Lagos Deputy Governor Hamzat Addresses Africa's Innovation Scaling

At the fifth edition of Texcellence in Lagos, Lagos Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat asserted that Africa's primary challenge is not a shortage of innovative ideas but the difficulty in scaling them to benefit millions. He called for enhanced public-private collaboration to foster technological innovation across the continent.

Hamzat emphasized that governments must provide reliable infrastructure, predictable regulations, and adequate funding to support technology businesses. He cited CWG Plc, a Nigerian technology company, as an example of successful growth in a supportive environment, expanding from a small warehouse to a publicly listed entity with subsidiaries in Ghana and Uganda.

Hamzat revealed that Lagos has implemented a shared fibre-optic infrastructure model, laying about 3,000 kilometres of fibre with plans for a unified 6,000-kilometre network backed by a $22 million investment. Additionally, he mentioned the introduction of an electronic physical planning permit system, reducing permit steps from 29 to seven, and the support of 18 researchers and over 75 start-ups by the Lagos State Science, Research and Innovation Council.