Hamzat: African Governments, Private Sector Must Increase Investment in Digital Infrastructure

Dr Kadri Hamzat, the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, has urged African governments and the private sector to bolster investment in digital infrastructure. He emphasized that the continent's main hurdle in advancing technology is not a shortage of innovation but the inability to scale successful ideas to reach millions of individuals across Africa.

At Texcellence, an annual tech summit hosted in Lagos, Hamzat urged African nations to eliminate bureaucratic obstacles, institute stable policies, and carry out institutional reforms to empower technology-driven businesses and deliver extensive economic and social advantages.

Texecellence, which has hosted international speakers from countries like Uganda, Kenya, and South Africa, attracted public and private sector participants, as well as technology experts. Hamzat highlighted the measures Lagos State is implementing to expedite digital growth and stressed the necessity for greater collaboration between governments and private enterprises.

He explained that Africa does not face an innovation problem, but rather a scaling challenge across all sectors. As an illustration, Hamzat cited CWG, a Nigerian technology company established in Lagos in 1992, which grew from a computer warehouse with six employees to a listed business on the Nigerian Exchange Limited. CWG expanded to subsidiaries in Ghana and Uganda, serving clients across Africa, and demonstrated the significance of a vast market and a stable business climate that rewards excellence and encourages long-term investment.

Lagos has adopted a shared fiber-optic infrastructure model to minimize duplicate telecommunications installations, with 3,000 kilometers of fiber laid and plans for a unified 6,000-kilometer network backed by an additional $22 million investment. Over seven million residents have registered in the state's residents' identity management system, and smart cameras installed along major roads are assisting with traffic monitoring.

Hamzat also disclosed that the Lagos State Science, Research, and Innovation Council has supported 18 researchers and more than 75 start-ups. The government is proposing legislation to allocate a fixed proportion of its annual budget to research, development, and innovation. The founder of CWG and Texcellence host, Austin Okere, disclosed that his motivation to establish the company stemmed from a desire to tackle poor customer service and unreliable technology delivery.

He emphasized that businesses risk damaging their reputation when they fail to meet their promises. The CWG Academy, which trains professionals for the company, its customers, and competitors, was established based on the company's dedication to advancing Nigeria's technology sector.