Professor Ibrahim Adeyanju: Stewarding Nigeria's national digital infrastructure

Bridging the gap between high-level academic research and national digital infrastructure, Professor Ibrahim Adepoju Adeyanju stands as a transformative leader in Nigeria’s technological landscape.

Since his appointment by President Bola Tinubu, he has steered Galaxy Backbone (GBB) Limited toward a future defined by digital sovereignty and infrastructure resilience. His journey began with a First Class degree in Computer Engineering from LAUTECH, followed by advanced postgraduate and doctoral studies in Computing at Robert Gordon University in the United Kingdom.

This academic prowess, further refined by an MIT-ETT fellowship, provided the technical foundation necessary to manage the complex digital backbone of Africa's most populous nation.

Under his guidance as Managing Director and CEO, Galaxy Backbone has evolved from a traditional service provider into a dynamic catalyst for the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy.

A primary pillar of his tenure is the Integrated Digital Transformation Strategy (IDTS) 2025–2028, a roadmap designed to ensure that government data remains secure and accessible. By championing the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative and expanding fiber connectivity across 28 states, he has ensured that Nigeria maintains control over its critical digital assets while simultaneously lowering the barriers to internet access for both public institutions and private enterprises.

Professor Adeyanju’s impact is perhaps most visible in the practical modernization of governance. He has overseen the migration of over 150,000 official government accounts to the secure GovMail platform and spearheaded Project 774, which aims to bring high-speed connectivity to every local government area in the country. His leadership also extends to the management of world-class Tier-III and Tier-IV data centers in Abuja and Kano, providing the robust hosting environment required for the digital age.

As the company approaches its 20th anniversary in June 2026, his focus remains steadfast on the Government as a Platform model, a vision that seeks to integrate all government services into a seamless, transparent ecosystem for every Nigerian citizen.