Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, has called on governments and private-sector organisations across Africa to prioritise investment in digital infrastructure, supportive policies and local innovation to accelerate the continent’s digital transformation.
Hamzat made the call on Tuesday at the fifth edition of TeXcellence, held at the Landmark Event Centre in Lagos, where he stressed the need to address the challenges preventing African technological innovations from achieving widespread impact.
The event, themed “Accelerating Africa’s Digital Future Lacks Direction and a Sustained Force,” brought attention to the importance of developing effective strategies to strengthen Africa’s technology ecosystem and improve its competitiveness in the global digital economy.
The Deputy Governor maintained that Africa’s major challenge is no longer a lack of innovation but the difficulty of expanding successful ideas into sustainable systems capable of delivering economic and social benefits to millions of people.
According to him, technological breakthroughs must move beyond the development stage to become practical solutions that address everyday challenges, create employment opportunities and improve the quality of life of citizens.
Hamzat emphasised that achieving this goal requires sustained funding, reliable digital infrastructure, predictable government policies and institutional reforms that support technology-driven businesses.
He also called for the removal of bureaucratic bottlenecks that often prevent innovative businesses from expanding their operations and reaching wider markets.
The Deputy Governor noted that governments have an important role to play in creating an enabling environment where entrepreneurs, technology companies and investors can collaborate to develop solutions that meet the continent’s growing digital needs.
He further highlighted the importance of strengthening local innovation by providing businesses with the resources and support needed to develop, test and expand their products and services.
Hamzat stressed that scaling technology successfully would enable African countries to unlock new economic opportunities, strengthen productivity and improve service delivery across different sectors.
He urged stakeholders to adopt a coordinated and sustained approach to digital development, noting that isolated technological achievements would have limited impact without the necessary structures to support their expansion.
The Deputy Governor’s remarks underscored the need for Africa to transform its growing pool of technological innovations into scalable solutions that promote inclusive growth, economic development and a more competitive digital future.
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