Nigeria Advances Digital Sovereignty Through National Sovereign Cloud Initiative
Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is strengthening its collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to advance digital sovereignty through the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative and data localisation.
The initiative aims to strengthen the security, resilience and control of Nigeria’s critical digital infrastructure, according to NITDA.
Speaking at an Executive Regulatory Dialogue held at Ibis Hotel in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos State, NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi highlighted the need to build national capacity to protect critical digital infrastructure, manage technological and geopolitical risks, and maintain the uninterrupted delivery of essential services.
Through its partnership with the CBN, NITDA is working to position the financial sector at the forefront of the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative. The collaboration will draw on Nigeria’s technology ecosystem and encourage cooperation among financial institutions, data centre operators, telecommunications companies and technology providers.
The agency is also promoting an assurance framework based on recognised international certifications while exploring national certification options. These measures are intended to help ensure that cloud infrastructure deployed in Nigeria meets the country’s sovereign architecture requirements.
NITDA said digital sovereignty involves more than infrastructure ownership. Its approach also focuses on strengthening national resilience, encouraging local innovation, reducing external dependencies and giving Nigerian institutions greater flexibility when choosing technologies and service providers.
The agency added that collaboration, standards development and the responsible deployment of digital technologies remain central to building a secure and resilient digital ecosystem that protects Nigeria’s strategic interests and supports economic growth.
