Lagos is cementing its status as Africa’s premier innovation hub, drawing sustained interest from foreign investors and global technology leaders following the successful conclusion of GITEX Nigeria, the continent’s largest tech and startup exhibition.
The event showcased Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital ecosystem, attracting international investors, tech executives, and policymakers eager to tap into one of Africa’s most dynamic innovation economies.
“Lagos is a mega high-speed technology testbed — dense, diverse, and demanding,” said Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Dubai World Trade Centre and CEO of KAOUN International, the organizers of GITEX Nigeria. “SMEs, startups, and entrepreneurs here succeed not through conventional models, but through necessity-driven innovation and sheer resilience.”
Despite persistent challenges such as power instability, currency volatility, and developing infrastructure, Lagos continues to outpace other African cities in tech investment. According to government data, the city attracted over $6 billion in foreign tech investment between 2019 and 2024, accounting for more than 70% of Nigeria’s total digital inflows.
This growth is being supported by expanding digital infrastructure, including hyperscale data centres and extensive fibre-optic networks, positioning Lagos not only as Nigeria’s commercial capital but as a continental benchmark for technological advancement.
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has reinforced its commitment to the region, having invested over $6 billion in Africa’s digital infrastructure over the past decade. In Lagos, the IFC-backed Rack Centre is pioneering green data facility standards, combining sustainability with high-performance computing.
“Infrastructure is the foundation, but entrepreneurship is the engine,” said Dahlia Khalifa, IFC’s Regional Director for Central Africa and Anglophone West Africa. “To unlock Africa’s digital future, we need reliable broadband, robust data centres, and modern connectivity. The IFC is mobilising capital at scale to make this a reality.”
At the Lagos leg of the event, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu positioned the city as “Africa’s innovation nerve centre and a launchpad for Africa’s tomorrow.” He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to building a data-driven administration, where real-time insights shape public policy and inclusive digital access empowers citizens.
“Governance in the 21st century must be digital, inclusive, and data-driven,” Sanwo-Olu stated during the opening ceremony at the Eko Hotel Convention Centre.
The GITEX Nigeria Tech Expo & Future Economy Conference, held alongside the Startup Festival at Landmark Centre, brought together global and local stakeholders to explore Africa’s digital trajectory. Key themes included artificial intelligence, financial inclusion, cybersecurity, and the critical role of public-private partnerships in enabling sustainable digital transformation.
Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, emphasized that the digital economy extends far beyond apps and platforms. “It’s about technical efficiency, productivity gains, and transforming entire sectors — from agriculture to healthcare,” he said, linking the vision to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places digital innovation at the heart of national development and inclusive growth.
Kashifu Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), hailed Lagos as a “factory of unicorns,” attributing its success to a culture of resilience. “In Lagos, innovation doesn’t wait for infrastructure — it creates solutions despite it,” he said. “Elsewhere, capital drives innovation. Here, we innovate because we have no choice.”
Supported by global partners including AWS, Cisco, IFC, and Kaspersky, GITEX Nigeria underscored the rising confidence in Nigeria’s startup ecosystem and the pivotal role Lagos plays in shaping Africa’s digital future.
As venture capital flows increase and global tech giants expand their presence, Lagos is no longer just a regional contender — it’s emerging as a global innovation hub where African solutions are tested, refined, and scaled for the world.
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