₦132 Billion for Tech? Nigerian States Are Betting Big on Digital in 2026

Let’s start with the headline number.

₦132.45 billion.

That’s how much 23 Nigerian states say they plan to spend on technology ministries and digital ambitions in 2026, according to budget data sourced from BudgIT’s Open States platform.

The 23 States in the Spotlight

The states with dedicated technology or digital economy budgets in 2026 include:

Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Lagos, Ondo, Osun, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe.

Big Dreams, Thin Execution

The gap between what states promise and what they deliver is where things get interesting.

States control critical levers of Nigeria’s digital future:

• Right-of-way approvals
• Fibre deployment
• Local startup ecosystems
• E-governance systems

Yet underspending suggests tech budgets sometimes function more as policy signals than operational commitments.

And the cost of building a real digital economy isn’t small.

According to estimates from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), achieving universal digital connectivity, financial inclusion, and higher value-added manufacturing could cost around $1,231 per person annually.

Against that backdrop, ₦132.45 billion spread across 23 states starts to look modest.

Where the Ambition Is Real

It’s not all symbolic.

Some states are making visible moves:

Lagos State, home to over 900 startups, operates a ₦1 billion innovation fund through LASRIC and is laying more than 6,000 km of metro fibre to close connectivity gaps. An innovation bill is also in progress to earmark between 1.5% and 2% of capital expenditure for innovation.

Ekiti State is developing the Ekiti Knowledge Zone, backed by an $80 million investment from the African Development Bank.

Edo State has launched a data centre to modernise its digital infrastructure.

Enugu State is exploring private-sector partnerships.

Across the country, tech hubs are being commissioned. Innovation bills are being drafted. AI tools are being explored to combat payroll fraud.

The vision exists.

The question is scale.

So… Is Your State Really Funding the Future?

Nigeria has ambitious digital goals:

• Broadband expansion
• Startup ecosystem growth
• E-governance transformation
• Financial inclusion
• Digital public infrastructure

But at less than 1% of total expenditure in most states, funding levels suggest we are still at the signal stage not the scale stage.

The 2026 budgets show intent.

Now comes the harder part: execution.

Because in the digital economy, ambition without delivery doesn’t compound.

Investment does.

And the difference between ₦132 billion promised and ₦132 billion spent may determine whether Nigeria builds a connected future — or just budgets one.