By Nkechi Eze
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, has highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to expanding digital infrastructure and accelerating technology-driven economic growth during the Datacloud Global Congress 2026 in Cannes, France.
At the closing keynote panel session themed, “The Role of Digital Infrastructure in National Economies,” Inuwa joined global industry leaders and policymakers to examine how digital infrastructure is shaping economic competitiveness, artificial intelligence development, digital sovereignty, workforce transformation, and national growth.
The session, moderated by IDCA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mehdi Paryavi, featured prominent speakers including Ali Amur Al Shidhani, Undersecretary for Communications and Information Technology at Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, Buddy Rizer, Chief Development Officer at IDCA, and the NITDA Director General.
According to a statement from NITDA, Inuwa described digital infrastructure as a critical foundation for innovation, economic development, and national competitiveness. He outlined ongoing efforts by the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to diversify Nigeria’s economy through digitalisation, strategic technology investments, and the expansion of critical digital infrastructure.
Speaking on the country’s policy direction, the NITDA boss emphasized the importance of the National Cloud Policy, which encourages cloud adoption across government institutions while promoting the hosting of government data within Nigeria. He noted that the policy is designed to strengthen digital sovereignty, improve public service delivery, stimulate the domestic cloud ecosystem, and enhance trust in digital platforms.
Inuwa further disclosed that a Technical Working Group comprising industry stakeholders, ecosystem players, and hyperscale cloud providers has been established to drive Nigeria’s sovereign cloud agenda. The group is expected to develop technical standards, strengthen governance frameworks, and attract investments needed to accelerate the deployment of trusted cloud infrastructure across the country.
The Director General stressed the need for sustained investments in data centres, broadband connectivity, cloud infrastructure, and emerging technologies to unlock the full potential of Nigeria’s digital economy. He identified broadband expansion, artificial intelligence development, and effective policy implementation as key drivers of innovation, scalable digital services, and long-term economic transformation.
Highlighting Nigeria’s attractiveness as a digital investment destination, Inuwa pointed to the country’s large youthful population, vibrant innovation ecosystem, expanding digital talent pool, entrepreneurial culture, and ongoing reforms aimed at creating a conducive environment for technology and infrastructure investments.
He reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to building strategic partnerships and mobilising investments that will accelerate the growth of cloud infrastructure, data centres, artificial intelligence, connectivity, and digital public infrastructure, positioning the country as a leading digital economy in Africa and a competitive player on the global stage.
The Datacloud Global Congress brings together policymakers, investors, hyperscalers, cloud service providers, data centre operators, and digital infrastructure experts from across the world to discuss emerging trends and shape the future of global digital infrastructure development and investment.
