The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has called for stronger collaboration among government regulators to accelerate the establishment of Nigeria’s National Regulatory Sandbox.
Inuwa, who spoke through the National Coordinator, Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), Ms. Victoria Fabunmi, at the National Regulatory Sandbox Governance and Implementation Planning Workshop in Abuja, described inter-agency collaboration as critical to building an innovation-friendly regulatory ecosystem.
He said the success of the initiative would depend largely on regulators working collectively to develop a framework that promotes technological innovation while safeguarding regulatory integrity and public trust.
According to him, the workshop marked a significant transition from the design phase of the project to implementation, with participating regulators expected to jointly review, refine and validate the proposed governance structure ahead of its rollout.
He said ONDI had, over the past several months, laid the foundation for the initiative through extensive stakeholder consultations, ecosystem mapping, regulatory assessments and the development of a draft governance and implementation framework.
“The work completed so far provides a solid foundation, but the National Regulatory Sandbox can only achieve its objectives through collective ownership by all relevant regulatory institutions,” he said.
The NITDA director-general explained that the Technical Working Group was deliberately constituted as a collaborative platform to harness the expertise, experience and statutory mandates of participating agencies in developing a regulatory model suited to Nigeria’s evolving innovation landscape.
He said the workshop was designed to critically examine the proposed governance framework, test its underlying assumptions and incorporate practical recommendations from stakeholders to ensure that the final model was inclusive, effective and adaptable to the country’s rapidly evolving digital economy.
Inuwa noted that although government institutions have distinct regulatory responsibilities, the differences should be leveraged as strengths in developing a coordinated and flexible implementation framework capable of responding to emerging technologies.
He added that the engagement would establish clear implementation pathways, strengthen institutional partnerships and identify priority actions required to operationalise the National Regulatory Sandbox.
Expressing optimism about the outcome of the deliberations, Inuwa said the workshop would help create a shared national vision for the initiative while providing an enabling environment for innovators to safely develop, test and scale new technologies under appropriate regulatory supervision.
He commended the participants for their commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem, urging them to make meaningful contributions towards developing a practical and innovation-driven regulatory framework capable of supporting sustainable economic growth and enhancing the country’s global competitiveness.
Sandbox to Foster Regulator-Innovator Collaboration
Speaking on the progress of the National Regulatory Sandbox and its current workstream, the Implementing Partner, Druve, Ms. Ojonoka Yusufu, said the initiative would provide a coordinated framework through which innovators and regulators could collaborate in testing emerging technologies while ensuring compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
She said the workshop was convened to build a shared understanding among participating regulators and stakeholders, develop consensus on the Sandbox’s operating model, identify implementation gaps ahead of rollout and agree on the next steps required for its successful implementation.
“We do not have anything set in stone yet. The idea is to work together to build a common understanding and ensure that all participating regulators and stakeholders are aligned on the objectives and implementation of the National Regulatory Sandbox,” she said.
Yusufu stressed the importance of the initiative, noting that Nigeria’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector remains a significant contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while the nation’s startup ecosystem continues to attract substantial global investment.
She said Nigerian startups were creating jobs, attracting foreign capital and strengthening the country’s position as a leading innovation destination in Africa.
According to her, the expansion of startups beyond traditional sectors, particularly fintech, into healthcare, mobility, agriculture and other emerging industries has made stronger regulatory coordination increasingly important.
Yusufu added that the National Regulatory Sandbox was backed by the Nigeria Startup Act, which provides the legal foundation for promoting responsible innovation and improving the country’s regulatory environment.
She described the Sandbox as a collaborative, multi-agency innovation governance mechanism designed to complement, rather than replace, existing regulatory institutions.
She said its implementation would provide regulators and innovators with a structured environment to engage on emerging technologies, address regulatory uncertainties, and support responsible innovation without compromising existing statutory mandates.
