NITDA DG stresses local infrastructure for Nigeria’s digital sovereignty

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has asserted that Nigeria’s digital sovereignty depends on its ability to control local infrastructure, develop technical skills, and foster innovation.

Speaking at GITEX 2026 in Lagos, Inuwa highlighted the federal government’s National Cloud First Policy as a key mechanism for driving a private sector-led digital economy. He noted that while digital technology is essential for Nigeria’s goal of becoming a trillion-dollar economy, the nation must maintain control over the data, connectivity, and computing power that drive growth.

The National Cloud First Policy

The National Cloud First Policy encourages government institutions and large organisations to prioritise cloud adoption over traditional on-premise infrastructure. Inuwa stated that this approach allows organisations to redirect resources from managing hardware to driving service delivery and innovation.

He clarified that the policy is not protectionist but is instead designed to invite hyperscalers and major technology companies to invest in Nigeria. The goal is to encourage these entities to build and operate within the country’s legal and regulatory frameworks while utilising local talent.

Protecting Sovereign Data

A central component of the sovereignty strategy is a classification framework that identifies specific categories of information as sovereign data. This data requires heightened protection and must remain within Nigeria’s borders for national security, economic stability, and citizen protection.

Inuwa identified several categories of strategic assets that require local storage:

• Defence-related information
• Financial transaction records
• Healthcare information
• Citizens’ personal data

He noted that technologies exist that allow organisations to utilise public cloud platforms for general workloads while ensuring these sensitive datasets remain stored within the country.

Driving Regional Digital Leadership

Inuwa argued that the policy provides a stronger investment case for data centre operators and digital infrastructure developers. As local computing capacity expands, Nigeria is positioned to serve as a digital gateway for neighbouring landlocked nations requiring reliable cloud and computing resources.

The DG also emphasised that the government is extending digital transformation beyond the fintech sector into agriculture, education, and healthcare. He cited the recent establishment of the National Health Technology Office as a key step in accelerating the digitalisation of healthcare services.