Held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, the session attracted the largest audience of the event’s opening day, setting the tone for three days of intensive engagement, learning, and strategic collaboration.

The fireside chat, moderated by Dr. Agabi, one of Africa’s most decorated ICT journalists, focused on the rising importance of data sovereignty, a theme that resonated deeply with policymakers, innovators, and technology stakeholders seeking to secure Nigeria’s place in the global digital economy.

The session formed a key part of the main event, which also featured remarks from Vice President Kashim Shettima, and Dr. Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, both of whom underscored the urgency of building a resilient and inclusive digital future for Nigeria.

A Conference Seen as a Turning Point

Described by many as a “game changer,” Digital Nigeria 2025 brought together over 4,800 participants from 12 countries and 25 Nigerian states, a reflection of its growing influence as the nation’s premier technology convergence point.

With the theme “Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Future: Accelerating Growth, Inclusion, and Global Competitiveness,” the conference aligned directly with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes digitalisation, industrialisation, and innovation as catalysts for economic diversification.

Key Highlights from Digital Nigeria 2025

• Unlocking Digital Economy Potential
  Vice President Kashim Shettima described Nigeria’s digital economy as the nation’s “second chance at global relevance,” noting that the ICT sector already contributes 16–18% to Nigeria’s GDP.
• Empowering the Next Generation
  NITDA DG Kashifu Inuwa challenged young Nigerians to take the lead in shaping Africa’s digital transformation, describing the country’s youthful, tech-savvy population as its strongest strategic asset.
• Scaling Digital Infrastructure
  The government unveiled plans to deploy 4,000 new telecom towers, connect 20 million additional Nigerians, and ramp up investments in artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure, and data frameworks.
• Strengthening Digital Governance
  The National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill, now progressing through the National Assembly, seeks to create a unified legal architecture for digital governance, cybersecurity, data protection, and electronic transactions.

A Robust Multi-Track Knowledge Exchange

This year’s conference delivered:

• 12 keynote sessions
• 23 panel discussions
• 5 workshops
• 2 expert masterclasses

These were organised across five thematic tracks:

1. Digital Connectivity
2. Digital Public Infrastructure and Trust
3. Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Technologies
4. Digital Trade and Innovation
5. Digital Skills and Literacy

Dr. Bayero Agabi: A Veteran at the Forefront of Africa’s Digital Story

The fireside chat host, Dr. Bayero Agabi is widely recognized as one of Africa’s leading ICT journalists and advocates.

With over 154 national and international awards, he remains the only African journalist to win the UNECA/AISI Award for balanced reporting and research.

Dr. Agabi is the vice president, Nigeria Internet Group; president, Centre for Cyber Awareness and Development (CECAD); founder of Digivation Network, Nigeria’s first ICT TV programme; chairman, Green Summit Africa; author of Nigeria Digital Heroes and The Nigeria Digital Promise: A Bridge Yet to Cross, and publisher of Cyber Africa Magazine and Enterprise Africa Magazine

His leadership and industry pedigree brought depth and clarity to the conversation on data sovereignty, one of the most pressing issues for Nigeria’s emerging digital economy.

The endorsement came during a recent audience with Dr. Agabi in the Minister’s Abuja office.

Minister Momoh emphasized that his endorsement stems from the book’s comprehensive chronicling of Nigeria’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry, tracing its development and evolution from the post-independence era to the present day.

Dr. Agabi, a prominent Nigerian ICT pioneer and broadcast journalist, explained that “The Nigeria Digital Heroes” is the first book in Nigeria to provide such a detailed historical account of the nation’s ICT journey.

He highlighted that the publication features the efforts of Nigeria’s first governor to introduce computers into governance, as well as recognizing notable Nigerians, innovators, and policymakers who have significantly shaped the industry since 1999.

“The Nigeria Digital Heroes” (2025) reflects Dr. Agabi’s deep understanding and involvement in Nigeria’s digital transformation, covering policy, culture, and technological innovation.

His extensive fellowships and memberships, including NCS, FIIM, FIMC, NIPR, and IDPM, further underscore his expertise.

He is also the organizer of significant events like the DigiVation Future Summit, Nigeria Digital Innovation Conference, and Cyber Nigeria Forum, and frequently moderates and speaks at key discussions on building trust in the digital space.

This endorsement by a key government official is expected to bring significant attention to “The Nigeria Digital Heroes” and its valuable insights into Nigeria’s digital landscape.

About the Author: Dr. Bayero Agabi

Dr. Bayero Agabi boasts a distinguished career spanning over 25 years in the ICT sector, marked by numerous achievements and contributions:

• He launched AIT Infotech Network, a leading African TV program dedicated to information technology, earning him recognition as Nigeria’s top ICT broadcaster.
• Dr. Agabi is the only African to have twice received the UNECA/AISI ICT4D Award for excellence in ICT reporting.
• Commonwealth University conferred an honorary doctorate upon him in recognition of his outstanding service to ICT in Africa.
• In 2022, he was honored as the Digital Influencer of the Year by Hi-Tech Centre Abuja for his significant contributions to digital literacy.
• He is widely recognized by Young Innovators of Nigeria for his influence in shaping ICT policy.
• Dr. Agabi serves on critical national bodies including the Presidential Committee on Data Harmonization, the National Broadband Council, and the Senate Cybersecurity Advisory Group. He is also the Vice-President of the Nigeria Internet Group (NIG) and President of the Centre for Cyber Awareness and Development (CECAD), where he is a vocal advocate for cyber sanity and responsible digital use.

He made this call while speaking at a recent conference in Abuja, underscoring the critical imperative for enhanced cyber awareness and the cultivation of responsibility at every echelon of governance and within the broader populace.

“We need to encourage Internet users to take cyber responsibility at the local, regional, national, and international levels. This can be done through advocacy and public education,” he said.

Bayero’s address comes at a crucial juncture as Nigeria’s digital footprint expands rapidly, bringing with it an escalating urgency for robust cyber awareness.

As of today, Nigeria faces a growing tide of cyber threats, ranging from sophisticated hacking attempts and deceptive phishing schemes to pervasive online harassment, all posing substantial dangers to individuals, businesses, and the overall stability of Nigeria’s economy.

He believes that achieving cyber sanity necessitates a unified and concerted effort involving all stakeholders, encompassing government bodies, private enterprises, and civil society organizations.

Meanwhile, in his speech, he made key recommendations to foster a more secure and responsible digital environment in Nigeria.

Such recommendations include increasing cyber awareness, encouraging responsible behaviour, strengthening cybersecurity infrastructure and developing effective policies.

In a strong call to action, Dr. Agabi also urged the Nigerian government and the National Assembly to prioritize the integration of cyber awareness and responsibilities at all levels of their operations and within the wider society.

He highlighted the vital role of effective communication and sustained advocacy in shaping public attitudes and behaviours within the digital realm.

He was awarded the prestigious “Public Policy Leadership in ICT Award” at the Young Innovators of Nigeria (YIN) 10th Anniversary Dinner/Award Ceremony in Abuja last week.

The award, presented last week in Abuja, acknowledged Dr. Agabi’s pivotal role in driving the development of Nigeria’s technology ecosystem. His expertise and insights have been instrumental in shaping policies that have fostered innovation and growth in the ICT sector.

In his acceptance speech, Dr. Bayero Agabi expressed his gratitude for the recognition and emphasized the importance of continued collaboration between government, industry, and academia to advance ICT development in Nigeria.

“This award is not just for me but for all those who have worked tirelessly to promote ICT in Nigeria,” he said.

The Young Innovators of Nigeria, a leading organization dedicated to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship, organized the event to celebrate its 10th anniversary and honour individuals and organizations making significant contributions to the tech industry.

In addition to Dr. Agabi, several other recipients were recognized for their achievements in various fields of ICT.

He stressed this in his welcome address at the Digivation Future Summit 2024, themed: “Governance, Innovation, People and Future Economy” which was held in Lagos on Thursday.

In his statement, Dr Agabi drew attention to what he called ‘social media influence on Africa and whether it should be moderated or regulated.’

He explained that we have all seen the impacts and effects of social media becoming a platform for Africans to demystify her dark continent narrative, empowering thousands through its economics, creating jobs for many and opening many to the world.

Despite its huge advantages, Dr Agabi pinpointed the hazards in closing our eyes to the ills of social media which has proven to be the best time-wasting platform, creating anti-social generation and negatively influencing Africa’s culture.

On this, he said, ‘I will state that its time for Nigeria to moderate her social media space. If this is not done, give it a short time and the social media space will regulate our lives. From our food, values, culture and governance, social media will regulate us if we don’t manage it now.’ he warned.

Dr Agabi explained that the event also features Africa’s premier and most iconic Enterprise and digital award AFRICA DIGITAL and ENTERPRISE AWARD, which is for deserving individuals, organizations and initiatives driving Africa’s development both in the public and private sectors.

‘DigiVation Global Network, the parent organization, has organized events across Africa, the Middle East and also partnered major events in Europe and America. DIGIVATION also organizes Nigerian Women Digital Conference which is a program for women and girls.’ he disclosed.

However, the Executive Secretary/CEO, National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO), Otunba Abiodun Ajiboye called Nigerians to preserve the Nation’s cultural identity while leveraging digital technology, during the presentation of his keynote speech at the event.

Otunba Biodun’s speech titled: “Preserving Cultural Identity in the Digital Age: Navigating Globalization and Technology in Nigeria” expressed that the transformation of our value systems and languages in Nigeria has been significantly influenced by globalization, a process that began with British colonialism.

He stated, ‘Our legal system, for instance, is a reflection of this colonial legacy. The laws we abide by are rooted in British norms, not reflective of our indigenous cultures. We must ask ourselves: How did countries like China, India and even Japan, who were also colonized or conquered, manage to lead the technological revolution without losing their cultural identities?’ he said.

To counter this, the NICO boss highlighted that Nigerians must consciously revive their original cultural values, ensuring that they define their institutions and guide the future of content creation in Nigeria. Also, that Digital technology should be harnessed to enhance cultural development and preservation, promoting innovation that aligns with the country’s traditions and practices.

Otunba reiterated NICO’s mission in exploring the connections between culture and technology. ‘We are committed to developing technological content within the context of our diverse cultures, paving the way for socio-economic growth across sectors.’ he said.

He further noted that Embracing globalization and digital technology does not mean abandoning the Nigerian cultural values. ‘On the contrary, it means reworking our engagement with globalization and using technology to advance our cultural heritage,’ he added.

While speaking to press men, Mr Yemi Solade, a veteran actor and panelist at the summit,  submitted that the invasion of technology has made everyone a part of the media.

He cited how social media can earn a person a job, Fame and skills overnight through content creations and the likes. Even in the movie industry, Mr Yemi examined how the days of manual marketing became eroded and movies are now being marketed personally through the aid of social media.

He expressed, ‘The future economy is here and only driven by the youths. The old generation has to open up to learn from the GenZs. Nigerians are no longer waiting for the government. We started Nollywood in 1918 without Government assistance and today it’s part of the highest employer of labor in the country. The youths of Nigeria should be applauded, though some are just mentally lazy.

He continued, ‘My fear is the erosion of culture as being engineered by the GenZs, most of them lack respect for elders, for constituted authorities, for royalties and even for clergies,” Mr Solade stated.

He blamed the attitude decadence of Youths on the family unit, especially for parents who do not have tangible time for parenting their wards.

Notwithstanding, Mr Solade appraised and encouraged youths who have used Social Media to become better persons and urged others who are not getting it right to learn from those who are getting it right.

Intimating the Minister of his emergence, the Editor in-Chief, Hilary Damissah, praised the efforts and initiatives of the Minister and the gains recorded which according to him have given Nigeria some competitive bargain in the innovation and Information Communications industry.

He added that “Pantami choice was based on his unparalleled leadership in growing the Nigerian digital enterprise and innovation”.

Dr Bayero Agabi, the president and chairman of DigiVation Editorial Board, highlighted that the Minister has demonstrated leadership and commitment to repositioning the Nigeria digital economy sector to now become the poster boy of the economy.

In his response, Prof. Pantami, the Minister, expressed his gratitude to the Management of DigiVation Global Network and the organisation’s contributions to nation building.

He assured that the recognition will further spur him and his team to continue to do better. The award instituted four years ago has had four  previous winners with the first being Austin Okere founder Computer Warehouse Group, followed by Dr Akwasi Agyeman Executive Director/CEO, Ghana Tourism Authority, while from East Africa the only woman to have won it was Rwanda’s Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire and for 2021, DigiVation Global Network announced the award winner as Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Ali Patami as the DigiVation Man of the Year.

Accordingly to the foremost IT media organisation, the emergence of the relentless Pantami was arrived at through a rigorous research process carried out by our team of reporters and industry stakeholders to name him as the eventual winner.

Digivation Global Network is a multimedia organization with interest in content production, events across Africa, Europe and America.

DigiVation has also huge online media presence, radio and television with well over 100 awards.

It’s the only media and tech outfit to have won the prestigious United Nations Economic Commission for Africa/Africa Information Society Merit Award twice for balance report and research.