The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has narrated how the just concluded 18th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2025) will position Nigeria for research excellence and global collaboration.
NITDA hailed the successful conclusion of ICEGOV 2025 as a landmark moment for Nigeria’s digital economy aspirations, citing its direct contribution to research excellence, global collaboration, and the nation’s ongoing digital transformation agenda.
Hosted in Abuja under the patronage of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the four-day event—an initiative of the United Nations University (UNU-EGOV)—convened global experts to shape the future of electronic governance. This convergence, NITDA noted, aligns closely with the President’s priority of accelerating economic diversification through industrialisation and digitisation.
This year’s edition placed Nigeria at the centre of global digital discourse, showcasing the country’s rising intellectual and technological capacity.
The conference received 151 scientific papers from 308 authors across 33 countries, with emerging economies accounting for 68% of participating scholars. Crucially, Nigeria led global submissions with 102 authors, followed by Brazil, India, Portugal, and Greece. NITDA emphasized that this strong participation reflects the Agency’s decade-long investment in digital talent development, research funding, and ecosystem strengthening.
This investment translated into local recognition when Robert Ifeonu of the Central Bank of Nigeria earned the top award in the Research category. His winning paper, “Micro-Transformation Framework for Public Sector Innovation,” underscores Nigeria’s emerging leadership in developing home-grown digital governance models capable of driving socio-economic impact.
Professor Delfina Soares, Director of UNU-EGOV, acknowledged the pivotal role of NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, for his strategic leadership in bringing ICEGOV to Abuja, noting that the local partnerships significantly enhanced the conference’s global value.
NITDA affirmed that hosting ICEGOV 2025 delivered multiple layers of value, from boosting Nigeria’s reputation as a digital innovation hub to fostering partnerships that will stimulate new investments and capacity-building programmes. The Agency believes the knowledge exchange will further accelerate its digital transformation agenda, strengthen public sector efficiency, and support the Federal Government’s commitment to economic diversification.
As delegates departed Abuja with new research linkages and strategic commitments, NITDA reaffirmed its readiness to sustain the momentum, ensuring that Nigeria not only participates in global digital governance conversations but also shapes them.