The issue came into focus at a Media Advocacy and Capacity Building Workshop organised by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) in collaboration with the Nigeria Information Technology Reporters Association (NITRA), where journalists gathered under the theme “The Role of Media in Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Identity.”

In his opening remarks, Adesola Akinsanya, NiRA president, said the engagement aimed to strengthen collaboration with the media on digital identity awareness.

He described the session as a “handshake” between NiRA and journalists, stressing that the partnership is essential to growing Nigeria’s digital presence.

“I would like to begin with a critical question that should frame our engagement today: who truly owns Nigeria’s digital identity? Is it shaped by the platforms we use, the domains we register, or the narratives we amplify?” he said.

“The reality is that digital identity is neither accidental nor passive, it is deliberately constructed, and increasingly, it is contested. In this context, your role as journalists and media professionals becomes not just relevant, but strategic.”

The president encouraged participants to see themselves as active stakeholders in national development, urging a more patriotic approach to digital identity. “We should be seen doing it to be patriotic and to move this country forward.”

Speaking at the session, Adebiyi Oladipo, vice chair, ICANN ccNSO, also a researcher and lecturer said the issue goes beyond technology and shows how Nigeria values its own digital space.

“This is not about NiRA, this is about Nigeria,” he said.

He compared Nigeria with other countries, pointing to wide gaps between population size and the number of registered country-code domains.

China, with over 1.4 billion people, has about 21 million domain names. Germany, with 83.6 million people, has more than 17 million. The Netherlands, with just 18.4 million people, holds about 6.3 million domains.

Nigeria, by contrast, has only about 240,000.

The difference becomes apparent when measured per population. Germany has more than 200 domains per 1,000 people. The Netherlands records over 300. Nigeria stands at less than one.

“I find it really absurd that a country of over 200 million people we are struggling with 240,000 domain names,” Oladipo said.

A stronger economic framing came from Oluwaseyi Onasanya, COO of NiRA, who said the “.ng” domain is not a technical product but a national critical asset tied directly to economic survival and sovereignty.

“.ng is not a technical tool, but a national critical asset. It is the bedrock of a digital economy,” she said.

She warned that every time a Nigerian business chooses a foreign domain, the country loses part of its digital economic value.

“What that means is that we are taking out a significant part of our digital economy offshore,” she said.

Oladipo said Nigeria is failing to treat “.ng” as a national asset. Instead, many businesses prefer foreign domains, especially “.com”.

“When you choose .com, you are pushing the value away from our environment,” he said.

He described domain names as economic assets rather than technical tools, comparing them to land in real estate.

“The domain is not a technical asset. It’s an economic asset, because you can make money from it,” he said.

He added that the opportunity extends across a value chain, from domain registration to website development, digital marketing and online business growth.

Oladipo also addressed perception challenges, noting that many Nigerians wrongly believe local domains are less secure, even though infrastructure matches global standards.

“Everything that exists with .com exists with us,” he said.

He linked the slow adoption to mistrust and poor information, warning that false narratives can shape public opinion.

“There’s a lot of fragility around online credibility,” he said, referring to a recent fake video that falsely claimed an attack in Abuja.

He placed responsibility on the media to correct misinformation and promote local digital identity.

“Nobody is going to tell your story like you,” he said.

Onasanya stressed that the issue is not perception alone but structural economic leakage, explaining that foreign domain use results in capital flight as payments leave the country in foreign currency.

“Every foreign domain is a capital flight,” she said, noting that even small annual fees multiply into significant national losses when scaled across businesses.

Oladipo urged journalists to go beyond reporting startups and fintech, stressing that the domain system is the foundation those industries depend on.

“It’s akin to celebrating the house but ignoring the land,” he said.

He called on media professionals to act as educators, amplifiers and trust builders by explaining digital identity issues, promoting Nigerian platforms and calling out fraud.

He also urged organisations and individuals to adopt “.ng” domains for their platforms.

“For those who are not, switch to .ng,” he said.

Onasanya said policy intervention is critical to improving adoption, urging stronger government intervention through legislation, executive orders, and institutional enforcement.

She proposed that “.ng” should be mandatory for government communication, licensing, and procurement processes, and called for alignment with national identity systems such as the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

Without stronger policy backing, she warned, adoption would remain slow. “Adoption is not luck, it is not by chance, it is driven by policy,” she said.

Despite the gap, Oladipo said the situation is not beyond repair, noting that the digital economy already contributes more than 20% to Nigeria’s GDP and continues to grow.

“There are endless possibilities for us,” he said.

He ended by challenging the media to take the lead in changing perception and driving adoption.

“Will you lead or will you follow?” he asked.

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.

But for the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), that FIRS-France handshake carries a heavy weight: the potential compromise of Nigeria’s digital sovereignty.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aims to modernize Nigeria’s tax administration through technical assistance and capacity building.

While the FIRS insists that no foreign entity will have access to taxpayer data or infrastructure, the professional ICT community is sounding an alarm about the “hidden costs” of international digital partnerships.

The Transparency Gap

A primary point of contention is the secrecy surrounding the deal. According to the NCS position paper, the MoU was concluded without proactive public disclosure of its full terms.

“This lack of transparency has heightened public suspicion,” the Society noted in a statement available to Techeconomy and signed by Dr. Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu, the President, highlighting that without a public debate, the government risks eroding trust in its handling of data-sensitive agreements.

NCS’ concern isn’t just about what is in the document, but what could happen tomorrow. Stakeholders worry that technical collaboration could serve as a ‘backdoor’ for metadata exposure or indirect access to sensitive systems.

Defining Digital Sovereignty

At the heart of this debate is a fundamental question: Who owns Nigeria’s digital future? The

NCS defines digital sovereignty as a nation’s absolute right to govern its own data and infrastructure while protecting citizens from unauthorized foreign access.

The Society argues that National Ownership is Non-Negotiable hence public data must remain under Nigerian juridical control;

“Local Talent Over Foreign Solutions – There is a growing fear that such MoUs marginalize local tech providers and weaken the incentive to develop homegrown digital solutions.

“Data Localization: Critical economic data should be stored and processed within Nigerian jurisdiction to prevent foreign jurisdictional claims.

A Call for a “Sovereignty-First” Policy

The NCS isn’t just criticizing; they are proposing a roadmap for a more secure digital economy.

Led by President Dr. Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu, the Society is calling for a National Data Sovereignty Policy.

Key recommendations from the ICT body include:

“Legislative Oversight: Before any data-related MoU is operationalized, it should undergo public hearings and a review by the National Assembly.

“Mandatory Risk Assessments: Every international collaboration should require a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) to document mitigation plans for privacy risks.

“Indigenous Investment: Instead of relying solely on foreign advisory, the government should fund indigenous software platforms and incentivize partnerships with Nigerian tech firms”.

The Path Ahead

Nigeria stands at a pivotal point in its digital transformation. While global cooperation can bolster institutional capacity, the NCS insists it must never come at the expense of national security or the rights of citizens.

As the Society continues to monitor the FIRS-France agreement, its message to the government is clear: international partnerships are valuable, but only if they are anchored in a secure, equitable, and domestically controlled framework.

In Nigeria, millions of dollars are being funnelled into new data centres and next-generation infrastructure to handle advanced computing workloads.

At the same time, leaders are calling for the country to achieve digital sovereignty, prioritising and building the infrastructure, talent and cloud sovereignty that will make it self-reliant.

AI is increasing the demand for cloud capacity, both locally and globally. But with that demand comes the need for enterprises to adhere to residency rules and ensure all their data, applications and operations remain within relevant borders.

To ensure this, enterprises need to understand what cloud sovereignty implies, and with the right approach, they can not only comply with regulations but also lay a solid foundation for their AI strategies and quickly start to scale and draw business value from the technology.

 A model for cloud sovereignty

For many companies, cloud computing is the default for storing, managing and analysing their data and applications.

With that default comes the need for robust frameworks that ensure companies adhere to sovereignty obligations, especially as cloud environments, such as scalable enterprise-grade infrastructure, become critical for hosting AI workloads and applications.

Migrating to the cloud is a priority for companies, but it does involve ceding a degree of independence and operational control to hyperscalers and service providers. Additionally, companies may face risks related to data privacy and third-party access, all of which can immediately impact migration efforts or long-term innovation projects.

According to a recent Red Hat survey, sovereignty concerns are the biggest barrier to cloud adoption for large EMEA enterprises.

This creates the need for sovereign architectures, which enable organisations to maintain transparency over core IT services, including networking, automation and key management. Sovereign controls encompass data encryption, access and identity management (AIM), audit management, supply chain security, and workload and data residency protections.

All of these and other controls allow West African organisations to control who can access their data and systems, as well as make decisions regarding the physical and geographical locations of their infrastructure.

Balancing innovation with compliance

Digital and cloud sovereignty are important factors when it comes to companies’ AI plans and projects, especially as the technology becomes more integrated into core business functions.

According to Red Hat, companies across Europe, the Middle East and Africa plan to increase their AI investments by an average of 32% by 2026.

Innovation cannot come at the expense of compliance, nor should compliance be a barrier to innovation. Companies in Nigeria and West Africa need governed environments where development and operations teams can access the tools and resources they need for AI projects.

The solution for this is an open source approach, which guarantees transparency and openness and enables companies to innovate and build applications and solutions with confidence.

Using enterprise open source platforms, companies can control, manage and move their data and AI workloads across different clouds and environments based on sovereign and residency requirements.

This results in a high level of flexibility and operational resilience, which are core components of any AI strategy, especially as enterprises worldwide turn their attention to agentic AI and deploy agents that run on multiple models and feature higher degrees of computational complexity.

Agentic AI holds a lot of potential for the continent, with sectors such as healthcare, financial services, education and government services. And ensuring the sovereignty of an organisation’s digital infrastructure is the first step to building systems and agents that deliver real business value.

Choosing the right partners and platforms

When it comes to addressing digital sovereignty, West African enterprises need to prioritise partners and vendors who don’t just understand the regulations, but who can help them adhere to those regulations while modernising their technology at the same time.

When it comes to choosing a sovereign partner or provider, enterprises should prioritise those with national certifications, local data centre ownership and no vendor lock-in.

As for platforms, enterprises should prioritise those that offer them the flexibility of hybrid cloud and that provide them with the control, trust and resilience they need in a sovereign environment, as well as embrace AI to its full potential.

By taking that route, and with the help of trusted and industry-recognised vendors, West Africa can become an example for the continent in not only achieving digital sovereignty but also building an ecosystem that accelerates innovation.

The funding round was led by Founderful, with contributions from the ETH Zurich Foundation, Venture Kick, and prominent cybersecurity experts. 

The company aims to give governments, enterprises, and individuals adequate management over smartphones, turning everyday devices into auditable, secure infrastructure.

Smartphones are one of the last digital sovereignty frontiers. Today, Android and iOS top the market, yet they are essentially black boxes. 

A single faulty update or hidden vulnerability can disrupt millions of users. Soverli addresses this by allowing multiple operating systems to run simultaneously and independently on the same device. 

Users can switch between Android and the sovereign OS instantly, keeping full functionality without compromise.

The company has demonstrated Signal running inside its sovereign OS. By isolating the app from Android, the system reduces the attack surface by 500×, keeping messages safe even if Android is compromised. 

Essentially, Soverli works with existing devices and requires no hardware modifications, making high-level security widely accessible.

“Availability is mission-critical, yet organisations still rely on operating systems they cannot control or audit,” said Ivan Puddu, co-founder and CEO of Soverli. 

“We built a fully auditable smartphone sovereign layer that stays operational even when Android is compromised. It’s a paradigm shift: instead of hoping the OS never breaks, Soverli guarantees continuity if it does, without forcing users to give up the modern smartphone experience they expect.”

Soverli’s technology has attracted attention from governments, public institutions, and enterprises. Early pilots focus on emergency services and critical infrastructure, where phone availability is essential. 

If the main OS fails due to an attack or misconfiguration, Soverli keeps vital apps and workflows running, supporting police, firefighters, EMTs, journalists, and human rights workers. 

Enterprises are exploring the system for secure bring-your-own-device programmes, allowing employees to run private and business environments on the same device safely.

“People deserve phones they can actually trust, and OEMs must deliver it,” said Antonia Albert, Investor at Founderful. “Soverli’s Swiss-made sovereign layer is the kind of breakthrough that can rewrite the rules of mobile security.”

The bigger context sees Europe and other regions racing to achieve digital sovereignty. Cloud and network infrastructure are already moving toward independence, but smartphones have lagged. 

Soverli fills this gap, enabling institutions to enforce security policies on consumer-grade hardware without compromising usability.

The new funding will expand Soverli’s engineering team, extend device compatibility, improve mobile management integrations, and scale partnerships with OEMs. 

The company’s long-term goal is to make true digital sovereignty available to all smartphones, ensuring both security and convenience for everyday users.

NCS is the umbrella body for all IT professionals, interest groups, and stakeholders in Nigeria, boasting approximately 20,000 members across the nation’s 36 states.

With specialised groups such as ISPON, ITAN, NiWIIT, ITSSP, AITP, NITPCS, and structural organs including the College of Fellows, Chapters, and NACOS, NCS is dedicated to fostering innovation, professional excellence, and sustainable IT development in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the NCS Cybersecurity Forum is an annual top assembly of policymakers, academics, and industry leaders to discuss collaborative strategies for safeguarding Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

Opening the Forum, Dr. Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu, president of NCS, underscored the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s cybersecurity challenges through multilateral cooperation.

The forum combined technical workshops, networking sessions, and knowledge-sharing platforms aimed at empowering stakeholders with tools to protect cyberspace and foster local innovation.

In a landmark keynote address, Professor Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju, MD/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, delivered a strategic vision for achieving cyber sovereignty.

He emphasized the need for homegrown digital solutions, robust data protection frameworks, and reduced reliance on foreign infrastructure to secure the nation’s digital independence.

Continuing at the event, Dr. Aliyu outlined critical focus areas for national progress:

• Reinforcing Legal and Regulatory Frameworks: Aligning cybersecurity laws with global standards to protect vital digital assets.
• Prioritizing Cyber Talent Development: Expanding training programs, certifications, and academic support to build a resilient cyber workforce.
• Fostering Public-Private Synergy: Creating trusted channels for sharing threat intelligence and responding to cyber incidents swiftly.
• Cultivating a Cybersecurity Culture: Promoting widespread awareness and responsible digital behaviour across all sectors.
• Anticipating Emerging Threats: Evaluating risks associated with rapidly evolving technologies such as AI, IoT, and cloud computing.

As the conference drew to a close, NCS announced initiatives to amplify cybersecurity efforts nationwide—through policy advocacy, advanced training, and an upcoming national threat intelligence platform.

These measures, according to Dr. Aliyu, will ensure that Nigeria not only secures its digital assets but also positions itself as a continental leader in cybersecurity resilience.

What Lies Ahead?

According to Dr. Aliyu, the NCS plans to scale its engagement at future forums and workshops nationwide, developing specialized cybersecurity training, advocating policy refinement, and launching an information-sharing platform for industry players.

As Nigeria deepens its digital transformation, Dr. Aliyu believes strategic action and coordinated efforts will position the country as a cybersecurity-ready global hub.

A Pivotal Moment

The 2025 forum represents a shift: from reacting to threats to building a resilient digital foundation.

For Nigeria, it signals a bold step toward digital sovereignty—where data, infrastructure, and security lie firmly in national hands.

Keyword: Digital (Cybersecurity)  sovereignty

Cybersecurity sovereignty refers to a nation’s capacity to autonomously safeguard its digital infrastructure, data, and technologies from cyber threats.

This idea encompasses minimizing reliance on foreign entities for crucial cybersecurity components and services, allowing a nation to defend itself without unduly depending on foreign technological resources and innovations.

The .ng domain, a symbol of Nigeria’s digital sovereignty and a key enabler of digital growth, is fast becoming a cornerstone of the nation’s digital economy.

NiRA, the organisation responsible for managing the .ng domain, has relentlessly ensured a secure, reliable, and accessible online presence for individuals and businesses, having recorded a commendable 229,596 .ng domain registrations as of August 27, 2024.

Mr. Adesola Akinsanya, president of the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), represented by Peter Oluka, member, Executive Board of Directors, NiRA, revealed this during his keynote address at the NITRA ICT Growth Conference 4.0 held at CitiHeight Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, themed, “Impact of AI On National Development: Prospects, Policies, and Challenges in Nigeria.”

Akinsanya stated that the country is at a sensitive moment in its digital transformation, highlighting the indispensability of the .ng domain in enhancing Nigeria’s national digital identity.

The .ng domain has gone beyond a mere digital suffix, it now represents a national asset. The domain is a big part of many important enablers of digital transformation, offering a uniquely Nigerian online presence in the global internet sector. 

Mr. Akinsanya noted this as he spoke on NiRA’s tireless efforts in promoting the adoption of the .ng domain.

This achievement is set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s overall digital growth, with the digital economy now contributing over 14% to the country’s GDP. 

From fintech startups bolstering financial services to digital platforms enhancing access to education, Nigeria’s digital industry is adapting rapidly, driven by innovation and a growing online presence.

However, Mr. Akinsanya also acknowledged the challenges that come with this growth. “With these opportunities come significant challenges,” he said. “Issues of digital inclusion, cybersecurity, infrastructure deficits, and the digital skills gap continue to hamper our progress.” 

These challenges are pressing, as they bring about risks to the integrity and security of Nigeria’s digital sovereignty.

To address these challenges, NiRA has taken assertive measures to ensure that the .ng domain remains accessible, affordable, and secure for all Nigerians. 

Mr. Akinsanya pointed out that NiRA has partnered with various stakeholders to make sure that “every Nigerian, regardless of their location, can have a digital identity that they can trust.” 

This is essential for businesses, government services and individual connectivity to the global economy.

Cybersecurity, a big issue with the increasing digitalisation of Nigeria’s economy, was a major focus of Mr. Akinsanya’s speech. 

He noted that cybersecurity threats are on the rise but NiRA is working with industry partners, government agencies, and international bodies to ensure that Nigeria’s cyberspace is safe and resilient. 

He stressed the importance of “advocating for robust policies, enhancing public awareness on cybersecurity best practices, and fostering a culture of trust and transparency.”

The issue of digital inclusion was another urgent point in Mr. Akinsanya’s address. He stated that for Nigeria to truly leverage the prospects of ICT, it must bridge the digital divide that exists across various segments of society. 

Through initiatives like the .NG Academy, NiRA is working to improve digital literacy and expand internet access to underserved communities, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate in the digital economy.

Mr. Akinsanya further called for collaboration among all stakeholders — industry leaders, policymakers, academia, and civil society — to build a resilient digital sector that supports innovation, meets future infrastructure demands, and cultivates a skilled workforce ready to lead in the digital world.

“We believe in the power of the internet to transform lives, to create opportunities, and to drive our nation’s development,” he stated. 

“Let us seize this moment to shape the future of ICT in Nigeria—a future that is bright, secure, and inclusive,” Mr. Akinsanya concluded, pointing to the country’s progress and prosperity.