NITDA reaffirms commitment to Nigeria’s ecosystem with AI
By Blessing Emmanuel
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment in advancing Nigeria’s digital ecosystem through innovative regulatory frameworks, cloud adoption, and artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
The agency aims to position Nigeria as a leading digital hub in Africa by fostering an environment that balances regulation with industry growth.
The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, made this known while speaking as a panelist at the Africa Hyperscalers Digital Infrastructure Outlook 2025, an event that brought together industry experts to discuss Africa’s evolving role in the global AI-driven infrastructure revolution.
In his remarks, Inuwa provided insights into NITDA’s two-pronged regulatory strategy, which ensures adaptability in an ever-evolving technological landscape.
He explained that the approach consists of rule-based regulation, which enforces strict compliance guidelines for the industry, and non-rule-based regulation, which encourages industry-led innovation while adhering to established benchmarks.
“Before we regulate anything, we need to be aware of the landscape. We need intelligence, data-driven insights, and a dynamic regulatory framework that aligns with fast-evolving technology,” Inuwa stated.
A key initiative under NITDA’s digital strategy is the Cloud First Policy, introduced in 2019 to reduce reliance on physical data centers and promote cloud computing adoption among public and private organizations. While businesses were initially encouraged to use public cloud services, NITDA has since advocated for local data centers to strengthen national digital capacity.
One significant milestone in this direction is NITDA’s collaboration with Google Cloud, which has pledged to partner with local data centers to boost cloud adoption and establish a hyperscaler data center in Nigeria.
Recounting a high-level engagement between Google CEO Sundar Pichai and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Paris, Inuwa emphasised the administration’s vision to leverage technology in actualising the Presidential 8-Point Agenda, which covers economic diversification, security, food security, digital infrastructure, education, and healthcare.
He added that NITDA is finalising a data classification framework that will mandate certain categories of data to remain within Nigeria. This move is expected to attract more cloud service providers and strengthen Nigeria’s digital sovereignty.
Inuwa highlighted NITDA’s emphasis on AI applications rather than the development of Large Language Models (LLMs). According to him, the agency is prioritising AI to enhance governance, regulatory efficiency, and service delivery.
He outlined key areas where AI is set to revolutionize governance and business operations, including the automation of processes to improve service delivery, enhanced regulatory efficiency through AI-driven compliance monitoring, and knowledge management systems to streamline decision-making.
“The real power of AI lies in its application. We should focus on deploying AI in healthcare, agriculture, and financial services, where it can make an immediate impact,” he asserted.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Nadu Denloye, Co-founder of Telnet Nigeria Limited, emphasised that Africa is undergoing a remarkable digital transformation driven by advancements in connectivity, cloud adoption, data centers, AI, and a tech-savvy population.
Describing the event as a platform for solutions, she expressed confidence that actionable strategies would emerge to propel Africa’s digital future.
“Africa’s digital revolution is unfolding at an unprecedented pace. By leveraging our collective expertise and fostering collaboration, we can overcome obstacles and unlock immense opportunities,” she stated.
Other key panelists at the event included Dr. Ayotunde Coker, CEO, Open Access Data Centres & Chairman, Africa Data Centres Association; Johnson AgboGbua, CEO, Kasi Cloud; Mr. Obinna Isiadinso, Data Centres Global Sector Lead, International Finance Corporation; Kazeem Oladepo, Chief Operating Officer, IHS; and Mrs. Abibat Kazeem, Commercial Director, Bayobab.
The event underscored the vital role of AI, cloud computing, and digital infrastructure in shaping Africa’s future. With NITDA’s commitment to fostering a balanced regulatory environment, Nigeria is poised to emerge as a key player in Africa’s digital transformation
