The Nigerian Government has inaugurated the Joint Technical Committee of the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative (JTC-NSCI) in Abuja.
This marks a significant milestone in securing the nation’s digital sovereignty and optimising government expenditure on computing infrastructure.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting in Abuja, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abudullahi, said the initiative followed growing interest generated by the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative regulatory framework.
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He said recent measures by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had encouraged financial institutions to repatriate critical data.
Kashifu stressed that Nigeria could not afford to depend entirely on foreign providers for critical digital infrastructure.
He noted that cloud computing, connectivity and computing power were foundational to the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Protecting National Data
According to him, sovereign cloud infrastructure would help Nigeria build domestic capacity while protecting strategic national data and reducing dependence on foreign technology providers.
“As a nation, we should have a digital future. We should have control over our data. We should have control over our algorithms, AI, and our transactions,” he stated.
Kashifu explained that the committee’s mandate extends beyond technology to fiscal planning, budgeting, procurement, infrastructure utilisation and investment. He said the government would introduce standards, licensing and a marketplace for certified infrastructure and cloud service providers.
He said that the initiative would support a “cloud-first” policy for government agencies, allowing Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to leverage existing data centres and cloud infrastructure rather than repeatedly investing in standalone server rooms and data centres.
The NITDA DG also disclosed that government submissions for clear information technology projects between 2023 and 2026 were valued at over N4.2 trillion, while projects worth about N3.89 trillion had been identified, with more than N400 billion reportedly saved through the review process.
He argued that aggregating government demand and migrating appropriate services to cloud platforms could further reduce duplication and operational costs while improving service delivery.
Chairman of the committee and Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu, said the initiative was tied to state capacity and how Nigeria could govern, secure, finance and sustainably develop the digital infrastructure supporting government and the wider economy.
Yakubu said the committee must establish a credible understanding of existing infrastructure and demand, identify opportunities for optimisation and investment, examine financing and procurement options, and address cross-cutting implementation challenges.
“As government’s reliance on digital infrastructure grows, so does expenditure on computing, storage, software, connectivity, cyber security, backup, and business continuity. Our challenge is to ensure that these investments are properly planned, appropriately prioritised, fiscally sustainable, and capable of delivering greater value from public resources.”
The National Sovereign Cloud Initiative should therefore help us to improve efficiency and resilience, reduce available duplication, optimise existing capacity, and make better-informed investment decisions.”
In his remarks, the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), Dr Adebowale Adedokun, pledged the bureau’s support, describing the initiative as consistent with the Federal Government’s drive for value for money and efficient use of scarce resources.
Adedokun said, “Sovereign cloud infrastructure would enhance national digital security, promote technological development and create opportunities for Nigerian-owned companies and other investors.”
He noted that BPP would work with relevant institutions to harmonise procurement processes and support the development of a transparent and competitive domestic cloud industry.
The committee comprises stakeholders from technology, public finance, procurement, regulation and other relevant sectors to develop practical recommendations for implementing the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative.
