Google Partnership to Transform Nigeria’s Tech Landscape

The Nigerian government has announced a significant partnership with Google aimed at transforming Nigeria into a global technology hub. This collaboration is expected to harness the vast potential of the nation’s tech industry, fostering innovation and driving economic growth.

Mr Inuwa Kashifu, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), revealed this in a television interview on Thursday monitored in Lagos.

Kashifu noted that the partnership was focused on infrastructure development, scalability of citizens, AI innovation, cloud adoption, and an investment framework.

STATEHOUSE PRESS RELEASE @NGRPresident @asovilladigital

PRESIDENT TINUBU COMMENDS GOOGLE CEO SUNDAR PICHAI FOR ADVANCING AI AND DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION IN NIGERIA

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has commended Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai for the interest of the… pic.twitter.com/Q9gB3HG70A

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) February 12, 2025

According to him, the goal of the collaboration was to establish an ecosystem that would drive Nigeria’s digital revolution.

“The partnership, which was launched during a meeting between the President and the Google CEO in Paris, will lead to the development of a roadmap for Nigeria’s digital transformation.

“It will focus on five key areas: infrastructure development, scaling of citizens, AI innovation, cloud adoption, and investment framework, ’’ he said.

Kashifu also emphasised the significance of data centres in advancing the digital economy and the necessity for both the public and private sectors to house sensitive data.

According to him, no data centre in the world was dependent on the electrical grid.

“Data centres go off-grid; they go green because they also need carbon credit. We are looking at that as part of the framework,’’ he said.

According to the D-G, Nigerian workers must be upskilled in order to benefit from the partnership’s potential.

He asserts that the nation’s educational system, from elementary schools to universities, needs to incorporate digital capabilities.

Regarding the collaboration with Awari Technologies, Kashifu stated that it was not discussed with Google.

He said that it was a component of a “Special Purpose Vehicle” that sought to establish a comprehensive language model in Nigeria that would promote the development of both language and culture.

In Paris, President Bola Tinubu met with Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, to establish strategic alliances that would further the nation’s digital transformation.

NAN