FG targets 21% ICT contribution to GDP

The federal government is projecting that the country’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector will contribute 21 per cent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2027, surpassing oil and gas as the key driver of growth. Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, spoke while delivering his keynote speech at […]

The federal government is projecting that the country’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector will contribute 21 per cent to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2027, surpassing oil and gas as the key driver of growth.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, spoke while delivering his keynote speech at the opening of the GITEX Nigeria Tech Expo and Future Economy Conference in Lagos. 

The GITEX NIGERIA is taking place across Abuja and Lagos from 1-4 September and organised by KAOUN International, global producer of GITEX events.

Tijani stated that the ICT sector already contributes between 16% and 18% to the GDP, making it the fastest-growing contributor to the economy.

• Fans to pay N1,000, N3,000 for S’Eagles vs Amavubi clash in Uyo
• Gov Sani approves CONHESS salary, hazard allowance for Kaduna health workers

He said, “Our digital economy is no longer about apps alone, it is about productivity gains that will transform agriculture, education, manufacturing, and governance.”

 He noted that Nigeria is the largest telecommunications market in Africa, with Lagos standing as the continent’s innovation capital and home to five to six unicorns.

The minister unveiled several federal initiatives, including Project Bridge, a 90,000km fibre backbone that will connect every state and local government; the 3MTT programme, designed to be the world’s largest digital skills initiative; and the forthcoming National Digital Economy and New Governance Bill, a landmark legislation aimed at strengthening trust, security, and accountability in the digital space.

“Lagos is where the idea of Africa collides with the ambition of the future,” Tijani added, stressing that startups, corporates, academics, the diaspora, and global partners must co-create sustainable digital solutions with the government providing the enabling infrastructure.

 

 

 

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu described Lagos as ‘a launchpad for Africa’s tomorrow’ – ready to propel Nigeria’s quest for a data-driven government and digitally empowered population.

 

Elaborating on Lagos’s digital economy leadership credentials and quest to harness technological capabilities for the betterment of regional society, Sanwo-Olu said: “Lagos is not just a city for today – it is Africa’s innovation nerve centre and a launchpad for Africa’s tomorrow. At the heart of our efforts to unlock digital transformation possibilities is an unshakeable belief that governance in the 21st century must be digital, inclusive, and data-driven.

 

“As Peter Drucker once said, ‘The best way to predict the future is to create it’. Here in Lagos, we are creating that future, building a data-driven government where policy decisions respond to real-time insights and inclusive connectivity empowers every citizen in one of the world’s most vibrant tech ecosystems.”