By Joy Onuorah
At GITEX Africa 2025 in Morocco, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, delivered a bold and exciting call to action: “Invest in Nigeria’s digital future.”
Inuwa addressed global tech leaders, investors, and startups at the GITEX Breakfast Meeting, painting a compelling picture of Nigeria’s digital economy, a space bursting with youth-driven innovation, talent, and limitless opportunity.
“Nigeria is a country with a large, youthful, innovative, creative, and highly competent workforce, where startups and scale-ups can continuously thrive, and where entrepreneurial spirit and technological advancement shape and create the landscape,” he said.
With over 70% of Nigerians under the age of 25, the country boasts one of the world’s youngest populations.
This gives it a unique edge in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, especially in tech and innovation.
Inuwa stressed that the Nigerian government is not sitting on the sidelines.
Instead, it’s investing heavily in infrastructure, pushing for digital sovereignty, and embedding digital skills into the education system.
“The president is also bullish about building our digital infrastructure and wants to establish our digital sovereignty, providing a platform for our citizens to develop digital offerings that Nigeria can take to the world,” he shared.
This isn’t just about access to technology. It’s about owning and creating it.
According to Inuwa, Nigeria is moving from consuming tech to producing global solutions.
*The Shift to Cloud and Agility*
Inuwa also emphasized the need for cloud adoption and agile digital strategies to remain globally competitive:
“We are also promoting cloud adoption because you cannot succeed today with on-prem infrastructure, but you need to be on the cloud, and you need to have agility.”
His vision is clear; Nigeria shouldn’t just join the digital revolution, Africa should lead it.
*GITEX Nigeria*
As anticipation builds for GITEX Nigeria 2025 (September 1–4), the event is set to spotlight both Abuja and Lagos.
Abuja, the policy capital, will host high-level discussions on regulatory reform and investor-friendly frameworks.
Lagos, the startup capital of Africa, will showcase innovation, energy, and economic potential.
“We are nurturing an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem because we need to challenge the status quo… and that is the Nigeria we are creating,” Inuwa concluded.
*Global Tech Leaders Are Listening*
Nigeria’s digital momentum isn’t going unnoticed. ZOHO’s Sales Director, Vijayaragavan Venugopal, shared the company’s experience:
“We are happy that we are going to be there in Nigeria along with GITEX… it is going to be an opportunity to gather, talk tech, and grow together in the entire African market.”
*People-First Innovation Matters*
Olu Olufemi White, CEO of Alami Capital, added a powerful perspective, urging investors to back startups that solve real problems and prioritize people:
“Please don’t wait till we become big and the rest of the world begins to tell our stories… we want you to tell it for us.”
She called for partnerships built on purpose, sustainability, and long-term impact, reminding everyone that tech cannot thrive without energy, funding, and human-centered innovation.
Summarily, Nigeria’s tech ecosystem is open for business and it’s buzzing.
From bold government reforms to a thriving startup scene and a generation of digital natives, the country is laying the groundwork for a digital future built by Africans, for the world.
