The Lagos State Government has contended that the continent’s main challenge is not a lack of innovative ideas but the inability to scale them to reach millions of people.
Lagos Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, spoke at the fifth edition of Texcellence in Lagos, where he outlined measures being taken by the state government to accelerate digital development and drive continent-wide tech expansion.
He called for stronger public-private collaboration to scale technological innovation across Africa.
Hamzat stated that governments must provide reliable infrastructure, predictable regulations, and adequate funding to enable technology businesses to grow and deliver measurable benefits to citizens.
Hamzat said, “Africa does not have an innovation problem. I will repeat that. Africa does not have an innovation problem. We have a scaling problem. And it goes across all sectors.”
Texcellence is an annual technology summit that gathers key stakeholders, policymakers, and industry experts. The fifth edition attracted international speakers from various African countries, including Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa.
The deputy governor cited CWG Plc, a Nigerian technology company that began operations in Lagos in 1992, as an example of how businesses could thrive in a supportive environment.
He noted that the firm had expanded from a computer warehouse with six employees to a publicly listed entity on the Nigerian Exchange, with subsidiaries in Ghana and Uganda and clients across Africa.
According to him, the growth of the company demonstrated the importance of a large market and a stable business environment that rewards excellence and encourages long-term investment.
Hamzat disclosed that Lagos had adopted a shared fibre-optic infrastructure model to reduce the duplication of telecommunications facilities, with about 3,000 kilometres of fibre laid and plans for a unified 6,000-kilometre network backed by an additional $22m investment.
He added that more than seven million residents had enrolled in the state’s residents’ identity management system, while smart cameras installed along major roads were helping with traffic monitoring and enforcement.
On improving the business environment, Hamzat said the state introduced an electronic physical planning permit system in April, allowing applicants to process and track permits online. He said the initiative had reduced the steps required to obtain permits from 29 to seven without increasing statutory fees.
He also disclosed that the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council had supported 18 researchers and more than 75 start-ups, adding that the government was proposing legislation to dedicate a fixed portion of its annual budget to research, development, and innovation.
In his remarks, the founder of CWG and host of Texcellence, Austin Okere, said the desire to address poor customer service and unreliable technology delivery inspired him to establish the company, which has grown into a major player in Nigeria’s information technology industry.
Okere explained that he founded CWG after becoming dissatisfied with the failure of his former employer to meet delivery commitments to customers, warning that businesses risk losing their reputation when they fail to keep their promises.
He noted that the company’s commitment to developing Nigeria’s technology industry informed the establishment of the CWG Academy, which trains professionals for the company, its clients, and competitors.
He added that the initiative was introduced partly in response to the brain drain and departure of skilled Nigerian technology professionals to international firms.
He explained that Texcellence was created to bring technology companies, governments, customers, and other stakeholders together to discuss how Africa could strengthen its digital infrastructure and accelerate technological development.
Also speaking, the Chief Operating Officer of CWG Plc, Afolabi Sobande, called for greater investment in indigenous technology development, stating that Africa has the capacity to develop solutions to its challenges rather than depend continually on imported technologies.
He said the annual conference, which began in 2021, was established to stimulate conversations about Africa’s capacity to drive technological development and encourage stakeholders to explore solutions that address the continent’s needs.
“Our focus objective is to ensure that we believe in Africa. Africa can drive technology, and we don’t necessarily have to import technology every time,” Sobande said.