Digital Adoption: NITDA, SATH Foundation Push Evidence-Based Investment In Nigeria’s Tech Sector

Nigeria’s technology ecosystem faces a significant gap between public interest in digital solutions and their actual adoption, with new research pointing to untapped opportunities for investment, innovation and policy reforms across critical sectors of the economy.

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, disclosed this at the Nigeria Tech Outlook event in Lagos, where he stressed that the country’s technology potential could not be fully realised without reliable digital infrastructure, strategic investment and policies informed by evidence.

Citing findings from a survey of more than 2,000 Nigerians, Inuwa said over 80 per cent of respondents expressed willingness to use telemedicine services, while fewer than 20 per cent had ever used them. The figures highlight the disparity between demand for digital services and actual usage, particularly in healthcare, while pointing to opportunities for investors and innovators to develop solutions that address unmet needs.

Similarly, the findings are expected to form part of the Nigeria Tech Outlook, an initiative developed by NITDA in collaboration with the SATH Foundation to assess technology access, adoption and its contribution to productivity across the Nigerian economy.

Inuwa argued that Nigeria’s pool of technology talent, innovative ideas and entrepreneurial achievements would not, on their own, guarantee global competitiveness without a stronger ecosystem to support growth.

He said the country needed to move beyond celebrating individual successes to building the infrastructure, policy environment and investment partnerships required to translate innovation into broader economic gains.

The first edition of the outlook will focus on five key sectors: financial services, telecommunications, commerce and trade, government services, and healthcare.The assessment will also examine emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and autonomous systems, as well as cybersecurity, digital trust and governance, data privacy, cloud computing and digital infrastructure.

According to the NITDA director-general, the report is intended to provide stakeholders with a clearer understanding of where technology is being adopted, where barriers persist and where investment could deliver measurable economic and social benefits.

He maintained that technology policies and regulations must reflect research findings and industry realities rather than assumptions, urging business leaders and other stakeholders to contribute their expertise to reviewing the findings and identifying practical interventions.

Such an approach, he said, would help policymakers address adoption barriers, enable businesses to identify market opportunities and support innovators in developing solutions to pressing national challenges. Hence, the outlook is also expected to provide investors with information to guide decisions on emerging opportunities in Nigeria’s digital economy, while helping government agencies formulate policies capable of accelerating technology adoption.

Speaking at the event, the founder and chairman of the SATH Foundation, Collins Onuegbu, said technology had become central to Nigeria’s economic and social development, transforming how people work, trade, communicate, learn and access public services.

He noted that digital innovation was increasingly reshaping business operations, government engagement, security, productivity and national competitiveness.

Onuegbu called for the assessment to be conducted annually, explaining that a regular review would create institutional memory and enable stakeholders to track progress, evaluate priorities and strengthen the evidence base for decisions on Nigeria’s digital future.

He also emphasised the need for discussions on technology development to produce practical outcomes rather than end with speeches, urging participants to focus on actions that could advance innovation, economic growth and national competitiveness.

The Nigeria Tech Outlook is scheduled for launch at the Digital Nigeria International Conference. Its long-term value will depend on whether the findings translate into measurable changes in investment decisions, policy implementation and access to digital services, particularly in sectors where public interest has yet to translate into widespread adoption.