The National Information Technology Development Agency and the International Data Center Authority have signed a strategic partnership aimed at driving a large-scale national digital infrastructure programme designed to position Nigeria as a leading digital economy.
Announced in Abuja on May 12, 2026, the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s Sovereign Cloud agenda and seeks to establish an execution-driven framework that combines infrastructure deployment, regulatory standards and workforce development to accelerate digital transformation and long-term economic growth.
At the core of the programme is the proposed “Nigeria Digital Triangle (NDT),” a network of hyperscale, AI-enabled data centre clusters expected to support cloud services, enterprise workloads and broader digital economy operations across the country.
According to the partners, the initiative is built around four key pillars, including a national digital economy masterplan, hyperscale digital infrastructure development, globally aligned digital standards and a structured talent development framework.
Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, described the partnership as a major step in advancing Nigeria’s digital economy and data sovereignty goals.
“This initiative represents a defining moment in Nigeria’s economic transformation,” Inuwa said, adding that the programme would strengthen digital infrastructure, talent development, artificial intelligence adoption and entrepreneurship.
Chairman of IDCA, Mehdi Paryavi, said the initiative goes beyond infrastructure development and is intended to create long-term economic value by integrating investment, digital standards and workforce capacity.
Chief Research Officer at IDCA, Roger Strukhoff, noted that the programme positions Nigeria to emerge as a regional digital powerhouse through a structured and investment-ready strategy.
Also commenting, Solomon Edun said the initiative is designed to convert policy vision into measurable outcomes through infrastructure rollout, investment attraction and skills development.
Acting Director of Regulations and Compliance, Emmanuel Edet, emphasised the importance of nationally endorsed digital standards in ensuring data security, regulatory consistency and long-term sustainability.
The programme is expected to be implemented over a three-year period through collaboration involving government institutions, private sector stakeholders and international partners.
The partnership forms part of broader efforts by Nigeria to use digital infrastructure development as a tool for economic diversification, innovation and deeper integration into the global digital economy.
