Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unveiled the National Sovereignty Cloud Initiative (NSCI) Regulatory Instruments, marking a major milestone in Nigeria’s quest to strengthen digital sovereignty, protect critical national data and position the country as Africa’s leading cloud innovation hub.
The initiative, formally launched in Abuja, is a strategic Federal Government programme coordinated by NITDA to accelerate the adoption of secure and reliable cloud infrastructure while providing a robust regulatory framework for Nigeria’s fast-growing digital economy.
The NSCI comprises the National Computing Guideline, National Cloud Technical Guideline, National Digital Infrastructure Assurance Framework, and the National Cloud Investment Strategy, all designed to establish trusted standards for cloud governance, digital infrastructure and data protection.
Speaking at the unveiling, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, described the initiative as a defining step towards securing Nigeria’s digital future and strengthening the country’s technological independence.
According to him, the new regulatory instruments will provide the certainty, technical standards, and assurance mechanisms required to stimulate investment, promote innovation, and build a resilient cloud ecosystem capable of 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 must move beyond building infrastructure solely for domestic needs and position itself as the digital gateway for West and Central Africa.
“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 we can extend that leadership across the continent. Today’s event marks the first step in that direction,” he stated.
The NITDA Director-General commended members of the NSCI Technical Working Group and other stakeholders whose collaboration led to the successful development of the regulatory instruments, noting that coordinated action among regulators would be critical to the seamless implementation of the initiative.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Engr. Nadungu Gagare, described the launch as a clear demonstration of the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s digital assets and strengthening data sovereignty.
He explained that the initiative would ensure that sensitive government data remains within Nigeria’s jurisdiction and under local operational control, thereby guaranteeing regulatory compliance while creating opportunities for indigenous cloud providers and technology innovators.
“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 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 closely with Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to ensure full implementation of the initiative.
In a goodwill message, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Olayemi Cardoso, said the success of modern digital regulation depends on strong institutional collaboration.
Represented by the Director of the CBN’s Payment System Supervision Department, Dr. Rakiya Opemi Yusuf, Cardoso noted that the partnership between the apex bank and NITDA demonstrates how complementary regulatory roles can strengthen Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
He explained that while the CBN regulates the financial system, NITDA provides the national framework for digital infrastructure, cloud governance and assurance.
“Together, we are building an ecosystem that protects Nigeria’s financial system today and positions the country 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 coordinated implementation that will enhance confidence in Nigeria’s digital economy.
Also speaking, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone Limited, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, described the initiative as timely, particularly following the CBN’s directive requiring banks and financial institutions to localise their data within Nigeria.
He expressed optimism that the framework would encourage greater investment in local cloud infrastructure, stimulate indigenous innovation, develop local talent and create employment opportunities comparable to those generated by the liberalisation of Nigeria’s telecommunications sector.
As part of the implementation process, NITDA announced that it will constitute the Sovereign Cloud Governance Committee (SovGov) within the next two weeks.
The committee will comprise representatives from relevant government institutions, sector regulators, industry players and the private sector, with NITDA serving as its secretariat to oversee the implementation of the National Sovereignty Cloud Initiative.
The launch of the NSCI Regulatory Instruments reinforces Nigeria’s ambition to build a secure, resilient and globally competitive digital economy anchored on trusted cloud infrastructure, data sovereignty and strategic public-private collaboration.
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