Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has died in London at the age of 82, according to a statement released Sunday by his longtime spokesman, Garba Shehu. As tributes pour in for the retired general who twice led Africa’s most populous nation, Nigeria’s technology community finds itself grappling with the complex legacy he leaves behind.
Buhari, who first seized power as a military ruler in 1983 before returning as a democratically elected president in 2015, oversaw Nigeria’s most explosive period of digital growth. Yet, the same years that birthed unicorn startups also witnessed unprecedented digital crackdowns, bans, and policy whiplash that left the tech ecosystem both thriving and wary.
A General Turned President
Born in Daura, northern Nigeria, in 1942, Muhammadu Buhari rose through the ranks of the Nigerian Army, ultimately leading a coup that toppled the civilian government in 1983. Deposed himself in 1985, he spent years in relative obscurity before emerging as a civilian politician. After three failed bids, he was elected president in 2015, promising security and economic renewal.
During his two terms, Buhari presided over significant digital transformation, but also moments of deep national fracture.
Tech Boom… and Backlash
When Buhari took office in 2015, Nigeria’s tech sector was still nascent. Broadband penetration hovered around 6 percent, and startups struggled to raise capital. By the end of his tenure in 2023, ICT contributed nearly 20 percent to GDP, broadband coverage had soared to 46 percent, and Nigeria boasted multiple tech unicorns including Flutterwave, Andela, and OPay.
Venture capital inflows mirrored the optimism, surging from $70 million in 2015 to more than $1 billion by 2022. Major global figures like Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft’s Brad Smith visited Abuja, signaling Nigeria’s arrival on the global tech map.
But alongside these wins came policies that cast long shadows.
One of the most controversial moments was Buhari’s decision to ban Twitter in June 2021. The ban, triggered by Twitter’s deletion of a presidential tweet threatening secessionists, lasted seven months and cost the economy an estimated ₦100 billion. The shutdown crippled businesses relying on social media for marketing, customer service, and civic engagement.
Similarly, the Central Bank of Nigeria’s 2021 directive banning cryptocurrency transactions left fintechs scrambling. While many users turned to peer-to-peer networks, the move stifled innovation and forced startups to navigate new uncertainties.
“Startups thrived in spite of his government rather than because of it,” said one Lagos-based entrepreneur who declined to be named for fear of reprisal. “We grew, but we were always looking over our shoulder.”
Cash Crunch and Digital Paradoxes
Toward the end of Buhari’s presidency, another crisis unfolded. In late 2022, the government introduced new naira notes, withdrawing old ₦200, ₦500, and ₦1,000 bills with minimal preparation. The policy, aimed at curbing corruption and moving Nigeria toward a cashless economy, instead triggered a nationwide cash shortage.
ATMs ran dry. Digital platforms buckled under the surge of transactions. Small businesses and ordinary Nigerians suffered. Yet, ironically, the chaos accelerated digital adoption. Platforms like OPay and PalmPay saw explosive growth, with fintechs processing ₦46.6 trillion in transactions in 2023, according to Nigeria’s Inter-Bank Settlement System.
Meanwhile, Buhari’s government launched Africa’s first central bank digital currency, the eNaira, in 2021. Touted as revolutionary, the project struggled with low adoption due to poor user experience and limited integrations. Critics questioned why the government pushed a digital currency while simultaneously cracking down on cryptocurrencies.
The Startup Act: A Final Gift
Despite controversies, Buhari’s tenure ended with one notable win for the tech community: the Nigeria Startup Act. Signed into law in 2022, it aimed to create an enabling environment for innovation, offering tax breaks, regulatory clarity, and funding support for startups. Many see it as a crucial policy foundation, albeit one that arrived late in Buhari’s presidency.
Open banking also made strides under his watch, with the Central Bank approving frameworks in 2023 to foster data sharing and personalized financial services—a potential game-changer for fintech innovation.
Yet, for many in Nigeria’s digital economy, Buhari’s legacy remains mixed.
“He built the roads for digital traffic,” said one Lagos investor, “but sometimes he tried to police who was allowed to drive on them.”
As Nigeria’s current administration pledges to prioritize technology and innovation, Buhari’s life offers both inspiration and caution. His tenure is a stark reminder that digital growth and digital freedom are not always guaranteed to travel together.
