Huawei Technologies has launched an Innovation Centre in Lagos as part of its ongoing efforts to support Nigeria’s digital transformation. The unveiling took place during the maiden edition of Huawei Day Nigeria 2025, a three-day event themed “Accelerating Industrial Intelligence.”

The event brought together key figures in Nigeria’s technology and governance sectors, including the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu (represented by Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat); the Director-General of NITDA, Mr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi; and Huawei executives, including President of the company’s Data Storage Product Line, Dr. Peter Zhou.

Speaking at the event, the CEO of Huawei Nigeria, Chris Lu, highlighted the company’s 25-year presence in Nigeria. “Huawei has been honoured to develop in Nigeria since 1999. Over the past 25 years, we collaborated with industry leaders and partners in building a solid foundation of digital infrastructure,” he said.

Lu emphasised the present relevance of artificial intelligence and the need for robust infrastructure to support it. “AI is not the technology of future, it is today, it is now. To develop industrial intelligence, we need advanced AI-ready digital infrastructure,” he said.

He announced the launch of Nigeria’s first Hyperscale Local Cloud by Huawei, noting that it allows businesses to store data locally with low latency and continuous support. He also cited the company’s solar solutions for industry and rural areas as part of efforts to build environmentally sustainable technology infrastructure.

Minister Bosun Tijani described the new Innovation Centre as “an important one for us as a government,” noting that it aligns with efforts to make Nigeria a developer of technology solutions rather than merely a consumer. “Without partnerships, we can’t drive innovative and modern ways of leapfrogging our economy,” he said.

Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat, standing in for Governor Sanwo-Olu, praised Huawei’s impact on Lagos’s ICT landscape. Referring to the new cloud infrastructure, he said, “This local cloud is a first-of-its-kind achievement. It addresses key data sovereignty concerns, which have been one of the country’s greatest challenges.”

He added that Lagos had attracted significant technology investment in recent years, creating wider opportunities for residents through digital inclusion.

Dr. Peter Zhou of Huawei described how AI is transforming a broad range of industries. “From Autonomous Driving to Fintech, from Power to Transportation, from Mining to Weather Forecast, AI is unlocking solutions once thought impossible,” he said.

He presented Huawei’s strategy for building AI-ready infrastructure, including advanced networks, data storage systems, and cloud services. He also introduced the company’s AI Data Lake solution to manage increasing data demands in the AI era.

The Innovation Centre is designed to serve as a collaborative space where customers, partners, and ICT professionals can explore new technologies and co-develop solutions in sectors such as education, energy, finance, governance and oil & gas.

According to Huawei, the initiative aligns with the strategic priorities of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, as well as the broader Renewed Hope Agenda of the Nigerian government.

The company said it intends to deepen its cooperation with Nigerian ministries and industries in the coming years to advance innovation and build a digitally enabled economy.