Africa’s future in the global digital economy depends on how quickly it can use data, cloud infrastructure and human capital, speakers said on Friday as the Tech Revolution Africa Conference 2.0 opened in Lagos. The two day event, themed The Big Bold Step, brought together telecom operators, technology firms, startups, investors, students and government officials at the Landmark Event Centre to discuss how Africa can move from lagging behind to building strong digital platforms of its own.
Co founder and co convener of the conference, Glory Olamigoke, said the event was designed to close long standing gaps in the technology ecosystem, especially between young innovators and industry leaders. He explained that the conference was structured to bring founders and decision makers into the same space, while also reaching younger students through initiatives such as student tech debates. According to him, early exposure and long term capacity building are key to shaping the next generation of African tech leaders.
The Lagos State Commissioner for Innovation, Science and Technology, Olatunbosun Alake, said Africa’s digital growth must go beyond technology alone. He noted that issues such as Nigeria’s image abroad and weak engagement with the public sector also affect progress. Alake urged young professionals not to shy away from public service, describing it as challenging but capable of creating real impact if guided by strong values and principles.
MTN Nigeria’s Chief Information Officer, Shoyinka Shodunke, in his keynote on the digital economy forecast for 2026, warned that Africa has little room for delay in the fourth industrial revolution. He said data is now the main input and the cloud has become the new factory, making scale possible without heavy capital investment. Other speakers stressed the importance of local cloud services, data ownership, open source platforms and strong interconnection to support growth. As discussions continued, participants agreed that while opportunities are clearer than ever, real progress will depend on execution rather than endless talk.