The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has opened applications for its GITEX Nigeria 2025 Regional Roadshow, a national campaign to scout Nigeria’s most promising tech startups across all six geopolitical zones.
The roadshow serves as a precursor to the GITEX Nigeria 2025 Startup Festival, which will be held in Abuja from September 1 to 4, 2025.
The regional events are scheduled to run from June through August 2025 in Lagos, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Abuja FCT, Gombe, and Kano. Each of these cities will host startups from their respective regions, giving them a platform to present innovative, scalable solutions to local problems. The goal, according to NITDA, is to identify and empower bold local innovators whose solutions have the potential to shape Nigeria’s digital economy.
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“This is your chance to nominate your startup, pitch your solution, and earn a spot at GITEX Nigeria 2025 in Abuja?Nigeria’s largest innovation showcase happening from September 1?4, 2025,” they stated
Applications are open to early-stage or growth-stage startups that are either already registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) or are currently in the process of registering. Sectors of interest for this edition of the roadshow include HealthTech, AgriTech, FinTech, Artificial Intelligence, EdTech, ClimateTech, and CreativeTech.
NITDA emphasized that the initiative is targeted at entrepreneurs developing technology that addresses real problems and can be expanded to reach broader markets.
Startups that emerge from each zonal pitch will be sponsored to exhibit at the GITEX Nigeria 2025 Startup Festival in Abuja. They will also have the opportunity to pitch their ideas before a panel of top ecosystem stakeholders, including tech investors, industry experts, government officials, and the media.
In addition to gaining national visibility, selected startups will be prepared for the possibility of showcasing at GITEX Global in Dubai — one of the world’s most influential technology trade shows.
Participation in the roadshow begins with a digital application through NITDA’s nomination portal. After submitting the form, applicants who are shortlisted will enter the GITEX Nigeria exhibitor pipeline and will be invited to pitch live at the roadshow event in their region. Top-performing startups from each zone will be offered sponsorship to the Abuja festival, subject to the terms and conditions of the program.
GITEX Nigeria was modeled after the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX), which has been held annually in Dubai since 1981. The global event is known for attracting multinational tech corporations, venture capitalists, governments, and startups from around the world. Nigeria has consistently participated in GITEX Global, with local startups and government officials using the platform to court investors and promote indigenous innovation.
Recognizing the value of international exposure and partnership opportunities, NITDA established GITEX Nigeria as a localized version of the Dubai tech showcase. The Abuja-based festival is designed to provide a similar experience for Nigerian startups by connecting them with policy leaders, investors, corporate partners, and international markets without the barrier of travel or visa restrictions.
The 2025 edition of the roadshow marks a continued effort to decentralize innovation and ensure that promising ideas from across Nigeria — not just the major tech hubs — are brought to the national stage. NITDA hopes to tap into untapped talent pools, broaden the base of digital entrepreneurship, and prepare Nigerian innovators for participation in the global tech economy by going into each geopolitical zone.
