Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), reaffirmed Nigeria’s leadership in shaping Africa’s digital future during a series of high-level engagements held on the sidelines of the 18th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2025) in Abuja.
Over three landmark events, ICEGOV 2025, the West African Digital Governance Forum (WADGov), and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) E-Governance Expert Meeting, Inuwa emphasised that Africa’s digital transformation must be driven by trust, collaboration, and a strong commitment to data sovereignty.
Hosted for the first time in West Africa, ICEGOV 2025 brought together ministers, regulators, development partners, and digital innovators from over 50 countries under the theme “Shaping the Future of Digital Governance through Cooperation, Innovation, and Inclusion.”
Speaking at the opening ceremony at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, he described digital governance as a social contract built on accountability and shared progress.
“Digital is not an accessory to development – it is its backbone,” he stated. “Africa’s digital sovereignty must be built on systems that protect our data, empower our people, and strengthen our capacity to innovate locally and compete globally.”
Despite accounting for nearly 18% of the world’s population, Africa contributes less than 1% to global data center capacity and cloud infrastructure – a gap that poses significant risks to the continent’s digital independence.
Inuwa emphasized that data sovereignty cannot exist without local infrastructure capable of hosting, processing, and securing Africa’s data.
He noted that strengthening domestic cloud capacity, encouraging local data hosting, and promoting regional interconnection are essential for achieving true sovereignty in the digital era. He underscored that Africa must build the systems to govern and protect its own data, rather than outsourcing its digital destiny to external actors.
At the West African Digital Governance Forum (WADGov), he called on member states to adopt shared frameworks that align with the African Union Digital Transformation Strategy (2020–2030).
He underscored the need for interoperable systems, cross-border collaboration, and open digital ecosystems that reflect Africa’s unique realities.
“When our services interconnect, our nations progress together. The real power of digital governance lies not in competition, but in cooperation,” Inuwa told regional delegates.
At the APRM E-Governance Expert Meeting, Inuwa urged African leaders to co-create a continental framework for measuring digital governance maturity that is uniquely African, people-centred, and grounded in transparency, inclusion, and accountability.
“E-Governance is not about automating bureaucracy; it is about humanising public service,” he said. “Citizens should experience government as moments of trust, registering a business in hours, accessing healthcare securely, or paying for services without barriers. When those moments work, trust grows; when they don’t, trust erodes.”
Throughout the week, Inuwa also showcased Nigeria’s achievements in building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) – spanning identity, payments, and data exchange, and highlighted the Data Protection Act 2023, which institutionalises digital trust.
He cited over 126 million Nigerians now enrolled in the National Identification Number (NIN) system and referenced the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) and Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) programmes as examples of Nigeria’s commitment to inclusive digital capacity building.
Inuwa concluded his remarks across the events by reiterating that Africa’s digital future will be written by Africans through collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility.
“The future of governance will be co-created, not imported. When we connect our systems and our hearts, we can deliver a generation-defining transformation in governance – one that citizens everywhere can see, feel, and trust.”
In reaffirming NITDA’s commitment to digital sovereignty, Inuwa noted that the Agency continues to work closely with regulators, operators, and development partners to localise data sustainably in Nigeria and across Africa.
He highlighted that NITDA’s efforts are guided by a vision of responsible data stewardship, one that ensures national data assets remain under sovereign control while enabling innovation, investment, and efficiency.
Through initiatives supporting local cloud adoption, compliance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, and the development of Digital Public Infrastructure, NITDA is laying the groundwork for a trusted and self-reliant data ecosystem that advances both national resilience and continental integration.
The successful hosting of ICEGOV 2025 in Abuja not only cements Nigeria’s position as a continental leader in digital governance but also signals a renewed commitment across West Africa to work together toward a digitally sovereign, inclusive, and trusted future.
