The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is doubling down on its commitment to drive Nigeria’s digital growth by fostering a thriving innovation ecosystem. NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, outlined the agency’s strategic vision at the Africa Hyperscalers Digital Infrastructure Outlook 2025, emphasizing a balanced approach that combines effective regulation with industry-led innovation.
Inuwa’s remarks highlighted NITDA’s focus on investing in key areas such as cloud infrastructure, data classification, and the strategic application of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He emphasized that these initiatives are crucial for realizing the Presidential 8-point agenda, which spans across all sectors of the Nigerian economy.
The Africa Hyperscalers Digital Infrastructure Outlook 2025 served as a platform for industry experts to delve into Africa’s burgeoning role in the global AI-driven infrastructure revolution. Inuwa provided insights into NITDA’s regulatory framework, explaining the agency’s two-pronged approach.
He described the balance between rule-based regulation, which establishes clear guidelines for industry compliance, and non-rule-based regulation, which fosters industry-led innovation while maintaining established benchmarks. Inuwa stressed the importance of data-driven decision-making and agility in regulation, recognizing the rapidly evolving nature of technology.
A cornerstone of NITDA’s strategy is the “Cloud First” policy, introduced in 2019 to reduce reliance on physical data centers.
This policy encourages government agencies and private businesses to embrace cloud computing, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), and other digital solutions. While initially allowing waivers for businesses to utilize public cloud infrastructure, NITDA is now actively promoting the growth and capabilities of local data centers. Inuwa highlighted a significant achievement: NITDA’s successful collaboration with global hyperscaler providers, including Google Cloud, which has pledged to partner with local data centers to accelerate cloud adoption and establish a hyperscaler data center in Nigeria.
Inuwa emphasized the importance of this collaboration, noting that Google CEO Sundar Pichai met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Paris, where the President articulated his transformative vision for Nigeria. President Tinubu believes that technology is a key enabler for achieving his 8-point agenda, encompassing economic diversification, national security, food security, and infrastructure development, including digital infrastructure, with a particular focus on education and healthcare.
To further stimulate cloud adoption and investment, NITDA is finalizing a data classification framework that will mandate the categorization of data, ensuring that specific types of data remain within Nigeria. This initiative is expected to attract more cloud service providers and bolster the nation’s digital sovereignty.
While acknowledging the hype surrounding Large Language Models (LLMs), Inuwa stressed that Africa’s focus should be on practical AI applications. He revealed that NITDA is prioritizing the use of AI to enhance governance, regulation, and service delivery.
The agency has identified three key areas where AI can revolutionize governance and business operations: automating processes, improving regulatory efficiency, and developing robust knowledge management systems. Inuwa asserted that the true power of AI lies in its application, not in building LLMs. He advocated for deploying AI in sectors like healthcare, agriculture, and financial services, where it can deliver immediate and tangible impact.
Dr. Nadu Denloye, Co-founder of Telnet Nigeria Limited, echoed this sentiment in her opening remarks, stating that Africa is on the cusp of a remarkable digital transformation. She highlighted the driving forces behind this transformation, including advancements in connectivity, cloud adoption, data centers, AI, and a growing digital-native population. Denloye expressed confidence that the event would generate crucial insights and actionable strategies to propel Africa’s digital growth. She emphasized the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to overcome challenges and unlock the vast opportunities that lie ahead.
The event featured a diverse panel of experts, including Dr. Ayaotunde Coker, CEO of Open Access Data Centres and Chairman of the Africa Data Centres Association; Johnson AgboGbua, CEO of Kasi Cloud; Obinna Isiadinso, Data Centres Global Sector Lead at the International Finance Corporation; Kazeem Oladepo, Chief Operating Officer of IHS; and Abibat Kazeem, Commercial Director of Bayobab. Their collective expertise contributed to a rich discussion on the strategies and partnerships needed to drive Africa’s digital transformation.