Sanwo-Olu pledges support for tech industry in Africa

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, said he is committed to the growth of the tech industry in Africa as an ardent believer in the vast and untapped potential that the continent holds in the realms of technology and digital innovation.

Governor Sanwo-Olu gave this pledge while speaking at the GITEX One Africa Digital Summit in Marrakech, Morocco, saying that acceleration of the African continent towards becoming the next Silicon Valley was a collective effort that required the continued collaboration of governments, the private sector, academia, and the civil society.

The governor said his administration’s focus on fostering an enabling environment for startups and tech companies to flourish was yielding unprecedented results, creating jobs, driving economic growth, and providing solutions to societal problems.

According to him, the story of Lagos is a testament to the collaborative efforts of both the public and private sectors in fostering development, noting that the remarkable rise of Yaba, a bustling metropolitan area in Lagos and home to the highest concentration of start-ups in Nigeria, owed its success to a well-coordinated public-private partnership.

“I stand before you today not just as the Governor of Lagos State, a sub-sovereign state within Nigeria with a population of over 20 million people, but as an ardent believer in the vast and untapped potential that Africa holds within the realms of technology and digital innovation.

“As the Governor of Lagos State, a city that is at the forefront of this transformation, I am committed to supporting the growth of the tech industry in Africa.

“Lagos, Nigeria’s bustling mega-city, is emerging as a thriving epicenter of tech entrepreneurship and innovation. Lagos is home to some of the most innovative and successful startups in Africa, including Andela, Paystack, Flutterwave, Kobo360, Kuda Bank and many others. These companies have not only transformed industries like fintech and e-commerce but have also inspired a new generation of entrepreneurs and investors across the continent.

“These success stories have been made possible, in part, by the fund raised from companies, unicorns, and venture capital firms that have flooded the Lagos tech ecosystem in recent years.

“More importantly, these investments have been attracted to the market size and the enabling environment that Lagos is becoming on the African continent,” he said.

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