Nigeria’s technology sector faces a significant challenge: public interest in digital services is growing, but actual adoption remains limited in some critical areas. The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the SATH Foundation are working to address this gap through a research initiative designed to guide investment, policy decisions and technology development.
The initiative, known as the Nigeria Tech Outlook, is expected to assess how Nigerians access and use technology, identify barriers to adoption and highlight areas where investment could deliver economic and social benefits.
Speaking at the Nigeria Tech Outlook event in Lagos, NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi said the country could not fully realise its technology potential without reliable digital infrastructure, strategic investment and policies grounded in evidence.
He cited findings from a survey involving more than 2,000 Nigerians, which showed that over 80 per cent of respondents were willing to use telemedicine services, while fewer than 20 per cent had ever used them.
The findings point to a gap between interest in digital healthcare and actual usage. They also suggest that opportunities exist for investors, innovators and service providers to develop solutions that address practical needs and make digital services more accessible.
According to Inuwa, Nigeria’s technology talent, innovative ideas and entrepreneurial achievements must be supported by a stronger ecosystem if the country is to compete effectively in the global digital economy.
He argued that celebrating individual successes was not enough. Nigeria also needed infrastructure, appropriate policies and investment partnerships capable of turning innovation into wider economic gains.
Five Sectors to Feature in the Nigeria Tech Outlook
The first edition of the Nigeria Tech Outlook will focus on five sectors: financial services, telecommunications, commerce and trade, government services, and healthcare.
These sectors play important roles in everyday economic activity and public service delivery. Their inclusion is expected to help stakeholders understand where digital tools are being adopted, where barriers remain and where technology could improve productivity and access to services.
In financial services, the assessment could help identify opportunities to improve digital transactions and access to financial products. In telecommunications, it will examine issues connected to the infrastructure and services that enable digital participation.
Commerce and trade will form another area of interest, particularly as businesses increasingly rely on digital platforms to reach customers and manage transactions.
Government services and healthcare will also receive attention, reflecting the potential for technology to improve public administration and service delivery.
Beyond these sectors, the assessment will examine emerging technologies and issues including artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cybersecurity, digital trust and governance, data privacy, cloud computing and digital infrastructure.
The objective is to provide a clearer picture of Nigeria’s technology landscape and help stakeholders identify where practical interventions are most needed.
Evidence-Based Policies and Investment Decisions
Inuwa said technology policies and regulations should be informed by research findings and industry realities rather than assumptions.
He encouraged business leaders and other stakeholders to contribute their expertise to reviewing the findings and identifying interventions that could accelerate digital adoption.
The Nigeria Tech Outlook is intended to provide investors with information that can support decisions on emerging opportunities in the country’s digital economy. It is also expected to help government agencies develop policies that address barriers to technology use.
For investors, reliable information about adoption patterns can help distinguish between areas where demand is already translating into usage and those where significant obstacles remain.
For businesses, the findings could help identify unmet needs and opportunities to develop products and services that respond to consumer behaviour.
For policymakers, evidence on infrastructure gaps, usage patterns and access barriers could help guide priorities and direct resources towards interventions with practical benefits.
The success of the initiative will depend on how effectively its findings are translated into investment decisions, policy implementation and improvements in access to digital services.
SATH Foundation Calls for Annual Assessment
Speaking at the event, SATH Foundation Founder and Chairman Collins Onuegbu said technology had become central to Nigeria’s economic and social development.
He noted that digital innovation was changing how people work, trade, communicate, learn and access public services. It was also reshaping business operations, government engagement, security, productivity and national competitiveness.
Onuegbu called for the Nigeria Tech Outlook to become an annual assessment, arguing that regular reviews would help stakeholders track progress, evaluate priorities and build a stronger evidence base for decisions about the country’s digital future.
An annual report could provide a means of comparing changes in technology access and adoption over time, identifying persistent barriers and assessing whether previous recommendations had produced measurable results.
He also stressed the importance of ensuring that discussions about technology development lead to practical outcomes rather than ending with speeches and declarations.
According to him, stakeholders should focus on actions capable of advancing innovation, economic growth and Nigeria’s competitiveness.
The Nigeria Tech Outlook is scheduled to be launched at the Digital Nigeria International Conference.
Telemedicine Findings Highlight Wider Digital Opportunities
The survey’s findings on telemedicine illustrate why understanding actual technology use matters.
Although more than four in five respondents reportedly expressed willingness to use telemedicine, fewer than one in five had ever used such services.
This difference suggests that willingness alone does not guarantee adoption. Factors such as access to reliable connectivity, affordability, digital literacy, availability of suitable services and confidence in technology may influence whether people move from interest to regular use. The supplied report does not identify which of these factors accounts for the gap.
For healthcare providers and technology companies, better evidence on these barriers could help guide the development of services that are more accessible and relevant to patients.
Similar questions arise in other sectors. The availability of digital financial services, online commerce platforms or government portals does not automatically mean that people can use them effectively.
Understanding how people access and use these services is therefore important for ensuring that technology investments deliver meaningful results.
The broader challenge for Nigeria is to ensure that digital innovation translates into wider participation, improved productivity and better access to essential services.
Through the Nigeria Tech Outlook, NITDA and the SATH Foundation aim to provide a more evidence-based understanding of that challenge. Its long-term significance will depend on whether the research helps close the gap between technological potential and everyday adoption across Nigeria’s economy.