E-Business
Nigeria Demands Cloud Sovereignty to Anchor Africa’s Digital Independence
Kashifu Inuwa, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, has issued a decisive mandate for African nations to establish domestic cloud infrastructure and data sovereignty or risk permanent digital subservience.
Speaking during a high-level strategic session at the GITEX Africa 2026 summit in Morocco, Inuwa argued that the continent must move beyond being a passive consumer of foreign technology to becoming a primary architect of its own digital ecosystem.
He warned that the current state of continental fragmentation leaves Africa vulnerable to external disruptions and prevents the realization of a truly integrated digital economy.
Inuwa characterised the modern global landscape as an environment defined by high-velocity data processing and pervasive intelligent systems, noting that digital integration is now a non-negotiable prerequisite for national survival.
He grounded this technical reality in a striking analogy, describing the cloud as the fundamental life-support system of the modern world. “In today’s reality, digital is no longer optional; it is a way of life,” Inuwa stated. “And the cloud is the oxygen that sustains that life.
The question we must ask ourselves is: who controls that oxygen?”
The push for cloud sovereignty represents a move toward localised data residency and autonomous computational power. Inuwa stressed that without regional data centers and unified regulatory frameworks, African nations remain subject to the policy shifts and geopolitical priorities of overseas providers.
He advocated for a shift from fragmented, siloed efforts toward a federated regional approach that pools resources and expertise to build a robust, self-sustaining African cloud. This transition is essential for ensuring that the massive datasets generated by African users are utilized to train local artificial intelligence models and catalyse internal economic growth rather than being exported for external profit.
The NITDA boss expressed concern over Africa’s limited share of global digital infrastructure, noting that while the continent accounts for between 15 to 19 percent of the world’s population, it holds only about 0.6 percent of global data centre and computing capacity.
He described the imbalance as a structural disadvantage that exposes African countries to risks around data security, economic dependency, and limited participation in the global innovation ecosystem.
“This is not just a technology gap, it is a sovereignty gap,” Inuwa stated. “We are generating data, but we are not in control of how and where that data is stored, processed, or monetised.”
He warned that over reliance on foreign owned cloud platforms could have long term implications for national security, economic competitiveness, and policy autonomy, especially as data becomes a critical resource in the global economy.
Despite these challenges, Inuwa highlighted Africa’s immense potential, pointing to its youthful population, expanding internet penetration, and fast growing startup ecosystem as key drivers of digital growth.
He said the continent is uniquely positioned to leapfrog legacy systems and build modern, scalable infrastructure that can support innovation across sectors.
However, he stressed that achieving this vision would require coordinated action among African governments, private sector players, and regional institutions.
“There is no single country in Africa that can do this alone,” he said. “We must collaborate, integrate our efforts, and build shared infrastructure that benefits the entire continent.”
Central to his recommendation is the creation of a “cloud of clouds” a federated cloud ecosystem that connects multiple national and regional cloud platforms into a unified, interoperable network.
Such a system, he explained, would allow countries to maintain control over their data while benefiting from shared standards, scalability, and cross-border collaboration.
Inuwa pointed to Europe’s Gaia-X as a useful reference model, noting that while Africa’s context is different, the principle of building a trusted and interconnected cloud ecosystem remains relevant.
He emphasised that cloud sovereignty should not be misunderstood as protectionism or digital isolation, but rather as the capacity for self determination in the digital age.
“Sovereignty is about having the ability to make our own choices, to define our own standards, and to build systems that reflect our values and priorities,” he said.
Inuwa further noted that developing indigenous cloud capacity could unlock significant economic opportunities, including job creation, local innovation, improved digital services, and increased investor confidence.
It could also strengthen Africa’s position in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data analytics, and the Internet of Things, all of which depend heavily on robust cloud infrastructure.
The DG concluded by emphasising that the quest for digital sovereignty is not merely a technical objective but a strategic imperative for long-term stability. He asserted that for Africa to achieve meaningful autonomy in an increasingly digitised world, it must secure its own computational foundations.
By establishing indigenous control over data processing and storage, the continent can insulate its critical national infrastructure from external volatility while ensuring that its digital future is determined by its own policies and priorities. The message was clear: Africa must harmonise its infrastructure and localise its computational assets now or face an era of unprecedented digital marginalisation.
As global competition in the digital space intensifies, Africa’s ability to act collectively and strategically will determine whether it emerges as a major digital powerhouse or remains on the periphery of the digital revolution.
Bloomberg has released its second annual “25 African Startups to Watch” list, underscoring the growing influence of venture-backed innovation across the continent.
Published thursday, the list highlights companies building solutions in “environments where infrastructure or systems have failed to deliver.”
The featured start-ups build solutions to challenges such as accessing healthcare in Chad, moving goods in Kenya, securing loans in South Africa, and safeguarding borders in Nigeria.
Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya jointly lead with four companies each, reflecting the ongoing strength of Africa’s three most visible start-up ecosystems.
The 25 companies span 13 countries and sectors including healthcare, fintech, security, climate resilience, waste management, and transport.
Nigeria’s four startups are 10mg Health, Remedial Health, Sycamore and Terra Industries, covering areas from healthcare financing and pharmaceutical supply chain integrity to digital lending and defence technology.
South Africa’s contingent includes Omnisient, Amesect, AURA and Jem. Omnisient uses grocery purchase data and AI to extend credit to those outside traditional financial systems.
Kenya’s notable four include Zeraki, a school-data analytics platform partnering with Safaricom to reach secondary students across the country.
According to Bloomberg, a defining theme this year is the source of funding.
Nearly half of the total capital raised by these start-ups came from African investors, marking a shift from previous years when international capital predominantly drove early growth.
International backers such as 8VC, controlled by Palantir Technologies co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and Google continue to see value in investing in African companies, Bloomberg noted.
The report also highlights that start-ups across the continent almost doubled their debt fundraising in 2025, even as equity financing from venture capital firms declined.
Separately, the Start-up Ecosystem Report 2026 states that Kenya has overtaken Nigeria as Africa’s top startup investment destination, attracting $984 million in 2025.
Jennifer Zabasajja, Bloomberg Television’s chief Africa correspondent and anchor, highlighted the dual significance of the list, the variety of solutions being built and the growing role of African-sourced capital in backing them.
She noted that the list comes at a consequential moment, one shaped by global disruptions, from the conflict in Iran to sweeping cuts in US foreign healthcare assistance, that have made the case for African-owned capital more urgent than ever before.
Nigeria Data Protection Commission has warned that the growing misuse of personal data and digital platforms could undermine Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
NDPC
The warning was delivered during the 2026 Press Week organised by the FCT Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner and chief executive officer, NDPC, who was represented by Itunu Dosekun, head of Media Unit at the commission, said disinformation and unlawful exploitation of personal data posed serious threats to credible elections.
The event had the theme: “2027 Election: Defending Democracy in the Era of Disinformation.”
Dosekun said the struggle for credible elections was no longer confined to polling units, noting that digital platforms had become major channels for manipulated narratives, fake news, propaganda and AI-generated misinformation.
According to him, the rapid growth of social media platforms, messaging applications and data-driven political campaigns has created vulnerabilities capable of influencing voter perception and weakening public trust in democratic institutions.
He warned that the abuse of personal data for political profiling and psychological targeting had become one of the most dangerous threats facing democracies worldwide.
“The misuse of citizens’ personal information carries serious social implications, especially for vulnerable groups who may not fully understand how their data is harvested, processed and weaponised online,” he said.
Dosekun noted that coordinated disinformation campaigns could inflame ethnic tensions, spread fear and discourage civic participation, particularly among young Nigerians.
He described the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, as a critical legal framework aimed at protecting citizens against unlawful data processing and digital exploitation.
According to him, the law gives Nigerians greater control over their personal information while placing obligations on organisations, institutions and political actors to handle data responsibly.
Dosekun also called for stronger collaboration among political parties, media organisations, technology firms, civil society groups and citizens to promote responsible digital behaviour ahead of the elections.
He stressed the role of journalists and media professionals in combating fake news, fact-checking information and safeguarding public discourse.
According to him, protecting personal data should not only be seen as a privacy issue but also as a democratic responsibility necessary for maintaining public confidence, national stability and electoral credibility.
Stakeholders at the event emphasised the need for improved digital literacy, stronger regulation and increased public awareness to prevent the abuse of digital platforms during future elections.
Anthropic, artificial Intelligence company, has said that it has secured sixty-five billion dollars in a new funding round, raising the company’s valuation to about nine hundred and sixty-five billion dollars.
The development places the company ahead of its rival, OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, which was valued at about eight hundred and fifty-two billion dollars earlier this year.
Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI employees and led by Dario Amodei, chief executive officer, has emerged as one of the leading firms in the global Artificial Intelligence industry.
The company is widely recognised for its advanced coding capabilities and generative AI models, particularly its AI assistant known as Claude.
Unlike some competitors focusing mainly on general consumers, Anthropic has concentrated on delivering AI solutions to enterprise and business clients.
The company also says it places strong emphasis on AI safety while expanding its products and services amid growing competition in the sector.
Krishna Rao, chief financial officer of Anthropic, said the new funding would support the company’s research efforts and help meet rising global demand for its AI technologies.
Reports indicate that the investment round attracted major Silicon Valley venture capital firms, including Altimeter Capital, Dragoneer, Greenoaks and Sequoia Capital.
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