The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unveiled the regulatory instruments for the National Sovereignty Cloud Initiative (NSCI), marking a significant step towards strengthening Nigeria’s digital sovereignty, deepening local cloud infrastructure and accelerating the country’s digital economy.
The NSCI, a strategic federal government programme coordinated by NITDA, is designed to enhance Nigeria’s digital resilience by promoting the adoption of secure and reliable cloud infrastructure. The initiative comprises the National Computing Guideline, National Cloud Technical Guideline, National Digital Infrastructure Assurance Framework and the National Cloud Investment Strategy.
Speaking at the unveiling ceremony in Abuja, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, described the initiative as a strategic intervention aimed at safeguarding Nigeria’s digital future while creating a conducive environment for innovation and investment.
According to him, the newly launched regulatory instruments provide the policy certainty, technical standards and assurance framework required to build a trusted cloud ecosystem capable of protecting Nigeria’s digital sovereignty and supporting sustainable economic growth.
“These instruments provide the regulatory certainty, technical standards and assurance framework required to build a trusted cloud ecosystem that safeguards Nigeria’s digital sovereignty while creating new opportunities for investment, innovation and sustainable economic growth,” he said.
Inuwa stressed that Nigeria should leverage its position as West Africa’s digital gateway by developing robust digital infrastructure capable of serving not only the domestic market but also the wider West and Central African regions.
“We should position ourselves not to serve Nigeria alone, but to serve West and Central Africa. Nigeria is already the digital gateway to West Africa and can extend to every part of Africa. But we can only realise that goal when we build our infrastructure. Today’s event is the first step in that direction,” he added.
The NITDA boss commended members of the NSCI Technical Working Group and other stakeholders for their contributions to the successful development of the regulatory instruments, noting that sustained collaboration among regulatory agencies would be critical to the seamless implementation of the initiative.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Engr. Nadungu Gagare, said the launch of the NSCI reinforces the federal government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s data sovereignty and strengthening the country’s digital economy.
He explained that ensuring government data remains within Nigeria’s jurisdiction and under local operational control would enhance regulatory compliance, stimulate local cloud capacity, create jobs and encourage indigenous investment in digital infrastructure.
“By ensuring that government data remains strictly within national jurisdiction and under local operational control, we are guaranteeing data sovereignty and regulatory compliance. It will catalyse local cloud capacity, foster local job creation and empower indigenous investors and innovators to build solutions on a secure, locally hosted foundation,” Gagare said.
He also praised NITDA, the NSCI Technical Working Group and other stakeholders for their collaborative efforts, assuring that the ministry would work to ensure the initiative’s strategic objectives are fully implemented across ministries, departments and agencies.
In a goodwill message, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Olayemi Cardoso, underscored the importance of regulatory collaboration in building a secure and globally competitive digital ecosystem.
Represented by the Director of the Payment System Supervision Department, Dr. Rakiya Opemi Yusuf, Cardoso said the partnership between the apex bank and NITDA demonstrates how coordinated regulation can strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and financial ecosystem.
He noted that while the CBN regulates the financial services ecosystem, NITDA provides the national framework for digital infrastructure, cloud governance and assurance, describing the two mandates as complementary rather than competing.
“Together with NITDA, and with the continued cooperation of industry, we will continue to build an ecosystem that protects Nigeria’s financial system today and positions our nation as Africa’s trusted hub for digital finance and cloud innovation,” he said.
Cardoso reaffirmed the CBN’s commitment to transparent regulation, constructive stakeholder engagement and proportionate implementation of policies aimed at positioning Nigeria as a leading destination for digital finance and cloud innovation on the continent.
Also speaking, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, described the initiative as timely, particularly in view of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s recent directive requiring banks and other financial institutions to localise their data.
According to him, the NSCI would stimulate greater investment in indigenous cloud infrastructure, accelerate local capacity development, create employment opportunities and deliver transformational benefits comparable to those witnessed following the liberalisation of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
As part of the implementation roadmap, NITDA announced that it will constitute the Sovereign Cloud Governance Committee (SovGov) within the next two weeks. The committee, comprising representatives of relevant government institutions, sector regulators, industry and the private sector, will oversee the implementation of the NSCI, with NITDA serving as its secretariat.
