Five priorities for Nigeria's digital innovation ecosystem

On 1 November 2024, stakeholders from across Nigeria's technology and innovation ecosystem met in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, for a policy dialogue themed "Catalyst for Change: Building a Vibrant Digital Economy". It was organised by the GIZ Digital Transformation Center and the Innovation Support Network. DD Hub's CEO, Abdulganiyu Rufai Yakub, moderated the dialogue and authored its overall report and adoption strategy, and co-authored the session reports.

Participants included representatives of NITDA, the National Council for Arts and Culture, GIZ, the Innovation Support Network and the private sector. They worked in breakout sessions on startup ecosystem support, digital literacy and skills, digital infrastructure, access to funding, and research and development funding. A recurring concern was execution: how national policies are domesticated at state level and felt by local people.

The dialogue closed with five recommendations. First, strengthen public-private partnerships for digital literacy and infrastructure. Second, establish a national digital innovation fund with tiered support for startups at different stages. Third, make digital policy inclusive, with a particular focus on women, young people and rural communities.

Fourth, invest in broadband and digital resources in rural and underserved areas, using tax incentives and grants to bring in private investment. Fifth, work with global partners on standards for intellectual property and data security, so that Nigeria's framework is competitive internationally.

The adoption strategy that followed assigns roles to government, the private sector, academia, civil society and the innovation ecosystem, and proposes measures to track progress, including the number of startups, funding accessed, digital literacy levels, internet penetration and research outputs.