Tunji Olowolafe, Chancellor of Ekiti State University (EKSU) and chairman of the Tunji Olowolafe Foundation, has called for deeper collaboration between the government, private sector, and the academia to accelerate Nigeria’s transition into a trillion-dollar digital economy by 2030.

“Both public and private sectors need to close the execution gap by turning strategic plans into tangible outcomes,” he said during the recent Digital Nigeria International conference 2025, held at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja.

Themed, ‘Discover. Connect. Transform’, the conference was convened by policymakers, innovators, investors, and technology leaders to discuss strategies for harnessing the digital economy as drivers of inclusive growth across Africa.

Olowolafe, who was represented by Olajide Aboderin, director, Gbemisola Olowolafe Memorial (GOMTECH) ICT Centre, an initiative under the Tunji Olowolafe Foundation, noted that the ICT sector, which contributed over 11 percent to Nigeria’s GDP in Q2 2025, has proven its potential as a driver of non-oil growth.

He drew parallels with India’s digital infrastructure model, which is projected to add nearly $1 trillion to India’s GDP by 2030, and emphasized that Nigeria could replicate similar results through integrated ID systems, e-government platforms, and widespread broadband connectivity.

According to him, GOMTECH’s ethos is rooted in democratizing digital knowledge and establishing centres of excellence in digital skills that go beyond geographical limitations.

Olowolafe added that GOMTECH’s pilot facility in Are-Ekiti, Ekiti State, serves as a proof-of-concept for solving Nigeria’s digital deficit by providing solar-powered, 24/7 access and specialized, hands-on instruction in frontier technologies (AI, Blockchain, Cybersecurity, Cloud and Digital Skills).

Developed in partnership with the Are-Ekiti Progressive Union (APU), the institutions offer solar-powered learning and training in AI automation, blockchain, and cloud computing.

“The initiative is dedicated to creating a certified talent pipeline and developing high-impact solutions, for Global markets.

“It leverages blockchain’s immutability to secure student records and ensure compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023,” he stated.

Olowolafe also highlighted the success stories across multiple sectors like health, agriculture, finance, and education.

He therefore called on the private sector to deepen their investment in digital talent and infrastructure. He also urged the youth and academia to come up with innovative solutions to strengthen Nigeria’s economy and self-reliance.

“When Nigerians invest in Nigeria—in data sovereignty, in daring partnerships—digital excellence will not be a conference; it will be our commonwealth,” Olowolafe stated.