Lagos — the beating heart of Nigeria’s innovation and technology drive — became the centre of national attention this week as it hosted Information and Communications Technology (ICT) commissioners from across the country during GITEX Africa 2025. The gathering, organised as part of Nigeria’s growing partnership with global tech networks, aimed to foster collaboration among states, align digital strategies, and accelerate Nigeria’s transition into a fully digital economy.
The event came at a time when states are actively seeking to strengthen digital governance, create smart cities, and bridge the country’s longstanding technology divide. For Lagos, this was not just another international event — it was an opportunity to showcase leadership, share insights, and reinforce its commitment to driving Nigeria’s digital future.
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Lagos Showcases Leadership in Africa’s Digital Shift
Welcoming participants, Lagos State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Olatunbosun Alake, reaffirmed Lagos’s vision to be Africa’s digital hub and a model for inclusive innovation. He explained that the state’s digital transformation roadmap was built around four pillars — infrastructure, talent development, data governance, and innovation-friendly regulation — each aimed at ensuring that technology becomes a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.
“Lagos has proven that digital investment is not just about fibre cables or startups,” Alake said. “It’s about people — the developers, entrepreneurs, and innovators who are rewriting Nigeria’s future through creativity and technology.”
He highlighted initiatives such as the Lagos Innovation Masterplan, the Lagos Tech Hub Network, and the Eko Digital Academy, which have collectively empowered thousands of young people with employable tech skills. These programmes, he noted, are now inspiring similar models across other states.
For Alake, the success of Lagos should not end at its borders. He urged fellow commissioners to work together in creating inter-state partnerships, enabling smaller states to adopt and adapt scalable digital models.
States Share Achievements — and Challenges
Representatives from Enugu, Cross River, Ekiti, Kaduna, and other states shared updates on their digital initiatives. Enugu’s delegation spoke about its “Smart City and Smart Schools” project, which integrates digital tools into education and municipal management. Cross River’s commissioner discussed the state’s investment in digital literacy and youth innovation centres, describing them as foundations for economic diversification beyond tourism.
Despite these strides, the commissioners openly discussed several shared challenges. A recurring theme was the fragmentation of digital policies across different levels of government. Some states struggle to align with federal ICT priorities, while others face difficulties attracting private investment.
Key barriers identified included:
- Inconsistent policy frameworks between federal and state governments.
- Funding limitations for long-term ICT infrastructure.
- Brain drain of skilled tech workers to foreign markets.
- Limited inter-state knowledge exchange on best practices.
Participants agreed that the lack of structured collaboration often leads to duplicated efforts and slower progress. To address this, they proposed the creation of a National Council of ICT Commissioners, where states can regularly share updates, pool expertise, and jointly design frameworks for inclusive growth.
Policy and Legislative Support to Drive Innovation
A highlight of the session was the discussion around Nigeria’s evolving ICT policy landscape. Federal lawmakers present, including Senator Shuaib Salisu, assured attendees that the National Assembly is working on new bills to strengthen cybersecurity, data privacy, and innovation incentives.
Salisu stressed that for Nigeria to compete globally, state and federal governments must integrate ICT into every facet of governance — from education and healthcare to agriculture and urban planning.
“Technology is no longer a sector. It is an enabler of all sectors,” he remarked. “Our policies must reflect that reality, ensuring that every ministry, from agriculture to health, has a digital backbone.”
Participants also noted that sustainable digital transformation requires political will at all levels. When ICT is treated as a cross-cutting development priority, rather than a standalone department, states are more likely to attract investments, sustain funding, and build institutional continuity across administrations.
A Shared Vision for a Connected Nigeria
By the end of the event, the tone was one of unity and optimism. Commissioners resolved to collaborate more closely on digital inclusion projects, ICT education, and local innovation ecosystems. They called for joint investment in broadband infrastructure, rural connectivity, and tech-enabled public services that reach ordinary Nigerians.
Global partners from the United Arab Emirates, Rwanda, and Kenya, also participating in GITEX Africa, commended Nigeria’s growing digital potential but advised greater coordination between the public and private sectors. They highlighted that countries leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution do so not merely through technology adoption but through coherent national strategies.
For Nigeria, the next steps will involve turning the conversations in Lagos into actionable policies and measurable outcomes. The shared goal, as several delegates put it, is not just to “catch up” but to lead Africa’s digital economy through innovation that reflects Nigeria’s diversity, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit.
As Olatunbosun Alake summed up:
“Our digital future must be inclusive, indigenous, and interconnected. From Lagos to Enugu, from Kano to Cross River, every state must find its digital voice — and together, we’ll speak the language of progress.”
With Lagos taking the lead in convening and inspiring this new digital alliance, Nigeria’s march toward a smarter, more connected future appears to have gained fresh momentum — one state at a time.
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