There was a stillness in the hall before Dr. Bosun Tijani began to speak. The kind that usually comes when everyone knows the next words matter.
When he finally did, it wasn’t just about apps, data, or devices. It was about people and the kind of country Nigeria could become if everyone worked together.
“Digital Nigeria isn’t just a conference,” he said. “It’s a national conversation about collaboration, inclusion, and action toward a sustainable and globally competitive digital economy.”
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy was addressing delegates at the Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition 2025 in Abuja. This was a gathering of innovators, policymakers, and visionaries shaping the country’s digital journey.
For him, the story of Nigeria’s digital transformation began long before hashtags and startups. It began in 1999, when the country made one bold decision: to open up its telecommunications industry.
Back then, only a few homes had telephones. Making an international call meant queueing at public call centres, sometimes for hours.
“That single policy changed everything,” Tijani recalled. “It opened a new chapter in our history, one where ideas, not oil, began to power the economy.”
And indeed, that shift has reshaped Nigeria. Today, the digital economy contributes about 18% of the nation’s GDP, driving inclusion, jobs, and innovation.
The country now leads Africa’s fintech scene; home to five of the continent’s nine tech unicorns, each valued at over a billion dollars.
But as Tijani reminded the audience, progress isn’t just about numbers. It’s about access.
“Digital Nigeria 2025 is not about technology for its own sake,” he said. “It’s about ensuring that every Nigerian, no matter who they are or where they live, can benefit from and contribute to our digital future.”
He credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for placing innovation and digital inclusion at the heart of Nigeria’s economic strategy, a move he says is already positioning the country for long-term prosperity.
Over the next three days, policymakers, creators, and innovators would meet, debate, and design new pathways for collaboration. But Tijani’s message lingered long after the applause.
“The future we want won’t build itself,” he said. “It will take partnership, persistence, and purpose. Our job is to make sure innovation works for people, not just around them.”
And that’s what Digital Nigeria 2025 was really about; turning technology into something more than code or connectivity. Turning it into opportunity.
Because in the end, Nigeria’s digital future will not be built by machines or algorithms. It will be built by people together.
