Nigeria and Cape Verde have unveiled a landmark initiative, the Digital Africa Corridor (DAC), designed to strengthen cooperation in technology, trade, and innovation between the two nations. The project, officially launched in Abuja, seeks to pool expertise, stimulate innovation, and build inclusive digital ecosystems across Africa.
At the heart of the corridor are shared priorities in artificial intelligence, youth empowerment, and bilateral economic growth. Speaking at the launch, Christiana Onoja, Co-founder and CEO of SheCode.ai, emphasized the role of “innovation diplomacy” in turning policy into practical action.
“SheCode.ai created the Digital Africa Corridor to ensure diplomacy leads to action. With Cabo Verde, we now have proof: a government-endorsed flagship program and a clear mandate to expand into business cooperation. Code the Future will give 500 girls in Cabo Verde the skills to thrive, and the Corridor model will scale across Africa,” Onoja said.
A flagship component of the DAC is the “Code the Future – Cabo Verde Rising” program, which will train over 500 secondary school students across three Cape Verdean islands in coding and AI. The initiative also includes teacher training, Portuguese-language STEM tools, and a national showcase of student projects.
Hon. Pedro Lopes, Cabo Verde’s Secretary of State for Digital Economy, highlighted the broader significance:
“This endorsement is not just about Cabo Verde. It is about showing that African nations can lead their own digital future. We are proud to launch the first Digital Africa Corridor with Nigeria, and we look forward to welcoming Nigerian businesses to Praia to build real partnerships.”
For Nigeria, where the digital economy contributes around 18% of GDP, the collaboration reinforces its diversification strategy. Cape Verde, with an internet penetration rate of 73.5%, will leverage its infrastructure—including TechPark CV—to deepen its position as a regional digital hub.
The partnership will expand with a Nigeria-Cape Verde Business and Innovation Mission in Praia in late 2025, connecting companies from both countries in digital technology, renewable energy, and tourism.
Col. Felix Alaita (rtd), CEO of Kryterion Limited and co-convener of the DAC, described the project as a test case for Africa’s innovation diplomacy:
“Nigeria has a unique role to play as a facilitator of innovation diplomacy in Africa. This pilot corridor shows that when governments, innovators, and the private sector collaborate, the result is not talk, but programs and partnerships.”
Ultimately, the Digital Africa Corridor aims to expand digital inclusion, support startups, and build sustainable bridges between education, technology, and economic opportunity. Its success, observers note, will depend on sustained investment, resilient connectivity, and infrastructure tailored to local needs.
This initiative marks a significant step toward ensuring that technology and AI drive a more equitable and prosperous digital future for Africa.
