Browsing: Digital Innovation Must Drive Nigeria’s $1 Trillion Economy As NITDA Rallies Stakeholders To Build A Secure

Nigeria’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030 will depend on its ability to transform digital innovation into productivity, industrial growth, investment and jobs, the Director-General of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Engr. Olusola Obadimu, has said. Obadimu,whiledelivering the keynote address at the Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition (DNICE) 2026 held at the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, challenged stakeholders to move beyond conversations about technology and focus on converting innovation into measurable economic outcomes.  According to him, the debate as to whether digital technology will transform Nigeria’s economy is over. The pressing challenge, he said, is ensuring that technology is deliberately linked to productivity, industrialisation, export growth, job creation and national prosperity. “We are no longer debating whether digital technology will transform our economy. It already is. The question is whether Nigeria will merely consume that transformation or deliberately connect it to productivity, industrialisation, jobs, exports and national growth.” Byachieving President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of a $1 trillion economy would require stronger alignment between technology, enterprise and investment. He stressed that sustainable growth would be driven by productive businesses operating in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, trade and services rather than government intervention alone, NACCIMA Director-General noted. “The road to a onetrilliondollar economy runs through productivity. That economy will not be built in government offices. It will be built on farms, in factories, in laboratories and through businesses that create value every day.”  Obadimu identified Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as critical to the country’s economic transformation, arguing that digital policies would have limited impact unless they directly improve the productivity and competitiveness of small businesses.  He further highlighted the growing partnership between NACCIMA and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), describing it as a strategic effort aimed at bridging the gap between innovation and commercialisation.  While NACCIMA focused attention on the economic dividends of digital innovation, the DirectorGeneral of NITDA, kashifu Inuwa, CCIE outlined the broader vision driving Nigeria’s digital future.  Represented by the Director of the Special Duties Directorate, Dr Aristotle Onumo, the NITDA DirectorGeneral called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, industry players, academia, development partners and innovators to accelerate Nigeria’s transition into a thriving digital economy.  Dr Onumo, described the digital economy as a strategic driver of national development, innovation and competitiveness, noting that emerging technologies are reshaping businesses, industries and societies around the globe.  “We are not here merely to discuss the future; we are here to build it. Digital Nigeria is designed to move beyond conversations to implementation, collaboration and measurable impact.”  According to him, Nigeria possesses the talent, entrepreneurial spirit and innovative capacity needed to become a leading digital economy, but success would require deliberate investments in skills development, entrepreneurship, innovation, infrastructure and strategic partnerships. This year’s conference was built around four strategic pillars focused on identifying the people who will build Nigeria’s digital future, determining how that future will be built, equipping citizens with the skills required to thrive in the digital economy and recognising individuals and organisations driving excellence across the ecosystem, he explained. No single institution can build Nigeria’s digital future alone, stressing that government must work with industry, academia, innovators and development partners to unlock the full potential of the digital economy, Onumo emphasized . One initiative designed to translate that vision into practical outcomes is the Builders Festival, which emerged as one of the defining highlights of the conference. …