The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has announced on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria its partnership with KAOUN International to host the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) in Nigeria.
This disclosure was made by the Agency during the inauguration of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), which comprises representatives from key public and private sectors, underscoring a collective efforts by the nation’s science and technology stakeholders to host participants at a world-class tech conference in the country.
This maiden GITEX edition with the theme “Forging the Rise of Digital Nigeria” is expected to feature not less than 1000 startups, over 100 investors and an attendance of over 20,000 participants which would be held in Abuja and Lagos between 1st and 4th of September 2025.
GITEX Nigeria is set to bring together global tech leaders, innovators, investors, startups, and policy makers, opening up new avenues for collaboration, investment, and technological exchange.
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The event in Abuja will witness government leadership and AI summit to unite government leaders and global tech executives to drive national projects, including digital infrastructure expansion, AI adoption and public sector innovation while in Lagos, which is the commercial hub of the country, GITEX aims to spotlight the nation’s tech ecosystem, promoting startups, attracting investment, growth driving multi-sector economic diversification to a global audience.
Speaking at the event, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, who was represented by the Director, ITIS Department, Mr Olawumi Oladejo, expressed his delight on the milestone achievement and thanked everyone for all the effort they have been putting into the actualisation of the great event in Nigeria.
He emphasized the potential impact of hosting such a prestigious event, stating that it would not only elevate Nigeria’s international profile but also boost local businesses, drive tourism, and provide a platform for innovation and partnerships.
The NITDA boss said: “We all know the positive impact that hosting this kind of event will bring to the country. It will boost our international standing and scale our local businesses and tourism. This event is part of our way of implementing a major pillar, Forging Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations of the agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2024–2027).” he added.
According to him, the implementation of the GITEX Nigeria is in line with the 8-point agenda of the present administration through the implementation of the agency’s SRAP.
Noting that the GITEX model has expanded to North Africa, specifically in Morocco, Inuwa asserted that Nigeria’s hosting of the event would mark its first footprint in West Africa.
While assuring the stakeholders of presidential backing for the initiative, he maintained that “if we can successfully host this, it will open the door for Nigeria to lead digital transformation efforts across the region.”
In his presentation on the overview of the GITEX Nigeria preparations, the Director of the Stakeholder Management and Partnerships department, Dr Aristotle Onumo, said that the vision of the event was to elevate six local startups to global standards in three years.
He added that the event, which would be anchored on three fulcrums namely enablement, engagement, and knowledge, to enhance growth in the Telecom, Fintech, Agritech, Edtech, e-Commerce, Healthtech as well as data centres in reinforcing data sovereignty and other sectors.
On the opportunities the event will bring in terms of boosting investments into the Nigerian technological ecosystem, the Director said that “78% of startups are expecting to receive funds from investors as a result of their participation in GITEX.”
