GITEX Nigeria opens in Lagos, as global investors eye Africa’s next tech unicorns

Nigeria’s drive toward achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2030 received a major boost on Tuesday as the highly anticipated GITEX Nigeria 2026 Tech Expo officially opened at the Landmark Centre in Lagos.

The event brought together technology companies, startups, investors, innovators, and policymakers from around the world, with discussions focused on commercial scaling, international investment, and the infrastructure required to support Nigeria’s expanding digital economy.

The Lagos edition follows an exclusive Government and AI Leadership Summit held in Abuja earlier in the week.

While the Abuja gathering centered on public policy and artificial intelligence governance, the Lagos event shifted attention toward commercial opportunities within Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.

Organized by KAOUN International under the patronage of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the expo aims to support Nigeria’s long-term economic targets through digital innovation and foreign direct investment.

Industry leaders at the event noted that Nigeria is steadily moving beyond its reputation as merely a consumer market for financial technology.

According to stakeholders, international investors are increasingly interested in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data centers, and foundational digital infrastructure.

“Nigeria’s technology story is no longer just about consumer fintech. The conversation is expanding toward building the infrastructure and systems that will support the next generation of digital growth,” participants observed.

Organizers stated that this growing interest reflects Nigeria’s market size, its dynamic youth demographic, and the increasing volume of viable tech enterprises emerging from the country. More than 200 global investors from 30 countries collectively managing roughly $200 billion in assets are participating in the Lagos exhibition. These investors plan to explore the exhibition floor and engage directly with startups seeking capital and strategic partnerships.

“Global capital is increasingly looking to Africa for the next generation of high-growth technology companies,” the organizers said, emphasizing that GITEX Nigeria is designed to bridge the gap between international financiers and promising regional innovators.

Venture capital firms from the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands have converged on Lagos. Their presence is expected to yield cross-border partnerships, allowing Nigerian entrepreneurs to scale operations beyond domestic borders.

“The goal is to move from early innovation to commercial scale. Ideas must be backed by capital, robust infrastructure, and strategic distribution if they are to become sustainable enterprises,” one delegate noted.

The gathering also cements Lagos’ position as a premier technology and investment hub in Sub-Saharan Africa. Sustaining this momentum, stakeholders agreed, will require deeper commitments to research and development, reliable power, telecommunications networks, and technical education.

As the expo progresses, sessions will address how Nigeria can continuously attract foreign capital while fostering a regulatory climate that enables homegrown solutions to compete globally.