By Uche Onyeali
Nigeria is well positioned to lead Africa’s digital and creative transformation, Ambassador Gautier Mignot, European Union Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, said at the third edition of the Omniverse Africa Summit in Lagos.
Speaking at the opening of the summit, Ambassador Mignot said 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, noting 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 summit brought together innovators, entrepreneurs, policymakers, researchers, investors, creatives and development partners from across Africa and beyond to explore how technology, innovation and collaboration can accelerate economic growth and create opportunities for young people.
Ambassador Mignot 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 highlighted 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 supports digital innovation, entrepreneurship and technology adoption among young Nigerians and businesses.
He also highlighted the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, which helps connect young graduates with workplace opportunities and practical experience.
German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Günther said: “The future will not be built in silos. It will be built through cooperation across sectors, institutions and borders. The future will be connected.”
She described Nigeria as 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.
“Nigerian innovators are not simply adapting to global trends. They are shaping them,” she said.
Ambassador Mignot said one of the strengths of Omniverse Africa is its ability to bring together the full innovation ecosystem in a single space.“Policymakers, founders, investors, creatives, researchers, development partners and business leaders are all here, all together.
“Because Nigeria’s digital future will not be built in silos.
Technology, creative industries, finance, education, manufacturing, agriculture and public services are no longer separate worlds. They are converging,” he said.
He said the summit provides an opportunity to transform conversations into partnerships and ideas into practical solutions that can support inclusive and sustainable growth.
“The future is connected, but connection must be turned into impact.
“Let us connect innovators with investors, policy with practice, creativity with technology, and Nigerian talent with global opportunities.
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,” Mignot added.
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.
