The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed that strong, forward-looking policy remains the most critical driver of Nigeria’s digital transformation, positioning it as the foundation upon which sustainable infrastructure and innovation must be built.
This position was highlighted by the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, who was represented by Dr. Aristotle Onumo, Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, during a panel session at the IoT West Africa Conference. The session, themed “The Lagos Abuja Digital Corridor: Building Africa’s Next Data Centre and Cloud Hub,” brought together key stakeholders to examine the future of digital infrastructure and innovation across the continent.
IoT West Africa continues to serve as a leading platform for convening policymakers, industry leaders, and innovators to explore emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, smart cities, and the Internet of Things (IoT), all of which are shaping Africa’s digital future.
In his remarks, Dr. Onumo emphasised that while infrastructure development is often driven by market demand, it is policy that creates the enabling environment for that demand to translate into sustainable growth. He pointed to Nigeria’s National Broadband Policy, which sets minimum internet speeds of 10 Mbps in rural areas and 25 Mbps in urban centres, as a clear example of how policy can guide strategic infrastructure deployment particularly along the Lagos–Abuja digital corridor.
However, he cautioned that achieving nationwide digital infrastructure coverage requires more than policy direction alone. He stressed the need for deliberate collaboration among government, private sector players, and civil society. According to him, “Collaboration is the pathway that massifies impact, while partnership harnesses collective intelligence. No one can achieve this in isolation.”
Dr. Onumo also highlighted the Nigerian Sovereign Cloud Project as a key national initiative designed to strengthen indigenous cloud capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign hyperscale providers. By enabling local cloud infrastructure to meet global standards, the initiative aims to ensure that data is hosted within Nigeria, reduce operational costs for businesses, and expand access to secure and affordable cloud services.
Beyond enabling infrastructure, he underscored the importance of policies that actively stimulate demand. He cited the ongoing consolidation of servers across government institutions as a strategic move to drive demand for cloud services, which in turn encourages investment in local data centres. This approach, he noted, demonstrates the critical role of Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) in co-creating, co-owning, and delivering digital infrastructure and services.
“We are no longer looking at IT purely from an infrastructure standpoint, but as an integrated ecosystem that delivers real value to citizens and drives economic growth,” he stated.
Calling for deeper stakeholder engagement, Dr. Onumo urged industry players to align with NITDA’s vision of building a digitally inclusive Nigeria. “If we must achieve our mission, we need you, and you need us. Together, we can build a digitally empowered nation that fosters inclusive economic development through innovation,” he added.
He further highlighted NITDA’s strategic initiatives, particularly the Digital Literacy for All programme, which targets equipping 70 per cent of Nigerians with digital skills by 2027. Through collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), NITDA is deploying digital literacy champions across all 774 local government areas, with an ambitious goal of training 30 million Nigerians within three years.
In a keynote address, the National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Vincent Olatunji, emphasised the critical role of data protection and privacy in safeguarding Nigeria’s digital economy. He highlighted the importance of compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, noting both the opportunities it presents and the risks associated with non-compliance.
Dr. Olatunji also underscored the growing importance of data centres as strategic national assets. He raised concerns that over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s data is currently hosted abroad, describing the situation as a significant risk to national sovereignty. He therefore called for increased investment in local data infrastructure, noting that Nigeria’s data centre market is projected to grow to $1.9 billion by 2031.
Overall, the discussions reinforced a clear message: while infrastructure is essential, it is the strength of policy, collaboration, and local capacity development that will ultimately determine the success of Nigeria’s digital economy.