Former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has urged Nigeria to prioritize investment in science and technology to successfully integrate into the global Fourth Industrial Revolution and secure future economic growth.

Key Points

• Omoyele Sowore warned that Nigeria’s failure to capitalize on previous industrial revolutions has resulted in long-term technological dependency on foreign nations.
• The Fourth Industrial Revolution encompasses emerging fields including artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain, robotics, biotechnology, and quantum computing.
• Sowore attributed Nigeria's past technological stagnation to decades of poor leadership, systemic corruption, and insufficient funding for education and innovation.
• The activist called for a shift toward visionary governance that emphasizes human capital development to ensure the country remains competitive in the global digital economy.

Why it Matters

Embracing these technological advancements is critical for Nigeria to transition from a consumer of foreign innovation to a creator of its own digital infrastructure. Failure to adapt could leave the nation further behind in an increasingly automated global market, while strategic investment could catalyze sustainable economic development.