Nigeria’s digital economy is poised to make an even bigger impact on the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), rising from its current contribution of between 16% and 18% to 21%, according to Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy.
Speaking during a visit to his alma mater, Anglican Grammar School in Onikolobo, Abeokuta, Tijani highlighted President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s economic landscape through technology. Central to this vision is a historic investment in 90,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables nationwide, which will deliver high-speed internet directly to schools and businesses, enhancing learning environments and boosting productivity across sectors.
“This means more jobs and opportunities,” Tijani said. “For the first time in the history of this country, an administration is investing in infrastructure that will bring high-speed internet to schools through cables-not through jungles-enabling better learning environments.”
The minister also encouraged students to dream big, reminding them that their backgrounds should not limit their ambitions. “You can become ministers, ambassadors, governors, or even the President. You can shake the world,” he told the students.
To support education, Tijani announced a fellowship program for the top three students in Junior Secondary School (JSS) 1–3 and Senior Secondary School (SS) 1–2, offering each N100,000 annually, laptops, and school uniforms. About 70 students will benefit from this initiative each year. Plans are also underway to refurbish and digitally equip a school building and adopt the science laboratory to further enhance learning resources.
Beyond education, Tijani emphasized the critical role of technology in agriculture during an Innovation and Startups Roundtable in Ogun. He urged Nigerian farmers to adopt digital tools such as mobile apps, sensors, and drones to monitor crops, control pests, and improve productivity, citing Ukraine’s sustained agricultural output amid conflict as an example of successful tech adoption.
“Given our large population and reliance on traditional farming, we cannot meet local food demand without embracing digital tools,” he said, stressing that technology could reduce Nigeria’s dependence on food imports and preserve foreign exchange.
The digital economy’s growth is expected to generate $18.3 billion by 2026, driven by thriving tech companies like Flutterwave, Jumia, Andela, and Interswitch, which demonstrate Nigeria’s rising digital potential.
According to recent data, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector contributed 17% to Nigeria’s real GDP in Q4 2024, reflecting steady growth despite some slowdown in nominal terms. The sector remains a vital engine of economic development, with mobile technology and digital services playing key roles in driving inclusion and productivity across industries.
As Nigeria advances its digital infrastructure and policies, experts forecast the country to become the world’s fifth-largest economy by 2075, with the digital economy as a central pillar of this transformation.
