The Lagos State Authorities on Tuesday mentioned it is able to develop into Africa’s launchpad for Nordic innovation.
It made the vow on the fourth version of the Nordic Nigeria Join (NNC) convention, which opened in Lagos with a name for deeper collaboration between Nigeria and Nordic nations in sustainable know-how, inexperienced power, agriculture, and digital transformation.
Now in its fourth version, the Nordic Nigeria Join (NNC) is a recurring enterprise and innovation discussion board organised by the embassies of Nordic nations – Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden – in Nigeria, to strengthen partnerships in inexperienced innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable improvement.
Representing Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Deputy Chief of Workers, Samuel Egube, mentioned Lagos is transferring from “invitation to implementation” as partnerships with Nordic economies start to yield tangible outcomes.
Mr Egube, who learn the governor’s deal with, mentioned the state authorities would set up a Lagos–Nordic Innovation Hall, a everlasting framework to attach public establishments, analysis centres, and private-sector companions for know-how change and funding.
“Immediately, Lagos is able to be the African launchpad for Nordic innovation — a metropolis the place sustainable applied sciences are examined, refined, and scaled to achieve hundreds of thousands,” Governor Sanwo-Olu mentioned within the deal with.
“Let this 12 months mark the transition from dialog to co-creation, from joint boards to joint services, from planning to scaling.”
He mentioned the state was already implementing insurance policies in clear power, electrical mobility, agriculture, and digital well being, which aligned with the Nordic nations’ concentrate on sustainability, innovation, and inclusion.
In her comment, Denmark’s State Secretary for Commerce and Funding, Lina Hansen, mentioned the Nordic nations have been deepening long-term partnerships with Nigeria, describing it as “a beacon of democracy, stability, and development” in Africa.
She mentioned Denmark’s new Africa Technique — themed Africa’s Century — aimed to construct equal partnerships and drive investments in areas comparable to digitalisation, meals safety, and maritime logistics, noting that Danish firms have been desperate to help Nigeria’s digital transformation.
Additionally, Finland’s Deputy Minister for Worldwide Commerce, Jarno Syrjälä, emphasised that the discussion board is “greater than a enterprise occasion” however “a platform for dialogue, collaboration, and innovation” between the Nordic area and Nigeria.
He recognized 4 key sectors for partnership: digital transformation, well being innovation, agriculture and meals safety, and the inexperienced power transition.
“Collectively, we are able to co-create options which might be commercially viable and socially and environmentally impactful,” Mr Syrjälä mentioned.
Additionally talking, the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ossai, urged contributors to concentrate on sensible, measurable outcomes quite than infinite coverage discussions.
He known as for stronger help for business agriculture and know-how collaboration throughout Nigeria’s areas to drive inclusive development.
Nigeria, Nordic nations to deepen digital innovation partnership — Minister Tijani
The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economic system, Bosun Tijani, mentioned Nigeria is constructing a knowledge-based, digitally pushed financial system anchored on empathy, belief, and innovation, with the Nordic nations as key companions in driving inclusive development by way of know-how and human capital improvement.
In his keynote deal with on the occasion, Mr Tijani mentioned Nigeria’s collaboration with Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden is important to advancing shared prosperity by way of innovation and sustainable partnerships.
Mr Tijani mentioned his ministry is working to make sure that each Nigerian is linked to the digital financial system, stressing that innovation should be constructed round empathy and belief — values that outline each Nigeria’s aspirations and the Nordic method to improvement.
“Our collaboration with Nordic nations should transcend phrases. We should flip empathy and belief into innovation that creates jobs, builds expertise, and transforms lives,” the minister mentioned.
He outlined key initiatives underneath President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, together with the Three Million Technical Expertise (3MTT) programme, geared toward equipping younger Nigerians with digital and technical abilities, and the continued funding in nationwide digital public infrastructure to strengthen governance and inclusion.
Mr Tijani additionally spotlighted ongoing partnerships with Nordic nations in areas comparable to synthetic intelligence, satellite tv for pc know-how, renewable power, and digital governance, saying these collaborations will assist Nigeria obtain long-term financial transformation.
“The Nordic nations have all the time been champions of sustainable innovation. Working collectively, we are able to construct an financial system rooted not simply in know-how, however in human dignity and belief,” he added.
The minister urged contributors to see the Nordic Nigeria Join as a platform for co-creating options to shared world challenges, noting that Nigeria’s future depends upon how properly it leverages partnerships that mix innovation with compassion.
‘Unlocking shared worth’
Nordic and Nigerian officers recognized new areas of collaboration to drive inexperienced innovation, digital transformation, and sustainable funding, with Lagos positioned as a strategic hub for regional development.
They spoke throughout the first high-level panel session of the Nordic Nigeria Join (NNC) 2025 enterprise discussion board in Lagos, themed ‘Why Nordic, Why Nigeria: Unlocking Shared Worth.’
The session featured Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economic system, Mr Tijani; Denmark’s State Secretary for Commerce and Funding, Ms Hansen; Finland’s Deputy Minister for Overseas Commerce and Growth, Mr Syrjälä; Sweden’s Deputy Director-Normal and Director for Africa, Johan Frisell; Norway’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Svein Baera; and representatives of the Lagos State Authorities, Mr Egube.
Mr Syrjälä mentioned Finland’s engagement in Nigeria focuses on human capital improvement, digital transformation, and renewable power options.
He famous that Finnish firms comparable to Nokia, Gofore, and Wärtsilä are already contributing to Nigeria’s digital and power sectors.
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“We should overcome world challenges collectively. Our firms have the expertise to help Nigeria’s renewable power targets whereas investing in human capital that underpins long-term development,” he mentioned.
Additionally talking, Mr Frisell mentioned Sweden’s strongest hyperlink with Nigeria lies within the digital financial system, spanning fintech, edtech, and telecommunications.
He emphasised that know-how and sustainability are inseparable in at the moment’s world financial system.
“The digital and inexperienced transitions go hand in hand. Nigeria’s development trajectory reminds us of our personal historical past — the place innovation and social inclusion created shared prosperity,” he said.
Mr Baera mentioned Norway’s profitable transition from oil dependency to a diversified financial system pushed by renewable power and fisheries gives essential classes for Nigeria.
He spotlighted the work of Empower New Power, a Norwegian agency increasing photo voltaic investments throughout the nation.
“Oil and gasoline have been central to Norway’s development, however diversification has sustained our financial system. We’re desperate to share our experience in clear power, transport, and fisheries with Nigeria,” he mentioned.
Mr Egube famous that Lagos is implementing large-scale initiatives in transport, power transition, and meals safety to develop into Africa’s mannequin metropolis for sustainable innovation.
“Lagos has the size and expertise to draw world partnerships,” he mentioned. “We’re constructing a metropolis the place clear power, know-how, and human capital drive inclusive prosperity.”
