Photo: Ngozi Stella Udechukwu / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Nigeria’s technology ambitions will mean little unless they create practical opportunities for citizens far beyond Lagos, a new commentary has argued.
A call for nationwide digital inclusion
The intervention, published by News Ghana on 3 October and credited to Babatunde Adekanmbi, says Nigeria should use digital tools to confront everyday barriers facing farmers, informal workers, students and small businesses.
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Its central argument is that the country’s next development phase cannot rest on oil wealth alone. Instead, it says Nigeria needs a knowledge-led economy supported by accessible broadband, dependable electricity, secure systems and education that matches fast-changing labour markets.
The commentary identifies Lagos as the country’s established start-up centre, while recognising growing technology communities in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Enugu and Kaduna. But it warns that the benefits of investment and innovation could remain concentrated in a handful of cities.
From markets to farms
For millions working outside formal employment, digital payments, trusted identity systems and online marketplaces could help businesses build transaction records, access credit and sell to wider markets, the article argues.
It also points to agriculture, where farmers continue to face difficulty accessing finance, storage, transport, buyers and timely weather information. Mobile tools, satellite data and artificial intelligence could improve planting decisions, reduce waste and strengthen connections between producers and markets.
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That matters for Black communities across Nigeria because digital exclusion compounds existing inequalities of geography, income and access to public services. A technology economy centred only on Lagos risks leaving out the traders, makers, growers and young people whose work sustains much of the country.
Infrastructure is the test
The piece argues that digital transformation is inseparable from basic infrastructure. Affordable data, reliable telecommunications, cloud capacity, data centres and electricity are presented not as luxury investments but as the foundations required for online learning, e-commerce and dependable public services.
It also calls for schools, universities and vocational programmes to expand training in coding, data science, cybersecurity, AI and digital entrepreneurship. The focus should be on preparing people for emerging work rather than simply adding technology to outdated systems, it says.
The argument goes further than start-ups. It says stronger copyright protections, finance and distribution systems are needed if Nigeria is to retain more of the economic value generated by its globally influential music, film and creative sectors.
Sovereignty and security
As digital services become more central to banking, government and telecommunications, the commentary says cyber resilience must become a national priority. It urges Nigeria to develop local expertise and institutions capable of building AI tools for Nigerian conditions while protecting privacy, transparency and human rights.
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The immediate development is an opinion intervention rather than a government policy announcement. Its wider message is clear: Nigeria’s digital future should be judged by whether a farmer in Benue, a trader in Kano, a student in Nsukka or a manufacturer in Nnewi can use technology to build a more secure livelihood.