Vivatech 2025: Kwara Steps Boldly Onto Global Innovation Stage
Ibraheem Abdullateef
To build a thriving, future-ready economy and harness the boundless potential of our young creative minds in Kwara State, we must go beyond igniting local innovation. Our state must be well positioned for global opportunities. This is exactly the bold vision being pursued by the Kwara State Government under the leadership of His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The vision was on display at the recently concluded Vivatech 2025 in Paris.
For the first time in history, Nigeria had an official and impressive presence at VivaTech, Europe’s largest technology and innovation gathering. We didn’t just show up; we made a bold statement. Our pavilion was the largest by any African nation at the event.
About 17 Nigerian startups in various sectors, including fintech, edtech, healthtech, deeptech, and more, showcased our nation’s ingenuity, resilience, and entrepreneurial excellence. Among the represented entities was Kwara State, part of the national delegation, recognized for its rising profile in digital innovation and public sector-driven tech enablement.
The Special Assistant to the Governor on Digital Innovations, Mr. Ishola Kayode, represented Kwara at the global event where he shared Kwara’s strides in digital innovation. From highlighting the Ilorin Innovation Hub, to sharing insights about Nigeria’s largest public school digital literacy programme currently being implemented across Kwara, he emphasised that Kwara is open to innovation, partnership and investment.
VivaTech 2025 offered an opportunity for Kwara to engage directly with investors, innovators, global tech firms, and government representatives from around the world. The event, which attracted over 180,000 participants from 120+ countries, served as an ideal platform to position Ilorin — recently ranked the 885th startup city globally — as a rising star in Africa’s innovation landscape.
Kayode also participated in a panel discussion on ‘Public Policy: Shaping Societies through Technology,’ where he emphasized the Kwara model — a people-centric, government-enabled approach to building inclusive innovation ecosystems in emerging economies.
He also visited several national pavilions, held conversations with global stakeholders, and extended invitations to explore the rapidly developing tech scene in Kwara.
We thank His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to building a Kwara that thrives on innovation, digital opportunity, and global collaboration. With his leadership, Kwara is fast becoming a top destination for innovation in Nigeria and beyond.
This recognition and inclusion would not have been possible without the support of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, ably led by Dr. Bosun Tijani, whose efforts to coordinate and spotlight Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem at global gatherings like VivaTech are commendable. We extend our sincere appreciation to the Honourable Minister and his team for supporting sub-national innovation efforts and enabling states like Kwara to be seen and heard on global platforms.
As the world continues to take notice of what we are building, we reiterate that Kwara is open for collaboration. Our startup ecosystem is alive and vibrant, fueled by talent, purpose, and policy.
* Mr. Abdullateef is the Senior Special Assistant on Communication to Kwara State Governor
