The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigerian startups for global recognition through the ongoing GITEX Nigeria Startup Roadshow, which held its North-Central edition in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking on behalf of the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director of IT Infrastructure Solutions Department, Mr. Oladejo Olawunmi, emphasised that the roadshow is more than just a celebration of innovation — it is a strategic push to connect Nigeria’s brightest founders with international opportunities.
“This is more than support — it is a springboard to overseas markets,” Olawunmi said, addressing a packed hall of startups, investors, and ecosystem partners. “We are building a conduit between Nigeria’s brightest innovators and the vast global opportunities that await them.”
Themed “Bridging Nigeria’s Innovation with Global Opportunities,” the roadshow is touring all six geopolitical zones — Lagos, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Abuja, Gombe, and Kano — spotlighting cutting-edge solutions in HealthTech, AgriTech, FinTech, EdTech, AI, and ClimateTech.
According to Olawunmi, each regional stop has seen over 20 startups pitch disruptive ideas, with the Abuja event expected to highlight the depth of talent in the North-Central zone.
He further disclosed that GITEX Nigeria 2025, scheduled to take place from September 1 to 4 in Lagos and Abuja, will bring together over 1,000 curated startups, 300+ global investors, and an estimated 20,000 visitors from across Africa and beyond.
“This platform is set to be a force to reckon with,” he said, adding that NITDA’s partnership with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) ensures that “no great idea is left behind.”
He urged startups to seize the opportunity to connect and compete globally. “Pitch boldly. Network widely. Today, your innovation has the chance to stand alongside the world’s best,” he charged.
Olawunmi also called on investors and ecosystem partners to explore Nigeria’s innovation landscape, fund promising ideas, and help scale solutions with global relevance.
The event in Abuja marks another milestone in Nigeria’s growing digital economy agenda, with NITDA playing a leading role in driving tech-led development across all regions.
Earlier in her remarks, the National Coordinator of the Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation, ONDI, Victoria Fabunmi, disclosed the initiative’s efforts in coordinating the growth of the Nigerian digital innovation ecosystem, with a specific focus on supporting startups across the country.
“Our mandate is clear. We want to help indigenous technology enterprises to move from idea to impact, and from local relevance to global relevance. And we do that through the process of shaping policies.
“We do that through the process of strengthening stakeholder collaboration and ensuring that we’re galvanising the right resources that will ensure the growth of the ecosystem. And that’s one of the things that we’re partnering with the Dubai World Trade Centre to do, to ensure that GITEX is in Nigeria this year. At the heart of today’s gathering is our guiding theme, building Nigeria’s innovation with global opportunity.
“And we’re very excited to be collaborating with innovators today and working with them to showcase the solutions and the products that they have developed.” She said.
