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Lagos State is stepping up efforts to attract technology investment, expand its startup ecosystem and strengthen its position in Africa’s digital economy, as GITEX Nigeria 2026 provided a platform for emerging businesses to connect with investors and explore opportunities across key technology sectors.
The two-day event, held at the Landmark Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, brought together government officials, technology companies, startup founders, investors and international industry stakeholders for discussions on digital transformation, financial technology and the future of Africa’s innovation economy.
Through the Lagos State Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (MIST), the state government showcased its technology ecosystem, while the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), in partnership with TechQuest STEM Academy and MIST, organised a pitch programme that gave selected entrepreneurs an opportunity to present their businesses and growth plans to potential investors.
The programme highlighted a central challenge facing Nigeria’s technology sector: how to translate the growing number of startups and locally developed solutions into scalable businesses capable of attracting investment, creating jobs and competing in regional and international markets.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who was represented at the opening by the Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, described Lagos as a “consequential city”, citing its nearly 1,000 active startups as evidence of the depth of its technology ecosystem.
He reiterated the administration’s ambition to position Lagos not only as Nigeria’s commercial capital but also as Africa’s innovation capital, stressing the importance of investment in infrastructure, talent development, policy and effective implementation.
For technology businesses, the size of the startup ecosystem presents opportunities for capital deployment, partnerships, product development and market expansion. However, converting these opportunities into sustainable growth will depend on the availability of financing, reliable infrastructure and an environment that supports innovation.
More than two dozen startups and technology companies participated in the exhibition, spanning artificial intelligence, financial technology, cybersecurity, education technology, agricultural technology and logistics.
Among the businesses present were Sidebrief, DawnAI, RollaPay, Hyperspace Technologies, Sowota and Climatrix AI. Their participation provided opportunities to engage investors, government representatives and potential international partners.
The exhibition also underscored the growing diversity of Nigeria’s technology industry, with businesses developing solutions across financial services, enterprise support, digital security, education, agriculture and logistics.
For founders, access to investors and potential commercial partners remains critical to moving beyond product development into expansion. Platforms that bring entrepreneurs and capital providers together can help improve visibility, although the long-term economic benefits will depend on whether engagements translate into funding, contracts and sustainable business growth.
A major highlight of the Lagos State government’s participation was the LSETF Pitch Programme, which provided selected founders with a platform to present their businesses, solutions and expansion plans to investors and other ecosystem stakeholders.
Organised in partnership with TechQuest STEM Academy and MIST, the initiative connected emerging businesses with potential sources of capital and industry support.
The programme’s business significance lies in its focus on the financing needs of startups seeking to scale their operations. Entrepreneurs frequently require capital to strengthen their technology, recruit skilled workers, enter new markets and improve their capacity to serve customers.
By bringing founders before potential investors, the pitch programme created an opportunity for businesses to demonstrate their commercial propositions and explore possible investment relationships.
However, the programme’s ultimate impact will depend on the extent to which investor engagements result in actual funding, strategic partnerships and measurable expansion.
Engr. Ganiyu Oseni, Special Adviser to the Governor on Innovation, Technology and Broadband Development and Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, said Lagos wanted investors to establish operational presence in the state rather than regard it merely as a large consumer market.
His position reflects the state’s interest in attracting companies that will build products, employ talent, develop solutions and grow their businesses within the local economy.
For Lagos, the distinction is important. While technology adoption creates demand for digital products and services, the development of locally owned technology businesses can also support employment, innovation and the creation of intellectual property.
Oseni also called for Nigeria to move beyond consuming imported technologies towards producing home-grown solutions capable of competing across Africa and the global market.
He identified connectivity, power, digital identity and talent as essential foundations for a functioning digital economy, arguing that infrastructure development and policy must advance together.
Financial technology was another major focus of GITEX Nigeria 2026, with FDX Nigeria by GITEX examining digital payments, banking, financial inclusion, digital assets and cross-border finance.
The programme reflected the growing importance of digital financial services to businesses operating in Nigeria and across the African continent.
Digital payments and financial platforms have created opportunities for technology companies to develop services for consumers, merchants and businesses. Cross-border financial solutions also present opportunities for companies seeking to facilitate transactions and serve customers across multiple African markets.
The launch of MINT Africa by GITEX, a platform focused on the future of finance on the continent, further expanded discussions around financial innovation, digital assets, tokenisation and cross-border financial services.
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For investors and technology entrepreneurs, these areas represent potential opportunities for developing new products, building financial infrastructure and extending digital services to underserved markets.
However, the expansion of digital finance also requires appropriate infrastructure, regulatory clarity, cybersecurity and confidence among businesses and consumers.
Oseni maintained that Nigeria possessed the talent, market scale and ecosystem depth to play a leading role in Africa’s digital financial future.
The challenge, however, is to ensure that these advantages translate into competitive businesses and solutions that can operate across borders and attract sustained investment.
Beyond startup development and financial technology, discussions at GITEX Nigeria highlighted the role of public-sector digital transformation in creating an enabling environment for businesses.
MIST also convened the Commissioners’ Roundtable on Digital Transformation and Innovation for the second consecutive time, bringing together commissioners, directors-general and technology chiefs from Katsina, Ogun, Jigawa, Ondo, Kwara, Delta and Borno states, alongside representatives of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and senior Lagos State officials.
The meeting examined the institutional, infrastructural, human-capital and policy requirements for moving government digitalisation beyond isolated pilot projects towards sustainable, citizen-centred systems.
Participants identified political commitment, digital literacy, standardised data, cybersecurity, strategic infrastructure, innovation-to-government partnerships, measurable outcomes and inter-state collaboration as important requirements.
For technology businesses, effective digital government systems can create opportunities to develop software, provide technical services and build solutions that address public-sector needs.
Standardised data and stronger digital infrastructure can also support more efficient service delivery and create a clearer framework for technology deployment across government institutions.
Lagos State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology Olatunbosun Alake highlighted the state’s implementation policy framework, enterprise architecture and information technology education initiatives.
He also outlined efforts to standardise data, audit systems holding state information, operate an Oracle-based Applicant Resourcing Platform and maintain a fully digital payroll system.
Other states presented their respective digital initiatives and challenges.
Katsina highlighted its Resident ID and iKatsina platform, while Delta discussed its ICT youth training programme and digital agency. Kwara raised issues relating to civil-service rigidity and technology implementation, while representatives from Jigawa, Ondo, Borno and Ogun outlined their infrastructure and digital-government gaps.
The discussions pointed to differences in the pace of digital adoption across states and the need for stronger coordination, investment and implementation capacity.
For technology companies seeking government contracts or partnerships, the development of these systems could create opportunities in software development, cybersecurity, data management, digital identity and public-service delivery.
A key question emerging from the event is whether Nigeria can convert its expanding technology ecosystem into a stronger base for producing and exporting digital solutions.
Although Lagos has a substantial concentration of startups and technology businesses, the sustainability of the ecosystem will depend on factors including access to capital, reliable electricity, broadband connectivity, skilled workers and opportunities to commercialise locally developed products.
Oseni’s call for technology companies to establish operational presence in Lagos also highlights the state’s interest in securing wider economic benefits from investment.
Beyond attracting funding, the objective is to encourage businesses to build products locally, create employment and develop solutions that can serve customers beyond Nigeria.
The presence of startups across artificial intelligence, fintech, cybersecurity, edtech, agritech and logistics illustrates the range of sectors in which local businesses are pursuing technology-driven opportunities.
Nevertheless, participation in an international technology exhibition does not automatically translate into investment or commercial success. The more significant indicators will be the capital secured by participating startups, partnerships established, businesses expanded and jobs created after the event.
For Lagos State, GITEX Nigeria 2026 offered an opportunity to present its technology ecosystem to a wider audience while bringing together stakeholders whose decisions will influence the direction of the digital economy.
The next phase will require sustained collaboration among government, investors, founders and technology companies to address infrastructure gaps, improve access to financing and strengthen the conditions needed for innovation-led businesses to grow.
Ultimately, Lagos’ ambition to become Africa’s innovation capital will depend not only on the size of its startup ecosystem or the visibility of its technology events, but also on its ability to attract productive investment, support competitive local businesses and turn digital innovation into measurable economic value.
