Members of the Joint Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity recently conducted a high-level oversight visit to the National Shared Services Centre (NSSC), the nerve center of Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Limited.

The visit, led by Stanley Olajide Adedeji, chairman, House Committee on Digital and Information Technology, signaled a growing consensus within the 10th Assembly: Galaxy Backbone is a strategic national asset that requires a significant capital infusion to keep pace with Nigeria’s rapidly evolving digital landscape.

The IDTS 2024–2028: A Blueprint for Sovereign Transformation

At the heart of the engagement was the presentation of GBB’s Integrated Digital Transformation Strategy (IDTS) 2024–2028.

This five-year roadmap is designed to move the Nigerian government beyond fragmented IT silos toward a unified, secure, and scalable cloud-first architecture.

Sovereign Data: GBB is doubling down on “data sovereignty,” urging MDAs to migrate their workloads to its world-class Tier III data centers.

National Reach: The strategy focuses on expanding high-speed fiber infrastructure to underserved regions, ensuring that government-to-citizen (G2C) services are not limited to urban hubs.

Cyber-Resilience: With the rise in global state-sponsored cyber threats, the IDTS prioritizes “cybersecurity resilience” as a core pillar of national security.

The Funding Gap: Investing in Economic Resilience

Despite being the infrastructure engine for government digital services, GBB faces the challenge of maintaining cutting-edge hardware in a volatile economic environment.

Adedeji emphasized that legislative support must translate into tangible funding to ensure global competitiveness.

“Organisations such as Galaxy Backbone are pivotal to building the digital infrastructure required to support governance, economic resilience, and Nigeria’s future competitiveness,” Adedeji noted. He stressed that greater investment is no longer optional if Nigeria aims to achieve its digital transformation targets.

A Call for Inter-Agency Migration

Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, the managing director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, used the visit to issue a clarion call to Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

By leveraging GBB’s shared services, the government aims to:

Reduce Redundancy: Eliminate the cost of MDAs building independent, small-scale data centers.

Enhance Security: Consolidate government data within a secure, Tier III environment protected by national cybersecurity protocols.

Promote Efficiency: Enable seamless Government-to-Government (G2G) data sharing.

The Realpolitik of Digital Infrastructure

For Galaxy Backbone, the challenge remains two-fold: Technology and Trust. While the NSSC boasts world-class facilities, GBB must convince skeptical MDAs that its “Shared Services” model can provide the uptime and speed required for modern governance.

The endorsement from the National Assembly provides the political cover needed to enforce a “GBB-First” policy for government data, potentially saving the federation billions in duplicative ICT spending.

“GBB remains steadfast in its mission to power Nigeria’s digital future by delivering world-class ICT infrastructure and enterprise solutions that support efficient governance,” Prof. Adeyanju concluded.

The inauguration ceremony, held at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) in Abuja, was presided over by Senator Dr. George Akume, who also serves as the Chairman of GBB’s Board.

This development marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of Galaxy Backbone’s governance and strategic outlook, underscoring the government’s commitment to building robust digital infrastructure capable of powering Nigeria’s role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

In his address, Senator Akume emphasized the strategic importance of Galaxy Backbone to the national digital landscape.

“Our collective objective is to transform Galaxy Backbone into a more agile, responsive, and impactful institution—one that serves as a driving force behind Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure and service delivery,” he said.

The Chairman further called for a culture of collaboration, transparency, and mutual accountability between the Board and Executive Management.

“This partnership must be built on shared vision, openness, and respect. Together, we will elevate GBB to new heights of technological excellence, commercial success, and strategic relevance,” he remarked.

During the ceremony, Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju, the managing director/CEO of Galaxy Backbone, extended a warm welcome to the new Board and presented a brief on the organization’s progress since his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on February 22, 2024.

Professor Adeyanju highlighted the efforts of the Executive Management team, which, despite operating without a governing board for over a year, successfully developed and launched the Integrated Digital Transformation Strategy (IDTS) 2025–2028.

This ambitious roadmap is designed to modernize Nigeria’s ICT infrastructure and foster a digitally empowered public service.

The Key pillars of the IDTS include; Modernizing Nigeria’s National ICT Backbone Infrastructure; Building inclusive digital ecosystems connecting government, business, and citizens; Leveraging emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain for smarter service delivery; Enhancing digital trust through cybersecurity and data governance; Diversifying GBB’s revenue base to ensure long-term sustainability.

The strategy aligns with the priorities of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy, and supports the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.

In further remarks to the board, Prof. Adeyanju states;

“Your presence marks a turning point in our journey. We are excited to work with a Board whose insight and guidance will be critical to our continued growth and national impact.”

Following the inauguration, the SGF and Board members undertook an official tour of GBB’s National Shared Services Centre (NSSC)—the organization’s ultra-modern corporate headquarters.

They visited the Uptime Certified Tier III Data Centre, Security Operations Centre, and Network Operations Centre, all of which are core components of Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure.

Impressed by the scale and sophistication of the facilities, Senator Akume commended Galaxy Backbone for its remarkable achievements and reiterated the government’s commitment to fully leveraging this infrastructure to drive Nigeria’s digital transformation.

The Newly Inaugurated Board Members comprises distinguished professionals and representatives from key national institutions:

• Senator Dr. George Akume (CON) – chairman & secretary to the Government of the Federation
• Professor Ibrahim  Adeyanju – Managing Director/CEO, Galaxy Backbone
• Hon. Olusegun Olulade – Executive Director, Customer Centricity & Marketing
• Mr. Olumbe Akinkugbe – Executive Director, Digital Exploration & Technical Services
• Mr. Mohammed Sani Ibrahim – Executive Director, Finance & Corporate Services
• Mrs. Rabi’ah Adamu-Waziri – Non-Executive Director (PTDF Representative)
• Mrs. Oluwakemi Babalogbon – Non-Executive Director (MOFI Representative)
• Mr. Abdulqadir Abubakar Maje – Non-Executive Director (Jigawa State Representative)
• Mrs. Margaret Ene Ebute – Non-Executive Director (Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation & Digital Economy)
• Mrs. Adama Pindar – Company Secretary, Galaxy Backbone

With the breadth of expertise and strategic leadership brought by this reconstitution, Galaxy Backbone is well-positioned to advance its mandate of providing secure, reliable, and inclusive digital services across Nigeria.