Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe (DOA) has successfully concluded the 5th edition of its annual Business Series, held on Thursday, 4 June 2026, at Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos. Themed “Regulation, Capital and Business Competitiveness: Nigeria’s Digital Frontier”, the event brought together Nigeria’s foremost business leaders, policymakers, regulators, investors, lawyers, and technology entrepreneurs, both in person and virtually, for a full day of substantive, high-impact engagement on the forces shaping Nigeria’s digital economy.
The 2026 edition highlighted a clear message from regulators, investors, business leaders and technology operators: Nigeria’s digital future will be shaped not by innovation alone, but by the quality of its infrastructure, the availability of long-term capital, and the strength of the regulatory frameworks that support sustainable growth. Across keynote and panel discussions, speakers emphasised the need to move beyond access and adoption towards building a digital economy that is competitive, resilient and capable of creating long-term value.
Keynote Address: The Case for Infrastructure as an Economic Enabler
The day opened with a keynote address by Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), who anchored his remarks on a central argument: that sound regulation builds trust, trust attracts investment, and investment translates into the infrastructure upon which a digital economy is built.
Dr. Maida pointed to the rapid expansion of Nigeria’s data centre industry, citing facilities such as Equinix’s LG1, LG2 and LG2.3 data centres, Rack Centre, NTT Nigeria’s Sifiso Dabengwa Data Centre, Airtel’s data centre, and the planned LG3 facility and Kasi Cloud’s large-scale project in Lagos as evidence of growing investor confidence in Nigeria’s digital future. He framed each of these investments not as technical assets but as economic enablers: behind every base station, a community with improved connectivity; behind every kilometre of fibre, a business with access to new markets.
“The emerging intelligent age will be built on digital infrastructure, data, innovation and human capital. Nigeria possesses many of the ingredients required for success: a large market, a vibrant entrepreneurial culture, a growing technology ecosystem, strong investor interest, and one of the most talented populations anywhere in the world.”
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— Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission
Dr. Maida acknowledged that infrastructure gaps, energy challenges, skills shortages, and regulatory bottlenecks remain real constraints, but argued these are not insurmountable. He called on government, industry players, and investors alike to act: government to streamline regulatory processes and remove barriers to deployment; industry to continue investing in network platforms and services; and investors, both local and international, to provide the patient, long-term capital that digital transformation demands. His closing message was unambiguous: the opportunity is before Nigeria, the responsibility is collective, and the time to act is now.
Following the address, the first technical panel session brought together some of Nigeria’s most influential voices in finance, infrastructure, and technology. Panellists included Jude Chiemeka, CEO of the Nigerian Exchange Limited; Ugodre Obi-Chukwu, Founder and CEO of Nairametrics; Robert Ijewere, Co-Founder and Executive Director of NOLT Finance Company Limited; Dapo Otunla, Chief Corporate Services Officer at IHS Nigeria Limited; and Oluwaseun Oluboyo, Chief Technology Architect at ipNX Nigeria Limited. The session was moderated by Fatimah Dattijo Muhammad, Senior Associate at Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe.
Panellists examined the infrastructure, financing and market conditions required to support Nigeria’s digital economy at scale. Discussions focused on the persistent gap between broadband access and service quality, the need for long-term and patient capital to support digital infrastructure and the regulatory certainty required to attract sustained investment. Speakers agreed that improving competitiveness will require a shift from simply expanding access to building resilient digital systems that support higher-value economic activity.
The second technical panel session was moderated by Rita Chindah, Lecturer at Rivers State University and IP and Technology Lawyer. Panellists included Kasim Sodangi, SSA to the Honourable Minister at the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy (FMCIDE); Babatunde Bamigboye Esq. (CDPRP), Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations at the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC); Dr. Olumide Okubadejo, Adjunct Professor at ESIEE Paris (formerly of Spotify and Sabi); Olatomiwa Williams (M.CIoD), Chief Growth & AI Officer for the Middle East and Africa Growth Market at Microsoft; and Kazeem Tewogbade, Group CEO of Bluechip Technologies Limited.
The discussion explored how Nigeria can participate more meaningfully in the global AI economy while protecting digital rights, maintaining public trust and supporting innovation. Speakers examined the growing commercial value of data, the challenges of AI governance, the role of regulation in enabling responsible adoption and the need for African businesses to move beyond consumption towards ownership and value creation within emerging digital ecosystems. Speakers also emphasised that Africa must become a creator of digital value, rather than merely a consumer of emerging technologies, if it is to compete meaningfully in the evolving global AI economy.
The day’s most electrifying moment came with the conclusion of the second edition of The Next Big Bet Pitch Competition (TNBB), DOA’s flagship high-impact platform for early-stage startups building scalable, market-relevant solutions within Nigeria’s technology, media, and digital innovation space.
Six finalists, selected through a rigorous, merit-based process assessing innovation, scalability, market relevance, team strength, and execution potential, pitched live before a panel of seasoned investors, industry executives, and practitioners. After deliberation, Bunce was declared the winner of The Next Big Bet 2026 and was awarded cash and prizes valued at NGN 10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira), along with access to investor networks and strategic visibility to accelerate their growth. The judges commended Bunce for its strong market proposition, commercial viability, scalability and execution potential, recognising the company as one of the most promising ventures within this year’s cohort.
The result continues a strong legacy established by the competition’s inaugural edition in 2025, when Trashcoin, a climate-tech startup using AI and blockchain to digitise waste collection and incentivise recycling across Africa, won the prize and has since established a waste management facility in Port Harcourt, advancing recycling and waste recovery within Nigeria’s circular economy. Bunce now steps into that legacy with the resources and platform to match its ambition.
As Lead Sponsor of the 5th Annual DOA Business Series 2026, i-invest reaffirmed its commitment to advancing financial inclusion and supporting initiatives that promote dialogue on Nigeria’s economic and digital future. To commemorate the event, the company rewarded six attendees with fixed-term investments through its digital investment platform.
” The next phase of Nigeria’s digital economy will be defined by execution. The questions are no longer whether innovation exists or whether capital is interested. The challenge now is how regulation, infrastructure, capital and innovation can work together to translate opportunity into long-term competitiveness. That is the conversation we set out to convene, and it is one that must continue.”
— Adeleke Alex-Adedipe, Managing Partner, Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe
The 6th edition of the DOA Business Series will be announced in due course. Information on the next cycle of The Next Big Bet Pitch Competition will also be published on the firm’s website and official communication channels.
DOA extends its sincere gratitude to its distinguished speakers, panellists, moderators, competition finalists, sponsors, partners, and attendees whose contributions made the 2026 edition a success.
Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe (DOA) is a full-service Nigerian commercial law firm providing innovative legal and business advisory solutions to corporations, institutions, and individuals across diverse sectors. Founded in 2016, the firm has built a reputation for excellence, integrity, and thought leadership in Nigeria and across Africa. The DOA Business Series is the firm’s annual platform for advancing high-level dialogue on business, law, technology, and policy.
Last updated: June 17, 2026
