By Valentine Alexander 
Huawei Nigeria has officially launched a new Innovation Centre in Lagos, aiming to speed up Nigeria’s move into a fully digital economy. This new development is part of a three-day event called Huawei Day Nigeria, themed “Accelerating Industrial Intelligence.” The centre is set to play a big role in Nigeria’s technology growth by supporting innovation, collaboration, and development in the digital space.
Supporting Local Innovation and Digital Skills
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, praised Huawei’s effort, saying the Innovation Centre will help Nigeria create its own technology solutions rather than depend on foreign ones. He stressed the need for partnerships and co-creation, noting that working with top global tech companies like Huawei gives Nigeria a chance to build a digital future that fits its local needs. This centre is expected to help Nigerian startups, engineers, and ICT professionals learn, create, and grow. By providing a platform for training and innovation, it will help improve the digital skills of Nigerian youths and support job creation in the tech industry.
Strengthening Lagos State’s Tech Ecosystem
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, highlighted Huawei’s long-term commitment to Nigeria. He explained that Huawei has become an important part of the state’s ICT growth. One key point he noted was Huawei’s launch of Nigeria’s first Hyperscale Local Cloud, which allows the country to store data locally. This is a big step toward data sovereignty, helping Nigeria take better control of its digital resources. The local cloud also means businesses in Nigeria can get faster, more secure, and reliable data services. This supports industries like banking, education, and healthcare, making them more efficient and modern.
Promoting Green Energy and Sustainable Tech
Huawei is not only working in digital technology but is also helping Nigeria with solar energy solutions. The company is already providing smart solar systems in rural areas and industries. These systems offer clean, reliable power, which is very important for places that don’t have stable electricity. By combining solar energy with digital tools, Huawei is helping reduce pollution and pushing Nigeria toward a greener economy. This approach supports both technology growth and environmental protection.
AI and Industrial Growth
At the event, Dr. Peter Zhou, President of Huawei’s Data Storage Product Line, spoke about how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing industries. He said AI is already helping many sectors such as transport, finance, agriculture, and even weather forecasting. Huawei has built a full system that supports AI, from fast internet to large data storage, smart computing, and cloud services. Dr. Zhou introduced the AI Data Lake, which is a special technology that helps industries manage and use large amounts of data for better decision-making. With this, industries in Nigeria can work faster, smarter, and more competitively.
A New Digital Era for Nigeria
Huawei Nigeria’s CEO, Chris Lu, celebrated the company’s 25 years in Nigeria and said the new Innovation Centre marks the beginning of another exciting journey. With tools like cloud computing, AI, and renewable energy, Huawei is helping Nigeria build a strong, smart, and sustainable economy. The Innovation Centre is not just about technology, it’s about changing lives, building skills, creating jobs, and giving Nigeria a leading role in Africa’s digital future.
Christopher Ajewole 
Opeoluwa Okudero
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