NITDA unveils bold plan to make Nigeria Africa’s trusted cloud hub

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has signed key regulatory instruments under Nigeria’s National Sovereign Cloud Initiative (NSCI), marking a major milestone in the country’s drive to build a trusted cloud ecosystem, enhance digital sovereignty and strengthen critical digital infrastructure.

The agency signed three core regulatory documents—the National Cloud Computing Guideline, the National Cloud Technical Guideline, and the National Digital Infrastructure Assurance Framework (NDIAF)—while also unveiling the National Cloud Investment Strategy.

NITDA said the initiative provides a comprehensive national framework for cloud adoption, infrastructure assurance, digital sovereignty and investment, positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for cloud services, data centres, artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, sovereign computing and other strategic digital technologies.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi described cloud infrastructure as a critical national asset that underpins digital government, financial services, artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure, innovation and digital trade.

He said the initiative marks Nigeria’s transition from developing digital policies to implementing practical regulatory frameworks that provide certainty for investors, establish technical standards and strengthen governance across the country’s cloud ecosystem.

According to Abdullahi, the framework is designed to protect Nigeria’s digital sovereignty while creating opportunities for innovation, investment and sustainable economic growth.

He noted that the initiative would lay the foundation for a secure and trusted cloud environment capable of balancing national security priorities with economic development.

Implementation of the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative will commence immediately through a phased rollout, beginning with the establishment of a Sovereign Cloud Governance Committee to oversee implementation and provide strategic direction.

The agency also disclosed that by October 2026, it intends to operationalise a national digital regulatory platform that will oversee the onboarding, assessment, certification and regulation of cloud and digital infrastructure providers operating in Nigeria.

The initiative comes as NITDA intensifies efforts to improve trust, accountability and security within Nigeria’s rapidly expanding digital economy.

In recent months, the agency has repeatedly warned about growing cybersecurity threats facing government institutions and businesses.

In July, NITDA cautioned that fragmented cybersecurity systems across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) were creating vulnerabilities that could expose critical government infrastructure to sophisticated cyberattacks.