GITEX NIGERIA 2025 Post Show Report – highlighting the major successes and impact of the previous edition

West Africa’s technology and innovation landscape is entering a pivotal phase of growth:

• Nigeria: A $1.1 billion Nordic–Nigeria alliance is deploying a 90,000 km fiber backbone, currently 60% complete. By 2050, Nigeria’s population is projected to reach 401 million, making it the third largest globally.
• Benin: Emerging as a regional AI hub under its SNIAM strategy, with 123 AI-driven projects across agriculture, healthcare, and education.
• Ghana: A digital economy contributing 10% to GDP, supported by 69 national digital initiatives and 3.8 billion mobile transactions.
• Mauritania, Guinea & Gambia: Advancing connectivity through a 1,700 km regional fiber rollout, enhancing cross-border access, and reducing costs.
• Across the region, governments are actively partnering with the private sector to accelerate digital transformation and innovation-led growth.

For startups and scaleups, the opportunity lies in:

• Building visibility at a time when funding, partnerships, and market-entry discussions are actively progressing
• Gaining direct access to decision-makers across government, enterprise, and investment communities
• Positioning early within a rapidly evolving and structured technology ecosystem in West Africa

Text: Khatri Salman