By Martin Ekpeke
The Nigerian government has boldly declared its intention to lead the future of electronic governance (e-governance), committing to drive Africa’s digital transformation through focused research, innovation and collaborative governance. This declaration was made by Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, and Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), at the 18th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) 2025 in Abuja.
This commitment aligns directly with the Nigerian President’s priority areas, which include reforming the economy, enhancing infrastructure, improving governance for effective service delivery, and accelerating economic diversification through digitalisation and innovation. By hosting the prestigious ICEGOV 2025, themed “Shaping the Future of Digital Governance through Cooperation, Innovation, and Inclusion,” Nigeria reaffirmed its strategy to champion Africa’s digital progress. ICEGOV, established in 2007, serves as an annual global forum bringing together government, academia, civil society, and industry to tackle complex issues in e-governance, social inclusion, and sustainable development.
The Call for Responsible AI Development
The conference was co-chaired by Professor Tschilidzi Marwala, Rector of the United Nations University and Under-Secretary-General of the UN. In his presentation, Prof. Marwala stressed the critical need for the responsible and inclusive development of Artificial Intelligence (AI). He warned that while AI is rapidly transforming life, its design and governance must prioritize equality and ethics, ensuring it works for all people, especially those in Africa. He stated that AI will remain suboptimal until it equally benefits everyone.
Balancing Transparency and Accountability in AI
Prof. Marwala highlighted the “balancing act” necessary in managing AI. This includes finding equilibrium between transparency and security, opportunity and risk, and innovation and accountability. He noted that while transparency is key to fairness, excessive openness can compromise data security. He also emphasized the urgent need to democratize AI, giving citizens not only access to the technology but also collective power in deciding how it should be utilized, which is essential for addressing negative externalities like job losses.
Guiding Innovation with Ethics and Research
Minister Tijani’s keynote address focused on the necessary balance between innovation, research, and regulation, asserting that digital technologies must ultimately serve the public good. He introduced the “Source Balance Ratio,” a conceptual model that explains how ideas from various stakeholders—government, academia, civil society, and the private sector—shape public policy. He cautioned that policies driven solely by profit or short-term politics lead to reactive regulations, rather than guidance, and stressed that policymaking must be guided by research and ethics.
Leveraging Research for Economic Growth
Dr. Tijani highlighted the strong correlation between research and economic growth, urging developing nations to solidify ties between academia and government to ensure evidence-based policymaking. He commended ICEGOV as a global platform that aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda by supporting collaboration, knowledge exchange, and ethical digital governance. He concluded that the responsibility of leaders is to ensure that digital innovation is guided by ethics, inclusivity, and the public interest.
Nigeria’s Digital Governance Milestones
Echoing the Minister, NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa described ICEGOV 2025 as a pivotal milestone inspired by Dr. Tijani’s push to heavily invest in deep research and deep tech to build a robust and sustainable digital economy. Inuwa noted that the conference theme perfectly aligns with the Ministry’s strategic plan, which is anchored on five pillars: Knowledge, Policy, Infrastructure, Trade, and Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Capital.
Nationwide Digital Capacity Building
Under these pillars, Inuwa outlined Nigeria’s significant progress in digital transformation. Initiatives include the National Digital Literacy Framework, a collaboration to integrate digital literacy into school curricula, and a partnership to train all public servants, with over 24,000 already enrolled. Crucially, the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative is underway to equip Nigerians with high-demand digital skills, alongside nationwide campaigns extending training to market traders, transport workers, and senior citizens.
Building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI)
The DG emphasized that digital transformation is primarily about improving citizen service by meeting them online, which requires building trust and efficiency. He highlighted ongoing work on the country’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), including a national data exchange platform and a dedicated Centre of Excellence for DPI. These developments are designed to strengthen Nigeria’s digital governance architecture and ensure the nation achieves Africa’s digital self-determination.
Strategic Importance of ICEGOV 2025
Other notable dignitaries, including the Minister of State for Education and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, voiced strong support for ICEGOV 2025, commending Nigeria’s visionary leadership. Their remarks underscored the conference’s strategic significance as a catalyst for global dialogue on digital policy and ethical technology. They collectively stressed that the sustained success of Nigeria’s digital economic transformation requires continued multilateral collaboration, capacity-building, and resilient Digital Public Infrastructures that foster interoperability, transparency, and trust.