As Nigeria marks 65 years of independence, the spotlight often falls on politics, governance, and the economy. Yet, beneath the weight of history, a quieter story of resilience and ingenuity is emerging — the story of Nigerian-built technology.
While the country has often been labeled a consumer of foreign innovations, a growing list of locally made tech products suggests otherwise. From vehicles and solar systems to payment infrastructure and streaming platforms, Nigerian entrepreneurs and engineers are steadily reshaping the nation’s technological identity.
Here are 11 tech items made in Nigeria that represent not just invention, but persistence in a difficult environment.
Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing (IVM): Nigeria’s Auto Pioneer
Founded in 2007 by Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma, Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing is Nigeria’s first indigenous car manufacturer. Operating from Umudim, Nnewi, Anambra State, IVM produces cars, buses, and SUVs.
Initially assembling motorcycles, the company expanded into cars to reduce the country’s dependence on imports. IVM vehicles have since been adopted by government agencies, universities, and private firms. Despite challenges with component sourcing and infrastructural costs, the company remains a bold symbol of Nigerian-made industrial technology.
RLG Communications: Building Devices in Nigeria
RLG Communications, a Ghanaian brand with a Nigerian subsidiary established in Osun State in 2014, ventured into assembling smartphones, laptops, and tablets locally. The factory, launched with support from the state government, was part of efforts to build digital skills and boost local manufacturing.
Though not widely scaled across Nigeria, the project showed that indigenous assembly plants could exist in West Africa, creating opportunities for jobs and capacity building in device manufacturing.
Zinox Computers: Nigeria’s Early Hardware Giant
Founded in 2001 by Leo Stan Ekeh, Zinox Computers positioned itself as Nigeria’s first internationally certified computer brand. Zinox laptops and desktops were locally produced and distributed to government institutions, schools, and businesses.
In its early years, Zinox played a role in introducing affordable computers to Nigerians and supported the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with voter registration kits. The company’s persistence in hardware manufacturing has made it a reference point in discussions on indigenous ICT growth.
Kobo360: Reinventing Logistics with Tech
Launched in 2017 by Obi Ozor and Ife Oyedele, Kobo360 is a logistics platform connecting truck drivers with companies in need of cargo transport. Often called “Uber for trucks,” the Nigerian-built platform streamlines the fragmented trucking industry.
The company quickly scaled, securing partnerships across Africa and investment from global firms. At its core, Kobo360 addresses inefficiencies in logistics — a major challenge for trade and industry in Nigeria.
Flutterwave: The Digital Payments Gamechanger
Flutterwave, co-founded in 2016 by Iyinoluwa Aboyeji and Olugbenga Agboola, developed one of Africa’s most robust payment infrastructures. Its software enables businesses to process payments across borders seamlessly.
The company started with a simple vision: to make payments as easy in Africa as they are elsewhere. Today, Flutterwave powers transactions for banks, enterprises, and startups, symbolizing how Nigerian talent can build globally relevant solutions while rooted in local challenges.
Paystack: Gateway to a New Payment Culture
Founded in 2015 by Shola Akinlade and Ezra Olubi, Paystack was designed to help African businesses accept online payments. By focusing on user-friendly design and developer tools, it quickly gained traction.
The platform’s reliability caught global attention, leading to its acquisition by Stripe in 2020. Yet, its legacy as a Nigerian-built payment gateway lives on — inspiring many other fintech startups.
IrokoTV: Nollywood’s Digital Home
IrokoTV, launched in 2011 by Jason Njoku, became one of the first African digital streaming services dedicated to Nollywood films. Its model mirrored global streaming platforms but focused on Nigerian storytelling.
IrokoTV gave Nigerian filmmakers global visibility and provided audiences with easier access to Nollywood content. It remains a touchstone for how Nigerian cultural products can be packaged and delivered using technology.
Omidun Robot: Engineering Beyond the Classroom
In 2015, engineers at the University of Lagos unveiled “Omidun,” a humanoid robot capable of performing basic human-like interactions. While not yet commercialized, Omidun represents a milestone in Nigerian robotics.
The project showcased local engineering creativity and the potential for Nigerian universities to contribute to advanced fields like artificial intelligence and automation, despite limited resources.
ThinkBikes: Eco-Friendly Nigerian E-Mobility
Founded by Tolulope Olayemi in 2017, ThinkBikes builds solar-powered electric bicycles locally. The project addresses urban mobility challenges, rising fuel prices, and environmental concerns.
Although still in its early stages, ThinkBikes demonstrates how sustainable transport solutions can be tailored to Nigeria’s realities, blending renewable energy with everyday commuting.
Arnergy: Powering Homes with Solar Innovation
Established in 2013 by Femi Adeyemo, Arnergy designs and deploys solar energy systems tailored for Nigerian households and businesses. The startup focuses on solving the persistent challenge of unreliable electricity supply.
By providing affordable off-grid solar solutions, Arnergy has become a crucial player in the renewable energy space, reducing reliance on diesel generators and showing that energy tech can be built locally.
Printivo: Printing the Digital Way
Founded in 2014 by Oluyomi Ojo, Printivo is an online platform that delivers printing services on demand. From business cards to marketing materials, users upload designs, and Printivo handles production and delivery.
The innovation simplified what used to be a stressful process in Nigeria, digitizing traditional print services and supporting SMEs with branding and marketing needs.
Why These Innovations Matter
Together, these 11 innovations reveal a pattern: Nigerians are increasingly shifting from consumers to creators. Each project was born out of necessity — unreliable power, fragmented logistics, payment barriers, and cultural distribution gaps.
Yet, all face recurring challenges: poor infrastructure, dependence on imported components, and inconsistent government policies. These obstacles often prevent local innovations from scaling as quickly as global counterparts.
For African nations, Nigeria’s examples are instructive. They show that the continent does not have to wait for foreign solutions to address local problems. However, they also highlight the need for stronger ecosystems — from research funding to industrial policy — if such innovations are to thrive.
The Techparley Drive100
We at Techparley are celebrating and giving out brand visibility for free as part of supporting the Nigerian and African tech/startup echo system at large.
As Nigeria reflects on 65 years of independence, initiatives like our Techparley Drive100 become critical. By spotlighting 100 local innovations and entrepreneurs, the program aims to push Nigerian-made tech into broader consciousness.
The 11 items highlighted here are not isolated successes; they are signposts. If Nigeria is to chart a new course in the digital age, it must not only celebrate them but also create conditions for many more to emerge.
Talking Points
These 11 tech items show that Nigerians are capable of building globally relevant solutions. The question is whether government policies, infrastructure, and capital will allow them to scale — or if they’ll remain scattered success stories.
Many of these companies started over a decade ago. Nigeria should be producing hundreds of such firms annually by now, not a handful every decade. The ecosystem is still crawling when it should be sprinting.
If Nigerians do not support local products and governments keep over-patronizing foreign tech, we’ll only be “proud consumers” rather than true participants in the global tech economy. That’s digital colonization in disguise.
These innovators are swimming against strong currents — poor power supply, bad roads, inconsistent regulation. Imagine what could happen if Nigeria actually fixed the basics.
