Lagos has emerged as the focal point of Africa’s accelerating technology and artificial intelligence ambitions, as government leaders, technology companies, investors and startups gathered in the city for the second edition of GITEX NIGERIA, with a renewed call for the continent to build, own and commercialise the technologies shaping the global intelligence economy.
The two-day Tech Expo & Future Economy Conference, which opened in Lagos on Wednesday, followed Monday’s sold-out Government Leadership & AI Summit in Abuja, bringing West Africa’s largest technology, AI and startup gathering to Nigeria’s commercial capital for an intensive programme of innovation showcases, strategic conversations and investment opportunities.
Held under the patronage of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and supported by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in collaboration with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the event is endorsed by the Lagos State Government and organised by KAOUN International, the global organiser of GITEX events.
Lagos positions itself as Africa’s innovation capital
The choice of Lagos as the host city underscores its growing influence in Africa’s technology ecosystem.
Lagos was ranked the world’s fastest-growing tech hub in the 2025 Dealroom Global Tech Ecosystem Index, recording an 11.6-fold increase in enterprise value to US$15.3 billion and producing five unicorns. The city was ranked ahead of 287 cities across 69 countries.
With almost 1,000 active startups, representing about two-thirds of Nigeria’s entire startup ecosystem, Lagos is also Africa’s highest-ranked startup hub. Twenty-three of the 28 Nigerian companies featured in the Financial Times’ 2025 ranking of Africa’s fastest-growing companies are based in the state.
Deputy Governor of Lagos State, H.E. Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, said the city’s growing technology ecosystem made it a natural location for conversations about Africa’s economic future.
“GITEX NIGERIA is here because Lagos is consequential. What happens in this city sets the direction for a continent of around 1.4 billion people. That’s exactly why the conversation about Africa’s future economy belongs here in Lagos.
“The ambition of the Lagos State Government is very clear: we want Lagos recognised not only as Nigeria’s commercial capital, but as Africa’s innovation capital. A position like that cannot be declared; it has to be earned through infrastructure, talent, policy, and execution.”
AfCFTA: Turning Africa’s digital innovation into trade
Beyond Lagos’ growing reputation as a technology hub, the event placed strong emphasis on using digital infrastructure to unlock the commercial potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, called for Africa to develop digital infrastructure that reflects the continent’s own needs rather than relying predominantly on systems developed elsewhere.
“Africa should not simply import digital infrastructure systems developed for other countries outside of the continent. We possess the talent, innovation, and technical expertise required to shape our own digital transformation and ensure that it serves our integration and development objectives.
“We must act now; we can connect Africa’s innovation to a single digital continental market in which the African private sector can operate, transact, and expand across borders, converting digital innovation into commercially meaningful trade.”
His remarks reinforced a central theme of GITEX NIGERIA 2026: that Africa’s digital transformation must move beyond technology adoption towards technology ownership, cross-border integration and commercial scale.
Nigeria targets digital sovereignty and home-grown innovation
For Nigeria, the drive is increasingly focused on building the technological capabilities required to participate actively in the emerging intelligence economy.
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director General of NITDA, said Nigeria must deliberately create an environment where local innovators can develop solutions to the country’s real-world challenges while strengthening national control over critical digital infrastructure.
“As a nation, we need to be intentional if we want to be an active participant in this economy. We also have real-world problems that need innovative solutions. Therefore, we need to create the enabling environment for our young, talented people to innovate and create the digital offerings for the future economy.
“We are looking at our data sovereignty, our cloud sovereignty, our operational sovereignty, and our AI sovereignty. We don’t want to be at the receiving end of technology; we want to be an active builder of the technology.”
The emphasis on sovereignty reflects Nigeria’s broader effort to establish stronger domestic capabilities across data, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and digital operations, while positioning its technology ecosystem for international competitiveness.
Digital identity emerges as foundation for trusted digital trade
The discussions also highlighted digital identity and trust as critical infrastructure for Africa’s emerging digital economy.
The inauguration referenced President Tinubu’s signing of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026 in June, which replaced the 2007 legislation with a modern framework aimed at strengthening secure and inclusive digital identity.
The new framework reinforces the National Identification Number (NIN) as Nigeria’s primary identity credential while seeking to improve interoperability, data protection, cybersecurity and access to public and private-sector services.
Engr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, Director-General and CEO of NIMC, said trust must remain at the heart of Africa’s digital transformation.
“Connection without trust breeds vulnerability. When trust is embedded into the framework, onboarding becomes effortless, paperwork vanishes, and cross-border trade accelerates. The African Continental Free Trade Area promises the world’s largest integrated market, but trade today goes through digital channels.
“Contracts must be signed, credentials verified, and payments authenticated seamlessly across jurisdictions. The Federal Government recognises that digital identity, public key infrastructure (PKI)-based trust, and digital public infrastructure are inseparable parts of a single ecosystem.”
More than 400 companies showcase Africa’s next wave of innovation
The Lagos edition of GITEX NIGERIA 2026 brings together more than 400 exhibiting companies and startups, showcasing technologies aimed at transforming sectors across the economy.
Thousands of visitors and more than 200 investors managing approximately US$200 billion in assets are expected to participate in the two-day Tech Expo, creating opportunities for Nigerian and African startups to connect with global capital, markets and technology partners.
For GITEX organisers, the objective is not simply to convene the ecosystem, but to create pathways through which African innovations can scale beyond their domestic markets.
Trixie LohMirmand, CEO of GITEX, said the event was designed to strengthen those international connections and accelerate Africa’s participation in the global technology economy.
“GITEX NIGERIA is here to create vital connections that enable Nigerian and African innovators to take their technologies and ideas to the world while accessing knowledge, networks, international partnerships, and opportunities.
“There is great commitment and a collective responsibility among leadership, stakeholders, the private sector, and ourselves not just to connect, but to accelerate, because competition for investment, FDI, knowledge, and scaling is hard and fast.
“Nigeria has the scale; Lagos has the ambition and energy. We aim to grow collectively and put Africa at the top – not just as a consumer of AI, but as a globally competitive producer.”
With Lagos providing the commercial backdrop and Nigeria’s technology ecosystem supplying much of the innovation pipeline, GITEX NIGERIA 2026 is positioning itself as more than a technology exhibition.
It is becoming a platform for defining how Nigeria, and Africa more broadly, can convert technological capability, digital infrastructure and artificial intelligence into investment, trade, jobs and globally competitive enterprises.