The Summit in its 7th year is an annual event that brings together stakeholders from different sectors of Nigeria’s economy, governments, investors, policymakers, and players in the tech and innovation ecosystem to discuss ground-breaking ideas, trends, and opportunities to innovate solutions that solve unique challenges within Nigeria, and the African continent at large.

This year’s Summit was a one-week event dedicated to promoting innovation in all sectors of the economy in Nigeria.

The highlights of the summit were the Nigeria Innovations Experience Talks (NiX Talks) featuring innovators in different fields and subsets of Nigeria’s economy who showcased their innovations; the novel Innovation Tour to highly innovative organizations and experience centers to deepen the conversation and relationship with those bringing true innovation and disruption into the Nigerian innovation ecosystem.

Other features were fireside chats, panel discussions/interactive session’s innovative showcases and exhibitions, and keynote presentations which Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, the EVC, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi DG, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) delivered.

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We also had expert insights on emerging technologies and new technologies unveiling. Some of the speakers and panellists include Deepankar Rustagi, Founder, OmniBiz Africa; Ayodeji Balogun, CEO of AFEX; Lanre Ogungbe, CEO IdentityPass; Kenneth Okolie, CEO of SYNLAB Nigeria; Olamidun Majekodunmi – Country Director, Nexford University; Oyin Johnson – Senior Legal & Compliance Counsel, The Room; Victoria Fabunmi – Head of Investments, Growth Capital Fund by CcHub; Greene Apaokagi Maryam (Taaooma), a comedian & content creator; Mark Slade, Co-Founder of Jara Resort, and others.

The crowning of the Nigerian Innovation Summit (NIS) 2022, was the Nigeria Innovation Awards Night (NIAN) 2022. The Nigeria Innovation Awards recognises and awards key innovators at the forefront of the Nigerian Innovation landscape, as well as disruptors bringing positive and empirical impacts as well as progressive solutions to unique challenges.

The submissions from the 2022 NIS Awards prove that there is a need to build innovative business solutions, and develop an ecosystem in Nigeria across all sectors to drive innovation by promoting local content development, and locally-relevant technological solutions to impact significantly on the socio-economic development of Nigeria so that local innovation can solve local issues.

Of the hundreds nominated for the Nigerian Innovation Awards 2022, only eight organisations and individuals emerged as worthy recipients of this year’s awards, given their impressive track record of innovatively tackling problems and measurable impacts in keeping the Nigerian innovation landscape sustainable, and have embraced innovation to move Nigeria forward through their works. And for the first time, individuals showcasing creative and innovative works in technology, art, and entertainment were recognised.

The 2022 NIAN awardees include Emergency Response Africa, Innovating in Healthcare Emergencies in Africa; Mr. Macaroni, Innovating in Entertainment; Omnibiz Africa, Innovating in B2B Retail Commerce; Pakam Technology Limited, Innovating in Waste Management in Nigeria; Space Finish, Innovating Workspaces of the Future; Quadloop, Innovating Renewable Energy; PWC Nigeria, Special Recognition for applying emerging technologies to build innovative indigenous solutions.

The Nigeria Innovation Summit 2022 had in participation delegates from government agencies, diplomats, academic communities and research institutes, international organisations, investors, innovators, business/thought leaders, innovators, startups and students.

This year’s Summit received huge support from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA); Microsoft Nigeria; The Nest; Union Bank; Nexford University; DoChase; PwC as partners, and was sponsored by IdentityPass, Omnibiz Africa, Synlab, The Room, AFEX, Bitmama, and KuCoin.

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In effect, the indigenization of technologies helps to address the incessant dependence on foreign products and services which has a negative impact on the country’s economy.

The DG stated this today in his address to guests at the Nigeria Innovation Summit (#NIS2022), held in Lagos.  

These innovation hubs, he said, are providing a research environment for creativity, idea integration and collaborative environment, and development of ICT policies, processes, and strategies, while also serving as innovation linkage between the government, industry, and academia.

The DG who spoke through Engineer Salisu Kaka, the Director, Digital Economy at NITDA, said, in this regard, the Agency has established over 1,500 IT centres across the country and equipped them with facilities where thousands of Nigerians are gaining basic computer skills to develop analytic perspectives, launch their own businesses across the country and become potential employers of labour, rather than just employees.

He said that to further enhance the IT capacity of citizens, NITDA has established and equipped hundreds of IT Hubs and IT Parks with world-class facilities across the states of the federation.

“In a demonstration of its role as regulator and developer of the IT sector, NITDA has initiated the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (TIES) Scheme aimed to bridge the skills gap by supporting innovative startups with workspace vouchers and seed funding. Another initiative of the Agency is the HIVE, which was conceptualized to collaborate with the CBN and establish entrepreneurial centres for capacity building in universities and other tertiary institutions.

“The Agency has consistently nurtured and promoted strategic engagement and provided support for techpreneurs, startups, IT hubs, and ecosystem builders through Nigeria’s ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship Vision (NIIEV). We are helping to expose our youth to the vast opportunities for job generation and wealth creation that tech innovation and entrepreneurship have to offer.

“Most importantly our role as a regulator is firmly rooted on a pedestal of strategic and open engagement with stakeholders across the Nigerian tech innovation landscape”.

He also told the gathering at #NIS2022 that NITDA’s regulations are co-created with significant contributions and input from all stakeholders towards providing enabling environment for growth, attraction, and protection of investment in the sector.

“NITDA’s programmes have also created employment for Nigerian youths.

“As a development-focused regulator, we are committed to advancing new technologies and innovations that will have a widespread impact across business, industry, and economic growth in Nigeria through the promotion of strategic partnerships with local and international entities to develop and safeguard the well-being of the indigenous content. We have continued to demonstrate this commitment in every initiative we embark on by ensuring robust and widespread engagement with all players in the Nigerian tech environment.

Nigerian Startup Bill:

“For instance, the Nigerian Startup Bill which became a reality through the collaborative efforts of all relevant private and public players will help institutionalize legal frameworks that will enhance the sustainable growth of startups in the country.

“When eventually signed into law by the President, this piece of transformational legislation will further strengthen the relationship between regulatory bodies and startups for the overall development of the digital economy.

“With the sustained implementation of our various programmes and initiatives, through our subsidiaries, NITDA remains committed to forging stronger collaborations with relevant stakeholders within the tech innovation ecosystem towards entrenching an enabling environment driven by innovation, entrepreneurship, and excellence for our young innovators to thrive. 

“We are of the firm belief that consistency in pushing the frontiers of innovation, development of human capital, and strategic engagement between the private and public sectors are crucial for building a Nigeria where innovation drives the way we live and do things. This is a call for us all to reimagine the implications of our actions and inactions on the progress and stability of the tech innovation ecosystem.

“While assuring you of our unwavering resolve to actualize a Digital Nigeria Agenda in all ramifications and to ensure Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global tech innovation and entrepreneurship space, I would like to appreciate the organizers for giving me the opportunity to highlight a few areas where NITDA is impacting the growth of our economy through its successful implementation of its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan.

He also lauded the organisers of #NIS2022 for bringing together under one roof the greatest collection of resourceful individuals from the academic community, government, and industry to brainstorm and proffer new ideas to propel the digital transformation journey.

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