Nigeria Hosts GITEX 2026, Eyes Slice of $1trn African AI Economy

Nigeria will host GITEX Nigeria 2026 from August 31 to September 3 across Abuja and Lagos, part of a push to position the country to capture a share of a projected 1 trillion dollar AI-driven economic opportunity across Africa by 2035.

The event runs under the patronage of President Bola Tinubu and carries the theme "Beyond Connectivity, The Bridge to Sovereign Innovation." An Abuja summit opens the programme on August 31, followed by a Lagos expo on September 2 and 3, with sessions focused on infrastructure development, talent cultivation, investment attraction and responsible AI governance.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani is among the lead officials driving the event, alongside NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Organisers expect more than 200 investors representing over 200 billion dollars in assets under management, alongside more than 1,000 startups drawn from Nigeria and beyond.

Officials have framed the summit as a step toward shifting Nigeria from being primarily a consumer of digital technology to becoming a producer and exporter of digital solutions, building on recent government efforts to expand broadband access, digital skills training and startup funding across the country.

Source: The Sun (Nigeria), Business a.m.