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NITDA Inaugurates Technical Working Group to Drive Nigeria’s Digital Sovereignty
In a significant move to bolster 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 hyper-scale investments, and position Nigeria as a leading technology hub in Africa.
Speaking at the inauguration, NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, emphasised the need for accurate data and regulatory frameworks to support these initiatives, necessary for Nigeria to control its digital infrastructure, data, and technological future noting that, “Without this foundation, we cannot achieve true digital sovereignty. Our goal is to build an ecosystem where both local data centre providers can scale, and global hyper-scalers see Nigeria as a viable investment destination.”
While identifying lack of accurate data on Nigeria’s IT infrastructure as significant challenge, Inuwa noted that while Africa comprises nearly 19% of the world’s population, it hosts less than 1% of global data centres.
“This disparity, coupled with limited insights into Nigeria’s existing IT capacity, hampers investment efforts and without clear data on our infrastructure, attracting investment becomes challenging,” he said.
The NITDA boss maintained that, to address this, NITDA commissioned comprehensive research to assess Nigeria’s digital landscape which findings have highlighted the need for improved regulatory frameworks, clearer investment incentives, and stronger public-private collaboration. He added that subsequently upon this, NITDA has engaged global consultants to redefine strategies for cloud development.
As the TWG embarks on its mission, NITDA urges industry experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to contribute their expertise and resources. “With collective effort, Nigeria can emerge as the premier digital hub for West and Central Africa,” Inuwa concluded.
While corroborating the Director General’s point of views, Acting Director of Regulation and Compliance, Barrister Emmanuel Edet, underscored the importance of regulatory intervention in fostering a robust digital economy.
“Our objective is to establish policies and legal frameworks that support cloud development, enabling us to securely host and manage our data. This is crucial for the growth of our digital economy, he said.”
He also highlights the necessity of capacity building, stating that, “Equipping ourselves with top-tier training and expertise is essential to fully leverage digital technologies.”
Barrister Edet called on all stakeholders to actively participate in shaping Nigeria’s digital future. “Collaboratively, we must develop a framework that reflects our national interests, and it should be widely accepted. This effort will define Nigeria’s role in the global digital arena, he observed.
The TWG will help in the drive to attract hyperscale investments and enhance local cloud capabilities by proffering measures to encourage the use of accurate data, recommend the enactment and compliance to enabling policies.
Members of the TWG which includes Google, AWS, IBM, Oracle, Microsoft, HUAWEI Cloud, Equinix, Kasi, Rack Centre, Africa Data Centres, several other data centre operators and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission expressed support and readiness to volunteer and contribute resources.
By Oluwole Alao
Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has pledged the Agency’s full support for the Corporate Affairs Commission’s (CAC) artificial intelligence–driven transformation as the Commission marked its 35th anniversary in Abuja.
Delivering a goodwill message at the celebration, which was held at the Ladi Kwali hall of the Abuja Continental Hotel, Inuwa commended CAC for its uncommon consistency and resilience, noting that while many organisations rise and fall after initial success, CAC has continued on a steady growth trajectory.
“We know organisations go up and come down, but some will keep thriving, thriving, and thriving, and today, this is what we are witnessing for CAC,” he said.
Reflecting on his early engagement with the Commission, the NITDA boss recalled that the Registrar General made organisational transformation a priority from the very start of his leadership, particularly in embracing digital innovation.
According to Inuwa, the current era demands more than basic digitisation, stressing that meaningful transformation can only be achieved through the integration of artificial intelligence into core operations.
“We are in the AI era, and the only way to transform today is to embrace and integrate AI into your operations. This is exactly what the Registrar General is doing,” he stated.
He assured CAC of NITDA’s commitment to working closely with the Commission to embed AI across its numerous processes, explaining that the technology would infuse intelligence into workflows, simplify company registration and business management, and strengthen cybersecurity.
“We will make sure you integrate AI into CAC processes. With AI, it will infuse intelligence in everything you do and make things easy for Nigerians to register companies and manage businesses,” Inuwa averred.
The NITDA DG added that deploying advanced AI tools would help CAC staff stay ahead of fraudsters and curb hacking and fraudulent alterations of company records, while also safeguarding the system through responsible deployment.
“At NITDA, we will make sure you deploy ethical and responsible AI in your operations, with the right guardrails in place,” he assured.
He further described CAC’s digital reforms as bold and impactful, noting that the Commission has reduced company registration timelines from several months to as little as 24 hours. He added that further integration of AI would enhance name search and reservation, automate filings, improve corporate governance, and significantly reduce fraud.
He also highlighted NITDA’s ongoing role in reviewing CAC’s digital and AI transformation roadmaps, providing guidelines, standards, training support, and safeguards to ensure sustainable, people-centred, and secure digital services.
The NITDA DG congratulated CAC management, staff, and members of the National Assembly for their support, expressing confidence that the partnership would further strengthen Nigeria’s digital business environment in the years ahead.
The United States has warned Nigerians that overstaying their visas could jeopardise travel opportunities for other citizens seeking to visit the US for education, business, or family purposes.
The warning came amid ongoing immigration crackdowns and tighter travel restrictions under the administration of President Donald Trump.
In a statement posted on X on Monday, Feb. 9, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria stressed that compliance with visa rules is essential to protecting access for Nigerians who travel responsibly.
“Visa overstays by Nigerian travellers can affect opportunities for their fellow citizens,” the Mission said. “Strengthening compliance helps protect access for students, business travellers and families who travel responsibly.”
The Mission also urged Nigerians to report cases of visa fraud to [email protected] or [email protected]
Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) has urged creation of a unified national beneficial ownership register to bolster anti-corruption efforts and corporate transparency.
CAC
CAC Registrar-General highlighted how fragmented sectoral registers breed duplication, inconsistencies, and regulatory gaps during the Commission’s 35th anniversary Anti-Corruption Day in Abuja.
ICPC Chairman Dr. Musa Aliyu, via representative Demola Bakare, praised CAC’s role in fostering accountable business environments that drive sustainable growth.
Global evidence links transparent institutions to stronger economies, with clear rules, accessible data, and open operations as key pillars.
CAC’s oversight on company registration, disclosure, and compliance directly builds investor trust and national integrity, closing avenues for illicit financial flows.
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