THE HON. BOSUN TIJANI’S GITEX NIGERIA ADDRESS TO WORLD LEADERS & GLOBAL TECH ORGANISATIONS, A RALLYING CALL FOR AFRICA TO SHAPE THE FUTURE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The inaugural GITEX NIGERIA Government Leadership &
AI Summit in Abuja convened the region’s most prominent government and
private-sector leadership forging Africa’s digital future
Abuja,
Nigeria – 1 September 2025: The Honourable (Hon.) Bosun Tijani, Minister
of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria, today addressed leaders from around the world on
Africa’s digital future at the GITEX NIGERIA Government Leadership & AI
Summit in Abuja. The summit kicked off the inaugural edition of GITEX NIGERIA
before moving to Lagos on 2-3 September.
Held under
the patronage of H.E. Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, President, Federal Republic of
Nigeria, GITEX NIGERIA is supported by the Federal Ministry of
Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in collaboration with the
National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). The event is
endorsed by Lagos State Government, and organised by KAOUN International, the global
organiser of GITEX events.
In
his first public appearance since being named alongside Sam Altman and Jensen
Huang in TIME magazine’s most influential people in AI 2025, Hon. Bosun Tijani said: “Across
the world, nations are harnessing AI to automate processes, analyse data, and
optimise resources in ways we could not imagine a decade ago. While others
internationally grow more productive and drive unprecedented cross-sector efficiencies,
parts of our own economies risk losing competitiveness if we fail to act. Those
ahead will accelerate; those behind will fall further. Africa
must not treat AI as an afterthought and be a consumer-centric continent importing
food, services, and innovation; we must produce, lead, and innovate. That is
why AI must sit at the very centre of our strategy. As leaders, we must
collaborate, invest, and take defining decisions that ensure Africa shapes – not
follows – the future of artificial intelligence.”
H.E.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, said: “As we
gather at GITEX NIGERIA, we have a unique opportunity to define the nation's
place in the future of artificial intelligence. With our vibrant, youthful
population and a proven track record of attracting significant investment,
Lagos is not just ambitious—we are a resilient state actively building the
digital infrastructure and scaling the startups needed to turn policy into
progress. This is a moment for global tech leaders to see Africa not merely as
a market, but as a co-creator in this revolution. By providing the enabling framework,
we can harness AI to address our most pressing challenges and lead our people
out of economic hardship."
Joining
Hon. Bosun’s opening plenary session were H.E. Pedro Fernandes Lopes, Secretary
of State for Digital Economy, Ministry of Digital Economy, Cape Verde; Dahlia
Khalifa, Regional Director for Central Africa and Anglophone West Africa, IFC;
Karl Olutokun Toriola, CEO of MTN Nigeria and VP for Francophone Africa, MTN
Group; and Robin Njiru, Public Sector Lead for West, East, and Central Africa,
Amazon Web Services.
Elaborating
on the indispensable nature of AI in Nigeria’s digital future, Kashifu
Abdullahi, Director-General/CEO of NITDA, highlighted its projected global
economic value, stating: “We stand on the cusp of a new industrial
revolution powered by AI – one where tasks are automated, diseases are cured,
and deeper human connections are created. Epoch AI projects automation could
grow the world economy by 20%, doubling output within five years. This
emphasises that no nation can afford to be left behind in this revolution, for
those who lead in AI will shape the future. To benefit fully, we must build
capacity across policy, infrastructure, computing, and above all, human
capital.”
Abdullahi
continued: “In Nigeria, we are acting on this promise through
initiatives such as training three million tech talents, embedding digital
literacy across our society, and weaving digital skills into formal education.
This AI era is not just about technology – it is about talent. And talent, when
nurtured, empowered, and digitally fluent, will define our progress and
position us to be a regional and global leader in this revolution.”
Celebrating
the launch of West Africa’s largest tech, AI, and startup show, Trixie
LohMirmand, EVP of Dubai World Trade Centre and CEO of KAOUN International,
organisers of GITEX NIGERIA, said: “GITEX NIGERIA
showcases the ambition and energy of Nigeria as the next global AI hub under
the leadership of H.E. President Tinubu – offering global perspectives and
networks for local companies, SMEs, startups to connect and scale. Nigeria’s
digital economy is young, vast, and inevitable, and as AI competition intensifies,
we are determined to secure Nigeria’s seat at the global table of the new
digital economy.”
Other
prominent speakers on the day included Elsie Gyekyewaa Attafuah, Resident
Representative United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); Basil Ayass, Sub-Saharan
Africa – Leader for Africa Google Cloud; Charmaine Houvet, Senior Director, Africa,
Cisco; and Ade Famoti, Global Head of Research Incubations, Microsoft Research,
USA.
Between
3-4 September, the GITEX NIGERIA programme will transition to Lagos,
headlining across two locations. The Eko Hotel Convention Centre hosts the GITEX
NIGERIA Tech Expo & Future Economy Conference, while the
Landmark Centre welcomes the GITEX NIGERIA Startup Festival.
For more information, news and updates on GITEX
NIGERIA, please visit gitexnigeria.ng