News Highlights:
- Nigeria must decentralize digital infrastructure and invest in human capital to close service gaps and retain talent.
- Benue State is positioning itself as a digital leader, with Governor Hyacinth Alia unveiling initiatives such as free fibre optic RoW, 276 e-commerce hubs, and digital training for 50,000 youths.
At the 2025 “50 Most Valuable Personalities in Digital Economy” awards and colloquium hosted by Knowhow Media, prominent voices in Nigeria’s tech and policy space made an urgent case for intentional investment in digital infrastructure, skills development, and inclusive policy frameworks to reshape the country’s economic future.
Delivering the keynote on the theme “Powering the Digital Economy through Infrastructure, Talent, and Employment,” Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, CEO of Digital Realty and former President of the Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), called for decisive action to close infrastructure and talent gaps.
“We are in the digital age. Everyone here knows that. But what many overlook is that Nigeria boasts one of the largest telecom and ICT markets in Africa by subscriber base, yet we lag in digital infrastructure and service penetration,” he said.
Nnamani underscored the late adoption of a formal digital economy policy, initiated only in 2019, as a key reason Nigeria remains behind. “We’re latecomers. But that doesn’t mean we can’t catch up and even surpass others if we act intentionally and swiftly,” he added, noting that progress in areas such as submarine cable landings contrasts starkly with limited domestic transmission infrastructure.
“It’s cheaper to buy internet capacity between Nigeria and London than between Lagos and Abuja,” Nnamani pointed out, urging the government to reduce Right of Way charges and expand data centres beyond Lagos. “Nigeria needs at least 72 edge data centres—two per state capital—but we’ve fallen far short of that target,” he said, warning that infrastructure centralization in Lagos hampers national progress.
Meanwhile, in another address at the same event, the Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia, represented by his Deputy, Barr. Dr. Sam Ode, provided a state-level perspective on how subnational governments can power economic transformation through digital inclusion.
Speaking on the topic “Redefining Nigeria’s Economic Future — Benue State and the Rise of the Digital Economy,” Alia highlighted that “Nigeria’s wealth lies not just beneath the ground, but in the cloud, in the code, and in the connectivity that links people and platforms.”
Citing data from 2024, he noted that ICT had contributed nearly 20% to Nigeria’s GDP—more than twice the input from oil and gas. “This underscores a fundamental truth,” Alia declared. “That digital technologies, not fossil fuels, are now powering our economy.”
The governor’s roadmap included the creation of the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy; the establishment of the Benue Digital Infrastructure Company (BDIC); and large-scale digital skills training for youths and civil servants.
“Our vision is clear: to position Benue as a leading subnational player in Nigeria’s digital future,” Alia said, and revealed that 276 e-commerce hubs have been approved across all political wards to help women and youths market agricultural products globally.
Benue he said, has also removed Right of Way charges for fibre optic deployment, mirroring one of Nnamani’s key recommendations. “This is part of our broader commitment to redefine the narrative beyond oil,” Alia noted.
While Nnamani focused on digital talent flight and the need to retain ICT professionals, he was optimistic that short-term ICT training could transform thousands into employable digital workers. “Not every young person with a laptop is a cybercriminal. Many are part of Nigeria’s growing digital workforce,” he emphasized, calling for a shift in public perception.
Echoing this call for action, Alia urged stakeholders to deepen collaboration across all sectors. “It is time for deeper collaboration among federal and subnational governments, the private sector, academia, and the startup community. Let us scale what works and fix what doesn’t,” he said.
As the event celebrated the 50 leading figures in Nigeria’s digital economy, both speakers emphasized that the country’s digital progress must be both strategic and inclusive. “We will not relent. We will continue to build, innovate, and empower,” Alia affirmed, accepting the MVP award on behalf of Governor Alia.
Nnamani closed with a hopeful vision: “That’s how we unlock the true potential of our country.”
Earlier in his welcome remarks, Segun Oruame, the Executive Vice Chairman of Knowhow Media, said that the 2025 recognition focuses on leaders building bridges between tech innovation and national development.
The “50 Most Valuable Personalities (50MVPs) in Nigeria’s Digital Economy 2025” Award is an exclusive industry recognition event that celebrates top influencers, innovators, and policy makers driving transformation across Nigeria’s digital landscape.
An initiative of Knowhow Media, publishers of IT Edge News.Africa, the 50MVPs recognition is a high-profile offshoot of the West Africa Convergence Conference (WACC), a decade-old platform promoting dialogue and advancement in West Africa’s tech ecosystem.
Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia; Engr. Ikechukwu Nnamani, CEO of Digital Realty; Prof. Obadare Adewale, Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer, Digital Encode; and Gbande Hembaor Terwase, Managing Director/CEO, Benue Digital Infrastructure Company ( BDIC), were among the 50 eminent people honoured at the event.