Tech stakeholders call for investment in local talent at Huawei summit

Stakeholders in Nigeria's technology industry have urged for greater investment in local talent and innovation to propel the nation's digital transformation and lessen dependence on imported technology. This call was made during the Huawei Nigeria AI and Cloud Summit 2026, held on Thursday, August 27 under the theme "Built Local, Built Intelligent."

The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, in his address, urged Nigeria to shift from being a consumer of technology to a creator, driven by locally developed solutions that address the country's unique challenges. Hamzat stressed that investing in local capacity does not mean isolating Nigeria from the global technological landscape, but rather collaborating with international partners while ensuring the country reaps the benefits of its own technological advancements.

He highlighted the potential of AI and cloud infrastructure to transform sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, public administration, and national security, while creating employment opportunities for young Nigerians. Huawei Nigeria CEO, Austin You, affirmed the company's dedication to Nigeria's digital development, stating that Huawei has trained over 100,000 Nigerians and established more than 250 ICT academies to bolster the country's technology talent pool.

You highlighted Nigeria's population, expanding market, digital infrastructure, and talent as a solid foundation for the nation to assume a leading position in Africa's AI development. The Huawei Nigeria Agentic Cloud, unveiled by Huawei Cloud Nigeria Managing Director, Roc Bai, was introduced to support Nigeria's digital sovereignty and data protection needs.

Bai emphasized AI democratisation, data localisation, and trust and security as crucial priorities in Huawei Cloud's strategy for Nigeria. The summit showcased AI-driven innovations in big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and AI agents, underscoring the growing significance of locally relevant technology in Nigeria's digital future.