At the 80th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) held this week, Nigeria noted the role of digital trade in advancing economic development across Africa under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

The discussions took place under the broader theme of the assembly, “Better together: 80 years and more for peace, development and human rights,” which focused on addressing global challenges and opportunities.

Minister of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, outlined the country’s priorities regarding digitalisation and its potential to support African businesses and regional trade integration.

The sessions brought together government officials, business leaders, investors, and technology entrepreneurs from across Africa.

Among the speakers were Senegal’s Minister of Communications, Innovation & Technology Salima Bah; Iyin Aboyeji, Co-Founder of Nigerian technology company Andela; Ojoma Ochai, Managing Director of Co-Creation Hub Africa; Philip Obioha, Chairman of Computer Warehouse Group; Omoni Oboli, CEO of Dioni Visions Entertainment; and investor Sudeep Ramnani.

Ramnani, who co-founded the Nigerian fintech platform PalmPay and was an early investor in Paystack (later acquired by Stripe), commented on Nigeria’s progress in improving digital infrastructure and connectivity.

Ramnani and his investment partner Jai Mahtani have also supported startups like Chowdeck, a Lagos-based food delivery and logistics company.

Organizations such as Co-Creation Hub (CcHub), which promotes technological solutions for social impact, and EverCorp Industries, which operates in sectors including insurance, food and beverage innovation, gas infrastructure, and clean energy, also featured in the discussions.