GITEX Nigeria 2025: Forging the Rise of Digital Nigeria
By Matthew Eloyi
The global spotlight turned to Nigeria this September as the nation hosted the historic GITEX Nigeria 2025, a landmark convergence of innovation, policy, and enterprise. Held under the patronage of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and driven by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the event brought together government leaders, global tech giants, startups, and innovators to shape Africa’s digital future.
With its theme, “Forging the Rise of Digital Nigeria,” the event was more than just a showcase of technology; it was a bold declaration of Nigeria’s readiness to lead Africa’s charge in the global digital economy.
The journey began on September 1st at the Abuja Continental Hotel with the GITEX Nigeria Government Leadership and AI Summit. Here, the central theme revolved around one of the continent’s most pressing challenges: Africa’s limited access to computational infrastructure, data storage, and the frameworks that power artificial intelligence.
In his welcome address, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, set the tone with a call for shared AI infrastructure and algorithms designed to reflect African values. He stressed the urgency of creating policies that would position Africa not as a passive consumer, but as a dynamic player in the AI revolution.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, amplified this message in his keynote address, emphasising the responsibility of Africa to digitise inclusively, build clean energy-driven infrastructure, and prepare a workforce ready for the future. In his words, “Africa must not just participate in the AI revolution, it must shape it on its own terms.”
Partnerships were also a recurring theme. Trixie LohMirmand, Executive Vice President of Dubai World Trade Centre and CEO of KAOUN International, described Nigeria as a hub where “collaboration between local ingenuity and global investment can accelerate Africa’s rise in the digital economy.”
From Abuja, the momentum shifted to Lagos, the heartbeat of West Africa’s economy, where the Tech Expo, Future Economy Conference, and Startup Festival unfolded across the Eko Hotel Convention Centre and Landmark Centre from September 3–4.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, a key figure in bringing GITEX to Nigeria after witnessing its impact in Marrakech, used the platform to showcase Lagos’ bold digital transformation journey. He highlighted the city’s $6 billion in startup funding between 2019 and 2024, expansion of submarine cables, high-capacity data centres, and its role as the cradle of over 70% of Africa’s unicorns.
According to the governor, “Lagos is now both an economic powerhouse and Africa’s innovation hub,” in his words, “Our youth are building solutions that integrate transport systems, drive inclusivity, and redefine governance. This is the resilience and creativity of Lagos at work.”
For Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, the Lagos leg of GITEX was a validation of Nigeria’s future economy. He recounted how Lagos’ tech ecosystem, anchored by fintech yet expanding into agritech, healthcare, and security, had evolved into a global contender. “With bold ambition and collaboration, Nigeria is ready to compete globally and deliver solutions with real impact,” he affirmed.
Dr. Bosun Tijani further underlined this momentum, pointing out that ICT already contributes 16–20% of Nigeria’s GDP, surpassing oil, with projections to reach 21% by 2027. “Technology must not only grow our GDP, it must deliver inclusive prosperity for Nigerians under the Renewed Hope Agenda,” he stated.
One of the key milestones of GITEX Nigeria 2025 was the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NITDA and Kaspersky Global. The agreement aims to fortify Nigeria’s cybersecurity ecosystem through training, public awareness campaigns, intelligence sharing, and strategic advisory support.
According to the NITDA boss, this collaboration combines global expertise with Nigeria’s national drive to secure its digital future. It is a powerful reminder that digital growth must go hand-in-hand with digital security.
Youth empowerment ran like a thread through every session. The launch of NASENI’s InnovateNaija initiative, in partnership with NITDA and the Ministry of Youth Development, positioned Nigerian youth at the centre of solving national challenges.
According to the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, youth are not just the future, they are today’s drivers of innovation. Abdullahi echoed this by assuring that NITDA will continue to back young innovators with support and opportunities.
No tech summit is complete without celebrating entrepreneurial brilliance, and GITEX Nigeria’s Supernova Challenge delivered just that. Startups from across Africa showcased groundbreaking solutions, with Curacel emerging as the overall winner and clinching the $10,000 grand prize.
Sector champions also included:
AI: Build Africa
Digital Finance: InCash
Creative & Martech: Hadiya
Agritech: Acecore
Mobility: Kara
Disruptor Award: HiPrep
These startups represented the fearless ambition of Africa’s innovators, embodying the spirit of resilience and creativity that defined GITEX Nigeria 2025.
What set GITEX Nigeria apart was not just its scale or the caliber of its participants, but the legacy it seeks to establish. By hosting GITEX in both Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria reaffirmed its position as the continent’s digital leader and a hub for collaboration, innovation, and investment.
Under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and with NITDA steering digital transformation, GITEX Nigeria 2025 sent a clear message: the rise of Digital Nigeria is unstoppable. From AI to fintech, from cybersecurity to agritech, from youth empowerment to global partnerships, the foundations of Africa’s digital economy are being laid—and Nigeria is leading the charge.
As the exhibition floors closed and the startup pitch decks were packed away, one truth remained clear: the future of Africa’s digital revolution begins in Nigeria, and it has only just begun.
