Timothy Oladimeji has urged private investors and policymakers to establish structured bridges connecting skilled Nigerian tech talent with practical industry capital. He is the Country Manager of inDrive. He spoke at GITEX Nigeria 2026 in Lagos.
Nigeria’s tech ecosystem has grown rapidly. Startups attracted billions in venture capital. In 2021, Nigerian startups raised over $1.5 billion. In 2022, funding slowed. In 2023, global venture capital tightened. Nigerian founders struggled. Many relocated. The talent remained. The capital did not. The gap between skilled developers and available funding is a structural problem. inDrive’s call addresses that gap.
Oladimeji said the sector needs structured bridges. That means more than networking events. It means formal mechanisms connecting investors to founders. It means mentorship, incubation and follow-on funding. It means policy support for early-stage companies. Nigeria has some of these. It lacks coordination. Accelerators exist. They are few. Angel networks exist. They are small. Government programmes exist. They are slow.
GITEX Nigeria 2026 is a platform. It brings together startups, investors and policymakers. The event showcases innovation. It also exposes gaps. Nigerian founders pitch. Investors listen. Deals are rare. The ecosystem needs more than events. It needs capital that stays.
The talent is not the problem. Nigerian developers are globally competitive. They work for Google, Microsoft and startups abroad. The problem is local opportunity. If local startups cannot pay competitive salaries, talent leaves. Japa drains the ecosystem. Building bridges between talent and capital is one response. It is not the only one.
Winners: Startups, if funding improves. Investors, if they find deals. inDrive, which gains visibility. Nigeria, if talent stays. Losers: Startups without access. Developers who cannot find local jobs. The ecosystem, if funding remains scarce. The government, if policy lags.
Bottom Line: inDrive wants bridges between talent and capital. The gap is real. Nigerian developers are world-class. Local funding is not. GITEX is a platform. It is not a solution. The ecosystem needs capital that stays.