GITEX Nigeria 2025: A Declaration of Digital Ambition

By Shuaib S. Agaka

In early September 2025, Nigeria hosted one of its most ambitious technology showcases yet — GITEX Nigeria, a grand convergence of innovation, policy, and investment across Abuja and Lagos. It was more than a conference. It was a statement — a bold declaration that Nigeria intends not just to participate in the digital future, but to help shape it.

Over three days, 12,000 delegates from 78 countries filled halls, exhibition spaces, and meeting rooms. From policymakers to tech giants, from investors to young entrepreneurs, the diversity and scale of participation signaled Nigeria’s growing confidence as a hub for African innovation. But beyond the numbers and the spectacle lay a deeper message: the Federal Government is now treating technology not just as an economic sector, but as a strategic instrument for diplomacy, investment attraction, and national branding.

Hosting GITEX in Nigeria was not an accident. It was a calculated move anchored in a Memorandum of Understanding between the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Dubai World Trade Centre — the global convener of GITEX. By bringing the event home, NITDA bridged a historic gap between global innovation ecosystems and Africa’s largest digital economy. For once, the world came to Nigeria to explore its potential, rather than the other way around.

The most remarkable aspect of GITEX Nigeria 2025 was not just the exhibitions, but the partnerships forged on its sidelines. The Memorandum of Understanding between NITDA and cybersecurity giant Kaspersky underscored Nigeria’s seriousness about strengthening its cybersecurity architecture. In an era of rising cyber threats, this alliance marked a shift from mere rhetoric to strategic collaboration, combining global expertise with local capacity building.

Equally significant was a bilateral agreement between Nigeria and the Republic of Benin, aimed at fostering regional digital cooperation. The accord promises joint efforts on smart infrastructure, digital trade, and cross-border innovation — a model for how African countries can integrate their digital economies instead of competing in silos.

Global tech firms seized the moment too. IBM launched its Power 11 infrastructure solution in Nigeria during the summit. Zinox Technologies, working with KongaCares, unveiled the “Computerise Nigeria” initiative — a social impact project to equip university students with affordable computers, internet connectivity, and power solutions. And in the private sector, 9mobile (T2) signed a multi-million-dollar deal with India’s Knot Solutions, highlighting the commercial importance of GITEX as more than a government showcase — but a deal-making arena for serious investors.

While Lagos buzzed with exhibitions and startup pitches, Abuja played host to a quieter but equally important conversation — the policy sessions. These discussions went beyond speeches; they reflected Nigeria’s readiness to evolve from technology consumer to technology regulator.

At the heart of the dialogue was Artificial Intelligence (AI) — not as a distant dream, but as an urgent governance question. How can Nigeria harness AI responsibly while protecting citizens’ rights? What ethical frameworks must guide data governance, privacy, and algorithmic accountability? International experts and Nigerian policymakers wrestled with these questions, laying the foundation for a national AI strategy built on transparency and inclusion.

Digital inclusion was another major theme. Delegates discussed the sobering reality that millions of Nigerians still lack access to reliable internet or digital literacy. Closing this gap, participants agreed, is central to realizing any digital economy vision. Development partners and private sector actors pledged greater collaboration in expanding broadband infrastructure, investing in rural connectivity, and designing inclusive policies that ensure technology empowers, rather than excludes.

The Lagos leg of the event brought the conversations to life. The GITEX Startup Festival showcased 566 startups — 15 percent international — engaging directly with 207 investors from 22 countries, collectively managing over $55 billion in assets. Through 301 curated investor–startup meetings, 99 Nigerian startups were shortlisted for follow-up engagements.

Fintech, agritech, and AI-driven ventures dominated investor interest — reflecting both Nigeria’s entrepreneurial strength and global trends. These sessions were not symbolic. They led to real funding discussions, incubation offers, and cross-border partnership proposals. For the participating startups, GITEX was a launchpad into the global innovation economy.

The success of GITEX Nigeria 2025 raises an important question: what next?

Events, no matter how grand, mean little without continuity. Stakeholders at the closing sessions recommended that Nigeria establish a post-GITEX task force to track commitments, publish an annual innovation report, and institutionalize the event as a permanent feature of the national calendar. Follow-up mechanisms are essential — not just to monitor deals, but to nurture startups, attract investors, and sustain Nigeria’s growing reputation as a regional tech powerhouse.

GITEX Nigeria 2025 was not merely an exhibition; it was a rebranding exercise for the nation itself. It projected Nigeria not through the lens of crisis or corruption, but through competence, creativity, and collaboration. It showed the world a Nigeria that is not waiting to be rescued, but one ready to lead conversations on artificial intelligence, data governance, and digital inclusion across Africa.

For NITDA, this event reaffirmed the agency’s role as a bridge between innovation and governance. For Nigeria, it marked the beginning of a new narrative — one that positions the country as a serious contender in the global digital economy.

Yet, the true measure of success will not be the number of delegates or signed MoUs, but the tangible transformation that follows. Can Nigeria translate GITEX’s buzz into sustained investment? Can its startups grow into global players? Can its policies match its ambitions?

If the 99 Nigerian startups selected for investor follow-up turn exposure into growth, and partnerships into impact, then GITEX Nigeria 2025 will not just be remembered as a successful event — but as the moment Nigeria finally turned ambition into action.

Shuaib S. Agaka is a tech journalist and digital policy analyst based in Kano.