The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is urging Nigerian public institutions to prioritise homegrown digital solutions and adopt a “Nigeria First” approach in technology procurement.
NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi said modernising public procurement should extend beyond administrative processes, describing it as a mechanism for building resilient public institutions, enforcing rigorous technology standards and supporting a competitive national digital economy.
Speaking at the 66th Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Port Harcourt, Inuwa highlighted the scale of government technology procurement currently undergoing regulatory review.
Between July 2023 and July 2026, NITDA reviewed 1,092 information technology project proposals submitted by 326 ministries, departments and agencies. The proposals had a combined value of more than ₦4.24 trillion, with 1,056 projects worth ₦3.84 trillion subsequently cleared by the agency.
NITDA is also strengthening its IT Project Clearance Framework and advancing software assurance protocols to ensure government technology projects comply with required standards and deliver measurable outcomes.
According to the agency, applying a “Nigeria First” approach to public procurement could create significant market opportunities for indigenous technology companies and professionals while ensuring government spending generates greater national value.
The initiative reflects a broader focus on using public-sector technology procurement not simply to acquire more digital tools, but to support appropriate technology adoption, local expertise, stronger standards and sustainable digital development.
