Renowned tech entrepreneur and co-founder of Andela, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, has provided expert insights into the future of technology in Nigeria, evaluating its impact on the economy, the country’s current standing, its potential, and the role of leadership in driving progress.
Speaking on this week’s edition of the Mic On Podcast with Seun Okinbaloye, Aboyeji reflected on his journey into the tech world, describing it as accidental. He revealed that he never studied science in secondary school but later found himself at the University of Waterloo, Canada, where he gained critical exposure into the world of tech.
“I actually went into the tech industry completely accidentally. I didn’t even do science in secondary school. I studied law.”
Assessing Nigeria’s progress in the global tech space, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji acknowledged that while the country has made several right decisions, its growth has lacked the urgency required to compete internationally. He warned that if Nigeria fails to integrate artificial intelligence and automation effectively, many citizens will be left unemployed.
“If we don’t figure out how to use these tools and be the cheapest, most productive way for people to leverage them, we are just going to be out of work.”
Meanwhile, Mr. Aboyeji also critiqued Nigeria’s approach to workforce development, arguing that the country has a vast youth population but lacks the necessary infrastructure to translate numbers into productivity. He further highlighted the need for focus, particularly in energy, computing, and food security. “The future is energy. Can you get power to your people? Can you compute your people and connectivity? Can you feed yourself? That’s the future!”
On governance and policy direction, he expressed concerns about Nigeria’s intellectual class, stating that many so-called intellectuals lack depth in their thinking. Iyinoluwa Aboyeji argued that the country’s political discourse is often filled with “copy-and-paste” campaign promises without clear ideological backing. “Most campaign promises or ideas were ‘copy and paste.’ They are not new, nothing thought through. No ideology. There is no method to the madness! We will always miss it in policy with the overt focus on politics.”
Reflecting on leadership, Aboyeji assessed the 2023 presidential election, describing President Bola Tinubu as the most serious candidate regarding digital transformation. He, however, insisted that good intentions alone are insufficient, emphasizing the need for experts to shape governance. “I think President Bola Tinubu has good intentions, but I don’t believe good intentions are enough. I believe there is a need to engage experts to help him think through the problems.”
While bearing his mind on the need for stricter enforcement of technology-driven reforms, advocating for AI’s role in ensuring transparency, the tech entrepreneur, however expressed both concern and hope for Nigeria’s future, stating that real change will only come through integrity and commitment to purpose.
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