Lagos welcomed commissioners for Innovation, Science and Technology from states across Nigeria to a high-level roundtable held under the aegis of the GITEX Africa tech gathering. The objective: align digital agendas, forge inter-state partnerships, and drive inclusive growth in a rapidly evolving ICT landscape.

The meeting convened key figures including Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, and Lagos Commissioner Olatunbosun Alake, together with commissioners from Enugu, Cross River, Jigawa, Katsina, Kaduna, Yobe, Nasarawa, Ogun, Niger, Plateau, Borno, Zamfara and Ondo. Lagos State's Permanent Secretary for Innovation, Science and Technology, Ibilola Kasunmu, also participated in framing the discussions. Observers noted that the roundtable sought to embed state-level digital initiatives into Nigeria's broader national strategy.

Alake emphasised Lagos's ambition to serve as a model for digital infrastructure, talent development and regulatory innovation. He proposed that states engage in exchange programmes, technical cooperation, and peer learning in domains ranging from broadband deployment to digital skills training. Salisu urged the participants to tie ICT plans to each state's development priorities-education, healthcare, finance-to ensure sustained political will and funding. He flagged work underway in the National Assembly on bills to strengthen cybersecurity, data protection, and innovation regulation.

The roundtable in Lagos marks a shift toward greater coordination among sub-national actors in Nigeria's digital transition. Until now, many states have pursued ICT policies in isolation, often duplicating efforts or confronting resource gaps. This initiative signals more strategic collaboration.

Beyond the roundtable, Lagos reiterated its commitment to leading the digital transformation. The state has pledged to sustain investment in fibre networks, smart city systems, regulatory reform and innovation hubs. Officials announced that Lagos will increase support for start-ups through grants, incubators and mentorship programmes. The state also seeks to broker partnerships between academic institutions, the private sector and state governments to expand capacity in AI, cloud computing and cybersecurity.

Voices from attending states expressed cautious optimism. Cross River's commissioner described the roundtable as“the first step toward removing silos” and noted plans to adopt digital identity and analytics platforms in her jurisdiction. Enugu's commissioner underscored the need for shared platforms rather than bespoke solutions in each state, to reduce costs and foster interoperability.

Arabian Post – Tech

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