Commercial law firm Duale, Ovia & Alex-Adedipe (DOA) recently convened a high-powered gathering of policymakers, investors, founders, and regulators for its 4th annual TMT Business Series in Lagos.

Under the theme, “Beyond the Startup Frenzy: Building the Infrastructure for a Digital Nigeria,” the forum served as a critical platform to move beyond the initial excitement of the startup boom and strategically chart the course for Nigeria’s robust digital economy.

The series kicked off with a DOA Partner, Omowunmi Sanni, who emphasised the urgent need for strengthening the legal, financial, and regulatory systems to foster scalable innovation. She reiterated DOA’s commitment to enabling business growth through strategic legal support and cross-sector collaboration.

The keynote address was delivered by the Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani. He spotlighted national initiatives designed to propel Nigeria’s digital transformation, including the Three Million Technical Talent (3MTT) Programme, the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, and the country’s ambitious broadband expansion goals. He stressed the paramount importance of digital infrastructure and inclusive policy frameworks in bridging economic divides and driving long-term transformation.

During a subsequent fireside chat moderated by Lehle Balde, Dr. Tijani further underscored the foundational role of identity systems, payment infrastructure, and data interoperability in building a truly competitive digital economy.

The forum then delved into two expert-led panels. The first, “Tech Profitability Playbook – Who’s Really Winning?”, moderated by Esohe Ibinoba (Venture Builder), featured industry veterans like Managing Partner, Octerra Capital, Ashim Egunjobi and Managing Partner, Ventures Platform, Dr. Dotun Olowoporoku. Discussions revolved around crucial aspects such as sustainability, value creation, founder evolution, and the imperative to digitise Nigeria’s informal sector.

The second panel, “Innovation & Regulation – Finding Common Ground,” moderated by Director, Government Affairs and Policy, Mastercard, West Africa, Morayo Adebayo Adisa, brought together key figures including Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, Lagos State, Olatunbosun Alake and Head of Legal, Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), Florence Abebe. This session explored vital themes like inclusive policymaking, regulatory agility, consumer protection, compliance by design, and the implementation of regulatory sandboxes for digital innovation.

A key highlight of the event was the highly anticipated pitch competition, where 11 innovative startups showcased solutions spanning health, fintech, sustainability, and education.

Trashcoin Limited emerged as the grand winner, receiving N10 million in legal services. Kryptr IP Enterprise Limited and Pay U Technology Limited also secured significant legal representation awards of N5 million and N3 million, respectively. The judging panel featured prominent investors such as Managing Partner, Kaleo Ventures, Iretimipo Kukoyi and Co-Founder, CardinalStone Capital Advisers, Yomi Jemibewon.

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