The European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, has said Nigeria is well positioned to lead Africa’s digital and creative transformation
Mignot stated this at the third edition of the Omniverse Africa Summit in Lagos.
According to him, Nigeria’s youthful population, entrepreneurial energy and growing innovation ecosystem provide a strong foundation for digital transformation, innovation and economic growth. “The new economy, digital and creative, offers a fantastic opportunity,” he said.
He also noted that young Nigerians are uniquely positioned to drive innovation because they are part of a generation that has grown up with digital tools and technologies.
The Ambassador further said the European Union and Nigeria have identified the digital and creative sectors as a strategic priority within their partnership and highlighted ongoing investments aimed at supporting the country’s digital transformation.
“In Nigeria, the EU supports the entire digital value chain, from governance to infrastructure, from skills to entrepreneurship,” he said.
He disclosed several ongoing initiatives, including a recently signed €45 million agreement between the European Union and Nigeria on digital development, support for the rollout of 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic infrastructure across the country, the European Union’s contribution to Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure agenda, and support for the Three Million Technical Talent initiative.
The Ambassador also pointed to programmes that support entrepreneurship, innovation and skills development, including the Digital Transformation Centre Nigeria, co-funded by the European Union and the German Government and implemented by GIZ.
The programme, he said supports digital innovation, entrepreneurship and technology adoption among young Nigerians and businesses.
Also speaking, German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Günther, said Nigeria is home to one of Africa’s most dynamic innovation ecosystems and said Nigerian entrepreneurs are increasingly shaping global trends in areas ranging from financial technology and artificial intelligence to agribusiness, health innovation, manufacturing and the creative industries.
“The future will not be built in silos. It will be built through cooperation across sectors, institutions and borders. The future will be connected.
“Nigerian innovators are not simply adapting to global trends. They are shaping them,” she said.
The summit featured discussions on digital transformation, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, green technology, future skills, research collaboration and innovation financing, highlighting the growing role of partnerships in shaping Africa’s economic future.
The European Union partnered with Omniverse Africa as part of its broader commitment to supporting innovation, entrepreneurship, digital transformation and youth opportunities in Nigeria and across the continent.
