Nigeria is positioning itself to capture a larger share of Africa’s emerging artificial-intelligence economy, using digital infrastructure, talent development and policy reform to move from a market that consumes technology to one capable of producing and exporting AI solutions.
The push will be in focus when GITEX NIGERIA returns from 31 August to 3 September, bringing government officials, technology companies, investors and startups together across Abuja and Lagos as the country seeks to attract capital and partnerships for its next phase of digital development.
The second edition of GITEX NIGERIA, organized by KAOUN International with support from the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy and the National Information Technology Development Agency, comes as governments and businesses across Africa increase their focus on artificial intelligence and the infrastructure needed to deploy it at scale.
The event’s theme, ‘Beyond Connectivity: The Bridge to Sovereign Innovation’, reflects Nigeria’s attempt to move the digital economy debate beyond internet access towards computing capacity, skills, cybersecurity, data governance and locally developed technology.
Nigeria’s opportunity is part of a broader African market that could generate up to $1tn in additional economic value from AI by 2035, according to an estimate cited by GITEX NIGERIA.
For Nigeria, which has one of Africa’s largest technology ecosystems and a large pool of young people, the challenge is to convert that potential into businesses, jobs and exportable technology rather than remaining primarily a consumer of products developed elsewhere.
The government has begun building some of the foundations required for that transition. Under the 3 Million Technical Talent programme, known as 3MTT, Nigeria has recorded 1.87 million registrations across all 774 local government areas, according to the event organizers.
More than 135,000 Nigerians have been trained through three cohorts, while community resources have extended learning to more than 300,000 people and created 15,000 job and opportunity pathways.
The government is also advancing Project BRIDGE, a national digital infrastructure initiative designed to expand fibre connectivity and provide the backbone for wider digital services.
The programme is expected to create as many as 20,000 direct jobs and more than 150,000 indirect jobs, train 5,000 Nigerian youths, increase internet penetration beyond 70 per cent and extend high-speed connectivity to millions of households, businesses, schools and hospitality establishments in underserved communities, according to GITEX NIGERIA.
The combination of connectivity and talent development is critical to Nigeria’s AI ambitions. Artificial intelligence requires more than software and algorithms: companies need reliable networks, data centers, cloud capacity, cybersecurity and skilled workers capable of building and deploying the technology.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, said Nigeria’s digital infrastructure push was intended to create the foundations for greater technological independence across Africa.
“Building on the momentum forged through the implementation of Project BRIDGE,” Tijani said. “Nigeria’s ambition was to strengthen the foundations for ‘digital sovereignty, technological self-determination, and a globally competitive AI-powered economy.”
He said Nigeria wanted to help move Africa from being primarily a consumer of digital technology to becoming a producer and exporter of digital technologies and AI solutions.
The emphasis on sovereignty reflects a broader shift in the technology debate. As AI systems become more important to governments and businesses, countries are increasingly concerned about where data are stored, who controls computing infrastructure and whether they have the technical capacity to develop critical digital systems domestically.
GITEX NIGERIA is positioning itself as a forum for that discussion, bringing together policymakers, investors and technology companies around digital public infrastructure, AI policy, data sovereignty, cybersecurity and the scalability of emerging technologies.
The Government Leadership and AI Summit will open the event in Abuja on 31 August, before the Tech Expo and Future Economy Conference and Startup Festival take place in Lagos on 2 and 3 September. FDX NIGERIA by GITEX, focused on finance and digital assets, will also debut in Lagos on 3 September.
The event is therefore broader than an exhibition of new technology. Its commercial significance lies in connecting Nigerian and African companies with investors, technology providers and potential partners at a time when demand for digital infrastructure is increasing.
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Information Technology Development Agency, Inuwa Abdullahi, noted that Nigeria’s digital future would depend not only on adopting new technologies but also on building the resilience, trust and governance systems around them.
He said GITEX NIGERIA could provide a platform for discussions around responsible AI adoption, digital security and economic opportunities.
“The global expertise, investment, and partnerships forged through this event will help shape an AI ecosystem that is secure by design, inclusive by nature,” Abdullahi said.
Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial centre and one of Africa’s largest technology hubs, will host the main technology expo and startup events.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the state’s digital economy was closely connected to Africa’s broader technology ambitions, pointing to Lagos’ ability to attract talent, capital and innovation.
“Africa’s digital rise is deeply intertwined with that of Lagos State,” Sanwo-Olu said, adding that GITEX NIGERIA would support the state’s effort to build a more connected and globally competitive economy.
For Lagos, hosting the event offers an opportunity to strengthen its position as a gateway for technology investment into Nigeria and the wider region.
For Nigeria’s federal government, however, the larger objective is to translate its digital programmes into economic capacity.
That will require private investment alongside government spending. Building fibre networks, data centres and other digital infrastructure requires significant capital, while AI companies need access to financing, skilled workers and customers capable of adopting their products.
GITEX NIGERIA’s organizers say the event will seek to facilitate those connections by bringing global technology companies, investors, startups and public-sector leaders into the same forum.
CEO of GITEX, Trixie LohMirmand, said the event was intended to help translate Nigeria’s technology ambitions into partnerships and scalable businesses.
“West Africa is open for business,” LohMirmand said, arguing that the region could turn technological ambition into economic growth and stronger global competitiveness.