LAGOS — Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu says Lagos is setting its sights beyond being Nigeria’s commercial capital, with a push to become Africa’s Innovation Capital. Speaking on Wednesday at the GITEX Nigeria Official Tour themed “Beyond Connectivity: The Bridge to Sovereign AI & Innovation” at Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, the Governor, represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, said the status must be earned through infrastructure, talent, policy and execution.
He noted that Lagos is already ranked as Africa’s seventh-largest economy and is actively building the digital future. The state has deployed about 3,000km of fibre-optic cables between 2019 and 2025 toward a 6,000km unified network, and is working to deliver 200–400 megawatts of state-procured electricity to address power challenges. Sanwo-Olu pointed to homegrown unicorns in fintech, logistics and e-commerce that started in Yaba and now serve millions across Africa, and urged global investors to establish engineering centers, data facilities and regional headquarters in Lagos to build and export from the continent.
Participants at the forum stressed the need for Africa to own its technology. AfCFTA Secretary-General Wamkele Mene said Nigeria is co-leading the AFCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade alongside Kenya and South Africa, backed by a strong pool of tech talent and entrepreneurs. GITEX Global CEO Trixie LohMirmand said the focus is converting over $80 billion in tech commitments into real businesses and jobs. NIMC DG Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote and NITDA CEO Kashifu Abdullahi also called for investment in cybersecurity, AI, cryptography and digital infrastructure to build trust and turn Nigeria’s innovation into measurable economic impact across Africa.
