Why Creativity Belongs in Hardware Innovation
For decades, technological advancement has been defined by efficiency, processing power, and performance. But successful innovation in the real world requires more than just function—it demands empathy, usability, and a touch of magic.
This is where the arts come in.
Empathy: Artists and designers are trained to observe human behavior and emotions. When applied to hardware, this perspective leads to more usable and relatable products.
Creative Problem-Solving: The arts thrive on experimentation and breaking convention. This mindset can lead to unique solutions where traditional engineering might stall.
Unexpected Discovery: Innovation is often non-linear. Creative thinking allows for “a-ha” moments that purely analytical processes might miss.
Design Thinking: Turning Ideas into Impact
One practical framework for merging creativity with engineering is design thinking—a method widely used by tech companies and startups worldwide. It is iterative, human-centered, and built around five key steps:
Empathize – Understand your users: their needs, frustrations, context.
Define – Clearly articulate the problem from a human point of view.
Ideate – Brainstorm multiple solutions without judgment.
Prototype – Build quick, tangible models of your ideas.
Test – Share your prototypes with users to get feedback and improve.
Design thinking aligns perfectly with the maker movement's philosophy: start small, build fast, test often.
Creative Tech in Action: Real-World Examples from Nigeria
Nigeria’s creative and tech ecosystems are beginning to intersect in powerful ways. Here are examples from verifiable projects and individuals who are applying creativity to solve local problems through hardware and design.
1. Smart Wearables and Human-Centered Design
Kemisola Bolarinwa, founder of Nextwear Technology, is building Nigeria’s first smart wearable tech company. Her work includes wearable medical devices such as a smart bra that can assist in early breast cancer detection. It’s a clear example of design meeting functionality, tailored for real-world impact.
2. Aesthetics in African Hardware Startups
Startups like NEV Electric, an electric mobility company in Nigeria, and ColdHubs, which provides solar-powered refrigeration for farmers, focus not only on engineering but also on user experience. Their success shows that design considerations like accessibility, visual appeal, and ease of use are becoming essential in hardware development.
3. Artist-Technologists Bridging the Gap
Emeka Ogboh, a Nigerian sound artist based in Berlin, uses audio and digital media to explore urban soundscapes—particularly those of Lagos. His installations blend sensory storytelling with digital tools, illustrating how art can expand how we understand and experience technology.🔗 Emeka Ogboh – Tate
Artists like Oladele Ogbeyemi, known for transforming scrap materials into intricate sculptures, and Abdulrazaq Awofeso, who works with discarded wood palettes to create human figures, embody the maker spirit of reuse, craftsmanship, and problem-solving through artistic means.
4. Creative Fashion with Tech-Inspired Processes
Nigerian fashion houses are also exploring the fusion of design and innovation. Bubu Ogisi, founder of I.AM.ISIGO, blends traditional African weaving techniques with contemporary forms, digital sketches, and experimental materials. Her work demonstrates how modern tools and cultural heritage can coexist.
Kanyinsola Onalaja, through her eponymous label Onalaja, creates visually rich, sculptural garments. While not directly tech-integrated, her fashion approach aligns with wearable art principles and reflects the possibilities when design disciplines overlap.
5. The Cultural Roots of Kinetic Design
Nigeria’s tradition of motion in art—especially in masquerade performances—offers a powerful foundation for kinetic art. Contemporary artists and tinkerers are exploring mechanical movement and interactivity through sculpture and performance, though this space is still emerging in the tech world. While kinetic art remains niche, it presents untapped potential for hardware enthusiasts looking to blend engineering with dynamic storytelling.
How You Can Join the Creative Tech Movement
Whether you're a student, startup founder, maker, or artist, you can take steps to integrate creativity into your tech practice:
Collaborate Across Disciplines: Work with creatives from outside your field. Artists and designers think differently, and that’s a good thing.
Explore Design Thinking: Platforms like IDEO U, Coursera, and OpenIDEO offer free resources and training in this methodology.
Start Prototyping Early: You don’t need a finished product to start learning. Cardboard, paper, or 3D prints can help you test form, function, and feedback.
Engage with Local Creative Communities: Attend exhibitions, join makerspaces, or visit creative hubs like CcHub, MakersHub NG, or Build-a-Tech, an emerging innovation space empowering Nigerian entrepreneurs with tools for digital fabrication, design, and prototyping. These communities offer fertile ground for cross-pollination between art and tech.
Nigeria’s Future Will Be Built—and Designed
Conclusion
The next chapter of Nigerian tech won’t just be engineered—it will be designed, experienced, and felt. As we blend creativity with functionality, we unlock a new kind of innovation: one that is not only powerful but also meaningful and rooted in the human experience.
This is the canvas. The tools are already in our hands. Let’s create something remarkable.