will convene industry leaders, policymakers, investors, and innovators to explore the role of AI and indigenous technologies in driving Africa’s digital independence.

The event is supported by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) with Digital Encode Limited as the Platinum Sponsor.

Other Gold sponsors are Galaxy Backbone, itel, Digital Realty, ActivEdge Technologies, Tecom, Tizel Cybersecurity, AfriGoPay Financial Services Limited, SKOT Communications and other ecosystem partners.

Registration is ongoing via the portal.

Leading the lineup are the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), consumer tech brand itel, global data infrastructure leader Digital Realty, connectivity solutions provider SKOT Communications, and the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).

Set to be held on November 13th, 2025 at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, under the theme “AI and Sovereign Tech: Building Africa’s Digital Independence,” AfriTECH 5.0 will spotlight the power of homegrown solutions and global partnerships in driving Africa’s technological growth.

The diversity of sponsors reflects the ecosystem AfriTECH champions: regulators led by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); consumer enablers (itel), infrastructure giants (Digital Realty Nigeria), communications providers (SKOT Communications), and critical backbone operators – the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).

Together, their support underscores how collaboration between regulation, innovation, and infrastructure is vital to Africa’s future.

“Each partner represents a piece of the puzzle in Africa’s digital transformation,” said Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, co-convener of Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH). “From regulation to infrastructure, from consumer access to data exchange, AfriTECH 5.0 is where these synergies come alive.”

This year’s forum promises high-level debates, solution-driven panels, and networking that connects decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and innovators committed to accelerating Africa’s digital independence.

In addition to the conference sessions and exhibitions, this year’s edition will feature the Africa Tech Alliance Excellence Award (ATAEx 2025), a prestigious award ceremony that celebrates outstanding innovation, leadership, and contributions to Africa’s digital economy.

More details here.

On stage sat a powerhouse panel: Meta, Open Access Data Centres, Airtel Africa, Digital Realty, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), and TeleGeography, all with one mission: to unlock faster, more reliable content delivery for millions of Nigerians.

The session, aptly titled “Content at the Edge: Unlocking Faster and More Reliable Experiences”, followed a keynote by Meta’s Michelle Opiyo, who spotlighted the company’s growing edge infrastructure across Africa. From there, the discussion unraveled into an honest look at Nigeria’s unique challenges—and its immense opportunities.

Nigeria’s Demographic Advantage

Meta’s Ben Ryall painted the big picture: “Nigeria is Africa’s largest country by population, and its youth are hungry for content. The split between enterprise demand and young content-driven consumers is a goldmine for local CDNs and tailored strategies.”

The Bottlenecks: Pricing and Distribution

But the road isn’t smooth. IXPN’s Muhammed Rudman recalled early conversations with Netflix: “Back in 2007, they didn’t see the ROI. Today, subsea cables have brought traffic to Lagos, but outside the city, costs are still too high.”

In Lagos, bandwidth can be as cheap as $1 per Mbps, but beyond the city limits, the price jumps to around $30. For Digital Realty’s Ikechukwu Nnamani, this mismatch is a Catch-22: “The market won’t mature without investment, but investors want to see maturity first.”

Rethinking Models: From Sachets to Ecosystems

Dr. Ayotunde Coker, CEO of Open Access Data Centres, challenged the industry to embrace Africa’s informal economy with “sachet pricing”, daily or weekly data access.

He also noted that colocation facilities are evolving: “We’re building ecosystems where creators, carriers, and CDNs meet, not just renting out power and space.”

Fiber Cuts and the Latency Dilemma

Still, Nigeria’s fragile infrastructure looms large. In just 18 months, 13,000 fibre cuts were recorded, according to data shared at the forum.

MTN already runs 25,000km of fibre, while government plans to push that to 90,000km, but more fibre also means more exposure to disruption.

Rudman warned that Lagos alone cannot bear Nigeria’s digital load: “If your game downloads are only cached in Lagos, users in Kano will still suffer. We have to go inward.”

Expanding the Edge

Meta is already taking that advice to heart. Beyond its Lagos Point of Presence (PoP), the company is building a second PoP in Port Harcourt to serve the South-South. IXPN, too, is preparing to expand interconnection deeper into the regions, urging mobile operators to peer beyond Lagos.

A Call for Collaboration

The session closed on a note of unity. The panelists agreed: infrastructure is coming, but it won’t be enough without coordinated investment, ecosystem collaboration, and regulatory support.

“This is more than fibre and data centres,” Nnamani concluded. “This is about bringing content closer to the people. The hyperscalers, the platforms, the carriers, it’s time for all of us to step up together.”

The 15th edition of AfPIF ended with optimism, but also a challenge: Nigeria’s digital future won’t be built by one player alone. The edge must be conquered, together.

With the launch, Digital Realty is further strengthening its presence in West Africa, accelerating digital transformation across the region, and expanding access to its global data center platform, PlatformDIGITAL.

Located in the nearby coastal area of Lekki, LKK2 adds nearly 2MW of installed IT capacity across nearly 13,000 square feet of data hall space, supporting the growing demand for scalable, high-performance infrastructure across Nigeria and the broader region.

LKK2 will be interconnected with Digital Realty’s existing LKK1 facility, which serves as the landing station for the 2Africa subsea cable, offering customers seamless access to the cable’s 46+ landing points in 33 countries across Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

The integration of LKK2 with the 2Africa cable landing station at LKK1 enables businesses in West Africa to leverage low-latency connectivity and reliable access to global cloud and network services. This setup supports improved application performance and enhances access to international digital ecosystems through a carrier-neutral platform.

This new facility integrates with ServiceFabric, Digital Realty’s global interconnection and orchestration platform, ensuring low-latency, high-throughput connectivity to local, regional, and international destinations.

Through ServiceFabric, LKK2 will interconnect with LOS1, the region’s top internet peering point, and LOS2, Digital Realty’s highly connected data centers located on Victoria Island in Lagos.

Together, this ecosystem delivers robust resilience, redundancy, speed, and scale for enterprise and hyperscale customers seeking to expand into a fast-growing digital market, ensuring continuous, reliable operations.

“LKK2 is a significant milestone in our journey to support digital transformation in Africa,” said Ike Nnamani, managing director, Digital Realty in Nigeria. “Our continued investment in Nigeria and the broader African region reinforces our commitment to enabling seamless global interconnectivity and providing a future-ready infrastructure platform for local and global enterprises.”

This strategic expansion reinforces Digital Realty’s commitment to advancing Africa’s digital transformation by delivering the infrastructure and connectivity needed to support innovation and growth across the continent.

Recently ranked number one in Africa on Cloudscene’s Data Center Ecosystem Leaderboard, the company continues to cement its position as a leading enabler of the continent’s digital future.

Akinsanya Leads NiRA Team on Tour of Digital Realty Data Centre Facility in Lagos

With the exponential growth of data and the acceleration of digital initiatives across the region, LKK2 provides the additional capacity which enterprises and content providers need to grow, scale, and connect – wherever and whenever they need to.

LKK2, due to become operational later this year, will support both local enterprises and multinational organizations seeking reliable, secure, and interconnected infrastructure in Africa.

This call was made by Dr. Jimson Olufuye, principal consultant at Kontemporary Konsulting Ltd and Chairman of the 2025 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa Forum on Internet Governance for Development.

The call was made during the forum held at the Welcome Centre Hotels, MM International Airport Road, Lagos, on Thursday, June 19.

The Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum series, hosted by the internet corporation for assigned names and numbers (ICANN) certified At-Large Structure (ALS), DigitalSENSE Africa, under the Africa Regional At-Large Organization (AFRALO), is powered by ITREALMS Media.

The WSIS review aims to assess progress made since the summit’s initial outcomes in 2003 and 2005, focusing on key areas such as digital divides, internet governance, and sustainable development.

Olufuye also encouraged Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders to participate in the review process, sharing their experiences and insights to shape the country’s digital future.

By engaging in the WSIS review process, Olufuye who is member of the United Nations’ Multistakeholder Advisory Group, said, Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders could contribute to shaping the country’s digital landscape and ensuring that the benefits of technology are equitably distributed.

The stakeholders have also been urged to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnership to drive technological development and economic growth.

The WSIS review process, he underscored, is expected to culminate in future high-level events, where world leaders and ICT stakeholders will gather to review progress and outline future directions.

This event will provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss key issues, such as digital divide, Internet Governance, cyber security among others.

In addition to fostering the Sustainable Development by leveraging digital technologies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He recalls that some countries have already conducted WSIS reviews, providing valuable lessons and insights for Nigeria.

In 2015, he recalled that there was  a WSIS+10 Review by the UN General Assembly to conduct a ten-year review of the WSIS outcomes, which reaffirmed the WSIS principles and called for a further review by the Assembly in 2025, hence countries like Nigeria should take the review seriously.

Olufuye further pointed out that by participating in the WSIS review process, Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders could help shape the country’s digital future and ensure that the benefits of technology are equitably distributed.

Welcoming participants earlier, the Lead Consulting Strategist, DigitalSENSE Africa and Group of ITREALMS Media group, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke noted that the 16th annual forum began since 2009, which has continued to rally Internet stakeholders to address challenges in Internet Governance, security, and socio-economic impact, focusing on students, youth, women, and community-based organizations.

Focus, this year, he said, was on the Global Digital Compact (GDC), a globally significant UN initiative that demands global effort and urged Nigeria to take lead in this transformation, at least from the African continent.

“The GDC calls us to commit to bridging digital divides, inclusive digital economy, open, safe, and secure digital space; international data governance and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to name a few,” he said.

Nweke also appreciated participation of esteemed speakers, including Dr. Jimson Olufuye, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, Mr. Gbenga Sesan and Mrs. Tinuade Oguntuyi, among others.

NDSF 2025, he said, was hosted in partnership with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) via the African At-Large Regional Organisation (AFRALO), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Internet Society Nigeria chapter, NLNG, NNPCL, Digital Realty, and Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), among others.

The platform will be natively deployed at Digital Realty’s LOS1 and LOS2 facilities in Lagos, ensuring low-latency, high-performance connectivity for enterprises in the region and beyond.

This strategic expansion reinforces Digital Realty‘s commitment to enabling seamless global interconnectivity for businesses, providing enterprise customers in Nigeria with the ability to connect whenever, wherever, and to whoever they need to.

The presence of ServiceFabric in Lagos will support the growing demand for hybrid IT and multi-cloud connectivity, empowering businesses with a secure, software-defined interconnection platform.

As part of Digital Realty’s broader vision to support digital transformation across Africa, this deployment is a significant step in an ongoing ServiceFabric expansion across the continent. Future rollouts are planned to bring additional access points across Africa, enabling enterprises to interconnect with partners, clouds, and networks seamlessly.

The timing of this deployment aligns with a surge in digital activity across Africa. The continent’s digital transformation market is projected to grow from approximately USD 23 billion in 2024 to USD 46 billion by 2029, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15%, underscoring the accelerating demand for advanced connectivity solutions.

In Nigeria specifically, national initiatives such as the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) program and the Broadband Alliance reflect strong government support for enhancing digital skills and infrastructure – further highlighting the country’s critical role in Africa’s digital future.

“The launch of ServiceFabric in Nigeria marks a significant milestone in our mission to build a truly globally connected digital economy,” said Chris Sharp, chief technology officer, Digital Realty. “By deploying ServiceFabric natively in our Lagos facilities, we are ensuring businesses in Nigeria have access to the same best-in-class interconnection capabilities as enterprises in major digital hubs around the world.”

Explaining further, Engineer Ikechukwu Nnamani, the managing director, Digital Realty Nigeria, stated the launch of ServiceFabric in Nigeria is a direct response to the call by the Federal Government towards availability of global infrastructure in the country thereby enhancing localization of content and bringing global platforms into the Nigerian ICT ecosystem.

By a direct connectivity into the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), the IXPN will be able to peer with other global exchanges thereby enhancing the quality of service delivery to Nigerian companies and service providers.

ServiceFabric is already available natively in more than 160 Digital Realty facilities and over 500 third-party facilities through strategic partnerships, including with Megaport and the recent collaboration with Console Connect.

These partnerships help extend the reach of the platform, providing enterprises with a truly global, interconnected ecosystem.

ServiceFabric is a next-generation interconnection solution designed to simplify and streamline connectivity between enterprises, cloud providers, and network partners.

With integration points to Digital Realty’s Private AI Exchange (AIPx), it also paves the way for secure and efficient AI workload connectivity, further future-proofing enterprise infrastructure.

Key benefits include:

• Seamless multi-cloud connectivity – direct, secure access to major cloud providers with access to more than 280 cloud on-ramps globally, ensuring optimized performance and security.
• Global reach, local performance – enterprises in Nigeria can connect with business partners and digital services across PlatformDIGITAL, Digital Realty’s global data center platform consisting of 300+ facilities across 50+ cities in 25+ countries.
• Scalability & flexibility – businesses can scale their interconnection needs on demand, adapting to changing IT and network requirements.
• Enhanced security & reliability – a private, software-defined platform that reduces exposure to public internet risks and improves network resiliency.

Ugwuanyi explained the importance of understanding Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) to appreciate the role that these infrastructures play in the tech space.

He stated: “Before we look at the role of IXPN to the ecosystem, I think it’s prudent for us to very briefly look at what an Internet Exchange Point is. Let’s imagine a region, say Lagos, and in this particular region, there’s just one service provider.”

This background, he explained, is essential for understanding the nuances of network communications.

The Function of IXPs in the DNS Industry

Still speaking at the Tech Convergence 1.0, Ugwuanyi delved into the technical details of how IXPs work, noting how they impact the efficiency of DNS operations.

The Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, for example, connects over 128 networks, and its average traffic reaches over 800 Gbps. 

IXPN operates in all major data centres across Nigeria, including ICNL, Digital Realty, Rack Centre, MDXi, Cloud Exchange, ADC, and OADC. Added to this, IXPN has points of presence in Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and Delta.

“The Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, before we delve into the roles it plays, connects over 128 networks, with average traffic exceeding 800 Gbps. We are present in all of the major data centres in Lagos, including ICNL Digital, formerly medallion, Rack Centre, MDXI, Cloud Exchange, ADC, and OADC. We also have other points of presence in Abuja, Kano, Enugu, and Delta.”

Ugwuanyi explained the important role that IXPs play in reducing latency in network communications, which is essential for the efficient functioning of the DNS infrastructure. He illustrated this by comparing the latency between networks connected to IXPN and those that rely on submarine cables.

“For connection to IXPN, all these networks can reach each other at less than one millisecond. The average time to reach these DNS servers is less than one millisecond, as opposed to going through submarine cables, which takes no less than 90 to 100 milliseconds.”

This improvement in speed ascertains the effectiveness of IXPs in reducing latency, which is essential for faster, more reliable internet access, especially for DNS resolutions.

The Economic Benefits of IXPs

Ugwuanyi also emphasised the economic advantages of using IXPs. He explained that on average, most ISPs exchange 50-60% of their traffic at IXPN. This has a significant impact on cost savings for service providers.

“On average, most of the members exchange 50 to 60% of their traffic at IXPN. What this means is that 50-60% of a typical ISP’s traffic goes through the exchange point.”

He used Lagos as an example to highlight the difference in cost between using IXPN for local traffic versus using international transit. 

For instance, a one Gbps connection at IXPN costs around N200,000, while the cost for a similar connection using international transit is much higher, often around N1.2 million after negotiation. The cost difference is obvious, and it shows the economic benefits of localising traffic.

“If you look at the cost of a one Gbps transit, you’re looking at N1.2 million if you negotiate very well. The cost of the same one Mbps connection to IXPN is N200,000, which is a significant saving for providers.”

Outside Lagos, the cost of international transit increases drastically, which further stresses the economic advantage of using IXPs.

“One of our members in Ibadan told me that one Gbps transit connection costs almost N4 million there. So you can see how the reduction in cost of operation is quite significant.”

Enhancing Security and Compliance

Another key aspect of IXPs is their role in enhancing the security and compliance of internet traffic. By localising internet traffic, IXPs reduce the number of intermediaries involved in data transmission, thereby decreasing the exposure to potential attacks. Ugwuanyi explained:

“If the traffic is local, there are fewer players who can intercept and attack the traffic. It also reduces the exposure to attacks like Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), which is a significant threat when traffic passes through multiple providers and hubs.”

He also discussed how IXPs help with data localisation and compliance with regional regulations. In Nigeria, some laws prevent operators from storing user data outside the country, and IXPs help ensure compliance with such data localisation laws.

“Nigeria has some data localisation laws and policies. For example, operators are prevented from keeping their user data outside Nigeria. An IXP would facilitate and make it possible for players to comply with these regulations.”

Ugwuanyi stressed the importance of IXPs in the tech space, in terms of improving network performance and also reducing costs and enhancing security.

He noted that IXPs help in improving the efficiency, affordability, and security of internet services, making them an essential part of the technological infrastructure in Nigeria and beyond.

“The reduction in cost of operation and improved network performance provided by IXPs is precise. In Lagos, for example, the difference between using IXPN and international transit is very noticeable. The role of IXPs in improving connectivity and reducing costs is undeniable.”

Set to take place at Oriential Hotels, Lekki Road, Lagos, Nigeria, on Thursday November-07-2024, AfriTECH 4.0 is Africa’s premier technology and innovation conference, uniting industry leaders, innovators, policymakers, and tech enthusiasts from across the continent.

The theme for AfriTECH 4.0, “Leapfrogging Digital Transformation for Future of Africa’s Economy,” reflects the urgent need to harness technology for sustainable development across the region.

This year’s sponsors include major players in ecommerce (Direct Selling), telecommunications, artificial intelligence/blockchain technology, finance/digital assets, and cybersecurity, each recognized for their contributions to shaping Africa’s digital economy.

Official Sponsors of AfriTECH 4.0:

QNET – GOLD SPONSOR

QNET is a prominent lifestyle and wellness company that uses a direct selling business model to offer a wide selection of exclusive products that enable individuals to embrace a healthier, more balanced life.

Since 1998, QNET’s innovative products and e-commerce-driven business model have helped build a global community of satisfied customers and microentrepreneurs, who are driven by the mission of RYTHM – Raise Yourself To Help Mankind.

Popular product brands offered by QNET include the Bernhard H. Mayer range of luxury watches and jewellery, HomePure range of home care products, the Amezcua wellness range, Physio Radiance personal care range, and QVI branded holiday packages.

QNET proudly holds memberships in the Direct Selling Association in several countries, the Hong Kong Health Food Association, the Health Supplements Industry Association of Singapore, and more. QNET is also active in several global sports sponsorships including in its role as the official direct selling partner of the Manchester City Football Club and the Confederation of African Football (CAF), underscoring its commitment to excellence and global reach.

Galaxy Backbone

Galaxy Backbone was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria to operate a nationwide IP-based network that will provide a common platform for connectivity and other infrastructure services for all Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Galaxy Backbone currently owns and operates a 1482Km optical fibre backbone from Abuja across 13 states of the federation, with 19 more states coming. They also own and operate a 375km metro optical fibre network covering Abuja and other parts of the FCT.

As one of the telecommunications services provider in Africa, Galaxy Backbone’s sponsorship underlines the importance of robust connectivity infrastructure in driving digital transformation. GBB will showcase its innovative services and network solutions designed to empower businesses and individuals across Africa.

Digital Realty (Nigeria)

Digital Realty Nigeria is a data center operator that offers colocation, interconnection, and data center solutions.

As part of Digital Realty, a global data center provider with over 300 facilities in more than 25 countries, Digital Realty Nigeria offers secure and scalable infrastructure, access to undersea cables, and carriers to connect to Europe and the Mediterranean.

Digital Realty Nigeria has a data center in Lagos, Nigeria, called LOS1, located at 8A Saka Tinubu Street, Victoria Island. Digital Realty Nigeria also has a data center in the Lekki area of Lagos, and plans for a fourth campus in the Ikeja area.

Hyperspace Technologies

Hyperspace Technologies is a Lagos-based web3 startup that offers web solutions, including websites, web applications, branding, marketing, and hosting. The company also has a focus on security, with a patented product called cipherKEY tap2sign MFA that uses blockchain, public/private key cryptography, and NFC (Near Field Communication) technology to protect against identity theft, phishing, and social engineering.

Open Access Data Centres (OADC)

With the development of Africa’s digital economy a significant driving force for the continent’s economic growth, the launch of Open Access Data Centres (OADC) represents a major milestone for Africa: a US$500 million-plus, multi-year investment programme that will strengthen key elements of the continent’s digital infrastructure.

OADC has made a significant impact on the market in terms of its rapid speed in building a network of data centres and flexible client solutions. Learn more about OADC at AfriTECh 4.0.

Honourable Mentions: Several other sponsors and ecosystem partners, including leading tech startups and industry associations, are contributing to the success of AfriTECH 4.0, ensuring the event delivers on its promise to be a dynamic platform for networking, collaboration, and thought leadership.

They include, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Digital Encode Limited, Tecom, Northsnow, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), AfriGoPay Financial Services Limited, Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), Cyberchain, Lagos Blockchain Week, InnovationBed Africa, amongst others.

AfriTECH 4.0 will feature keynote speeches, interactive panel discussions, workshops, and exhibitions, focusing on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, fintech, cybersecurity, and digital infrastructure.

This year’s sponsors will take center stage to share their insights and offer practical solutions to the challenges facing Africa’s digital economy.

Speaking on the sponsorships, Chike Onwuegbuchi, co-convener, and AfriTECH 4.0 Organizing Committee Chairman, said:

“We are excited to have such a strong group of sponsors onboard for AfriTECH 4.0. These organizations are not only leaders in their respective fields but also catalysts for change in Africa’s digital ecosystem. Their support underscores the importance of collaboration in shaping Africa’s digital future.”

AfriTECH 4.0 is expected to draw hundreds of attendees, including government representatives, business executives, technology experts, and innovators from across the continent and beyond. With the support of its sponsors, AfriTECH 4.0 is set to be a landmark event, driving conversations and initiatives that will propel Africa’s digital economy to new heights.

For more information about AfriTECH 4.0, including sponsorship opportunities, visit the website.

Participation is free, but you are required to register via the link here.

AfriTECH 4.0 in partnership with Techeconomy also enlisted the support of esteemed media platforms such as: Nigeria CommunicationsWeek, ITPulse.com.ng, DigiVation Network (AIT), Ravenewsonline, Techbuild.Africa, TechTrends.Africa, TechTv, TechLifeWithUgo, GrassRoots.ng, ITNews.ng, Tech and Business News, BusinessRemarks, ITRealms, DigitalTimesng.com, TechnologyMirror, CyberEra, Businessmetrics, SwiftReporters and Hyperscalers Africa Media.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the Executive Committee of the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters’ Association (NITRA) as a fall out of the Association’s ICT Growth Conference with the theme “Impact of AI On National Development: Prospects, Policies, and Challenges in Nigeria”, Nnamani noted that people developing ethical solutions for AI are few compared to people producing non-ethical solutions, but have come to take advantage and make money.

Nnamani explained that this trend is not peculiar to Nigeria, but also the reason most developed countries are seeking ways to regulate AI as soon as possible.

“Even the U.S. have a major effort, both in their congress as well as the Executive, to ensure there is work being done on AI Safety and Best Practices, reason being that some companies or individuals are only looking at AI from the value it adds to them, without thinking of what the consequences for any value is. One start looking at it from an ethical standpoint

U.S. and every other country, their governments are actively involved in creating the right policy, to be sure that it is not abused. But more importantly, to be sure they are able to answer it well.”

While applauding the regulators, he said that on the side of regulation in Nigeria, it is a work in progress. “I don’t even see it is a problem or challenge because to the best on my knowledge AI has not gone too far in its adoption in Nigeria. That means our government, across all areas, need to look back and ask; is there any potential harm from this service or technology? How do we mitigate it? What do we do to stop that harm? And these are things they are doing now by asking people to check things, just to be sure that whatever applications you are running, you are running it ethically.”

Nnamani however allayed fears of unnecessary job less, noting that the advent of AI will further drive up-skilling of Nigerians. “Some have said AI will take jobs away. So, should we stop? Truth is that it is not AI taking anybody’s job away, it is just a case of people needing to be re-trained and find out how to use AI for better efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Also speaking on the state of Data Centers in Nigeria, Nnamani noted that although Nigeria have increased the number of Data Centers operational in the country in the past few years, it is not yet enough to take care of its bourgeoning data and digital economy.

“Some report that was published some years back indicated that Nigeria, as at now, should have at least 600 megawatts of IT load, giving the size of our economy, population, GDP, and what it should be if we are a truly digital economy. Today we have about 30 megawatts. So, you can see the percentage of what we have compared to what we need to have. That is even in terms of the size of IT load which is a metrix we use. Now in terms of quantity, for instance, if you go to a city like Toronto, last time I checked there were over 30 Data Centers in that city.

The reality is that we have not started, we are not even anywhere close to starting, if we really understand what needs to be done to have a truly digital economy.”

He observed that the Data Center sub-sector needs a lot of people with foresight to draw investors and put up infrastructure.

“And then, of course, from the government side, it requires a lot of support. Not just from regulation to extracting income to the regulators, but regulation as actually a way of growth for that industry. Luckily, we have very good regulators who understand this part of the telecom industry, so they are as supportive as can be, but we still need a lot. All these must come together for us to see a fully digital economy, which I believe is the goal of everybody,” he said.

In Lagos, for instance, there is a lot of progress in the build-out of this infrastructure, but you hardly see much in every other State. So, there is still a lot of work that still need to be done. There are still some cross-city services that still need to be run for the overall growth of the economy and social wellbeing of the people that the infrastructure still does not exist,” he said.

Nnamani listed some of the key challenges facing Data Center operation in Nigeria to include Power and FOREX, which he said the Federal Government should do good to tackle.

“The truth is that doing business in Nigeria is challenging. Everybody knows that. And the biggest challenge, probably, is FOREX. Initially, having access to FOREX was the issue. But for us that have access to FOREX, it is how is the FOREX trending? And does it create a measure of stability for you to be able to make business projections. Look at power, for instance. Power that you assume should be available to you if you are a businessperson, you pay for the power and it won’t be delivered,” he concluded.

The NITRA ICT Growth Conference gathered industry stakeholders to discuss the way forward in the deployment and use of AI in the system.

Digital Realty Nigeria, formally known as Medallion Data Centres Limited is a Lagos-based number 1 peering point for the region.

Confirming this, the Lead Consulting Strategist, DigitalSENSE Africa, a project of ITREALMS Media group, Sir Remmy Nweke, said that Engr. Nnamani, the immediate past National President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) would be the guest speaker at the 2024 NDSF on the theme “IG4D: Innovative Digital Economy & Safer Civic Space in Nigeria.”

Nnamani, who was also the former member of the Executive Board cum Treasurer of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA), would join the Executive Director, Media Rights Agenda, and chairman of 2024 NDSF on Internet Governance for Development, Mr. Edetaen Ojo.

Pointing out that the 2024 NDSF on Internet Governance for Development has been confirmed to hold at the prestigious, Welcome Center Hotels, International Airport Road, Lagos by 10am.

Nweke recalled that for over 16 years, Engr. Nnamani has led the Digital Realty datacenter in Lagos, which boosts all submarine cables in the region, long distance providers, metro fiber providers, mobile services providers, fixed services providers, Over-The-Top (OTT) providers, Internet Exchange, Value Added Service (VAS) providers, and global Tier1 service providers, among others.

He pointed out that over 68 per cent of all internet traffic exchanged at the Nigeria Internet Exchange takes place at Digital Realty’s datacenter in Lagos, Nigeria, just as the company recently completed its ultra-modern 1MW IT Load state-of-the-art datacenter called LOS2 in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

Also, Engr. Nnamani is reputed for promoting the establishment of telecom infrastructure in several African countries including Ghana, Togo, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana, and Angola to name a few.