In a significant move to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has inaugurated the Technical Working Group (TWG) on National Cloud Infrastructure.
This initiative aims to enhance local cloud capabilities, attract large-scale investments, and position Nigeria as a leading technology hub in Africa.
During the inauguration, NITDA’s director-general, Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi emphasised the importance of accurate data and regulatory frameworks to support these initiatives, which are crucial for Nigeria to control its digital infrastructure, data and technological future. He noted, “Without this foundation, we cannot achieve true digital sovereignty. Our goal is to build an ecosystem where local data centre providers can scale and global hyper-scalers view Nigeria as a viable investment destination.”
Inuwa identified the lack of accurate data on Nigeria’s IT infrastructure as a significant challenge. He pointed out that while Africa makes up nearly 19 per cent of the world’s population, it hosts less than 1 per cent of global data centers. “This disparity, along with limited insights into Nigeria’s existing IT capacity, hampers investment efforts. Without clear data on our infrastructure, attracting investment becomes challenging,” he stated.
To address this issue, NITDA has commissioned comprehensive research to assess Nigeria’s digital landscape. The findings have highlighted the need for improved regulatory frameworks, clearer investment incentives, and stronger public-private collaboration. Abdullahi added that NITDA has engaged global consultants to redefine strategies for cloud development.
As the TWG begins its work, NITDA encourages industry experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to contribute their expertise and resources. “With a collective effort, Nigeria can emerge as the premier digital hub for West and Central Africa,” Abdullahi concluded.
Supporting the director-general’s views, acting director of regulation and compliance, Emmanuel Edet underscored the importance of regulatory interventions in fostering a robust digital economy. “Our objective is to establish policies and legal frameworks that support cloud development, enabling us to host and manage our data securely. This is crucial for the growth of our digital economy,” he said.
Edet also highlighted the necessity of capacity building, stating, “Equipping ourselves with top-tier training and expertise is essential to fully leverage digital technologies.” He called on all stakeholders to actively participate in shaping Nigeria’s digital future. “Together, we must develop a framework that reflects our national interests and gains wide acceptance. This effort will define Nigeria’s role in the global digital arena,” he observed.
The TWG will work to attract large-scale investments and enhance local cloud capabilities by recommending measures that encourage the use of accurate data and support the enactment and compliance of enabling policies.
Members of the TWG, which includes representatives from Google, AWS, IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, HUAWEI Cloud, Equinix, Kasi, Rack Centre, Africa Data Centres and several other data centre operators and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission, expressed their support and readiness to volunteer and contribute resources.
