The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi has called for a unified regulatory front across Africa to eliminate red tape, streamline licensing, and attract long-term digital infrastructure investment.
Speaking at the ITW Data Cloud Africa 2026 event in Nairobi, Inuwa emphasized that investors need governments to operate as a single, cohesive interface rather than a web of fragmented institutions.
To tackle the friction caused by overlapping mandates, the DG disclosed that NITDA is championing a horizontal regulatory framework, broad standards that sector-specific watchdogs can build upon to accelerate approvals and provide predictable market timelines.
Highlighting Nigeria’s National Sovereign Cloud Initiative as a prime example, Inuwa noted how regulatory alignment allows agencies like the Central Bank of Nigeria to issue compliance guidelines without forcing businesses to secure redundant multi-agency approvals.
He also stressed the importance of cross-border data interoperability and security to facilitate seamless regional data exchange.
Addressing concerns that regulatory bodies view tech firms primarily as revenue sources, Inuwa affirmed that NITDA operates under a Regulatory Intelligence Framework designed to enable business growth rather than extract funds.
He highlighted that by refusing to charge for its regulations, the agency remains focused on creating markets, building local capacity, and fostering a business-friendly environment across the continent.