Lagos Deputy Governor calls for increased African digital infrastructure investment

Lagos State Deputy Governor Kadri Hamzat has urged African governments and the private sector to increase investment in digital infrastructure to address the continent's scaling challenges. Speaking at the fifth annual Texcellence tech summit in Lagos, Hamzat argued that Africa's primary obstacle is not a lack of innovation, but rather the inability to scale successful ideas to reach millions of people across the continent.

To facilitate growth, Hamzat emphasized the need for governments to dismantle bureaucratic bottlenecks, establish predictable regulations, and provide reliable infrastructure and funding. He cited the Nigerian technology company CWG Plc as a success story, noting its evolution from a small warehouse into a publicly listed entity with subsidiaries in Ghana and Uganda.

In Lagos, the state has implemented a shared fibre-optic infrastructure model to minimize the duplication of telecommunications facilities. The state has laid approximately 3,000 kilometres of fibre, with plans to expand to a 6,000-kilometre network supported by an additional $22 million.