Get Guardian on GoogleThe growing adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), intensifying global competition for skilled professionals and the need for sustainable financing are reshaping Nigeria’s technology business landscape, industry leaders have said.
They noted that while AI is creating opportunities for startups to improve productivity, reduce operating costs and expand into international markets, it is also changing workforce requirements, talent retention strategies and investment priorities.
The experts spoke at the French Tech Summit in Lagos, organised by the Franco-Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) in collaboration with French Tech Lagos, where stakeholders examined ways to strengthen the resilience of Nigeria’s startup ecosystem and deepen business cooperation between Nigeria and France.
The discussions focused on the implications of AI for business operations, the growing international demand for African technology talent, access to finance, skills development and the need for stronger public-private partnerships.
Speaking at the summit, Vice President of Engineering at Qore, Bayo Puddicombe, said the increasing dependence on AI-assisted software development could create gaps in fundamental engineering capabilities if technology companies failed to maintain adequate technical training.
He expressed concern that some engineers were becoming less proficient in basic operations, including navigating Linux environments, executing Bash commands and investigating server responses, relying instead on specialised teams to perform such tasks.
According to him, businesses must ensure that the adoption of AI does not undermine the technical foundations required to develop, maintain and secure technology products.
He noted that highly regulated sectors, particularly banking and aviation, would require appropriate oversight of technology development, even as businesses deployed AI for applications such as early detection and operational efficiency.
Puddicombe also called for deliberate investment in talent development, arguing that technology companies needed to expand their recruitment and training pipelines to accommodate changing industry requirements and potential employee attrition.
Senior Vice President, Nigeria, at Wakanow, Gbolahan Salami, said Nigerian technology companies were facing increasing pressure to review their compensation structures as local professionals became more attractive to international employers.
He explained that companies could no longer rely exclusively on local salary benchmarks because skilled engineers were increasingly being recruited by organisations willing to offer international compensation packages.
Salami said some Nigerian companies had retained the services of employees who relocated abroad by engaging them as contractors, although such arrangements often required adjustments to employment terms and operating structures.
He noted that companies with sufficient financial capacity might need to expand into international markets to generate the revenue required to compete for global talent.
However, he advised businesses unable to match international salaries to invest further down the talent pipeline by developing younger professionals through training programmes and internships.
According to him, Africa’s youthful population presents an opportunity to replenish the technology workforce, particularly as more young people increasingly view the digital economy as a viable pathway to employment and entrepreneurship.
Providing an investment perspective, Principal at Partech Africa, Tito Cookey-Gam, said capital efficiency remained central to investment decisions as AI changed the cost structure and operational requirements of startups.
He argued that the growing capabilities of AI would require businesses and employees to demonstrate greater value, as tasks previously handled by larger teams could increasingly be completed with fewer resources.
