Nigeria is taking another step toward strengthening its digital governance framework, with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) inaugurating a Multistakeholder Coordination Group to drive collaboration across the country’s digital ecosystem.
At the launch held in Abuja, NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, said Nigeria’s growing recognition on the global stage for digital governance is encouraging but also comes with higher expectations.
According to him, international acknowledgment should not lead to complacency. Instead, it should push the country to raise its standards even further. He stressed that sustaining progress will require deliberate effort and consistency.
Nigeria’s progress in digital transformation, he explained, is rooted in key policy and regulatory frameworks such as the National E-Governance and Digital Economy Bill and the Nigeria Data Protection Act, alongside initiatives like the Interoperability Framework and the Nigerian Government Enterprise Architecture.
While these have laid a solid foundation, Inuwa noted that stronger coordination and broader stakeholder involvement are now essential hence the creation of the new group.
Beyond policy, he highlighted the importance of inclusivity in the country’s digital journey.
He urged stakeholders to ensure that vulnerable groups including persons with disabilities, children, the elderly, and underserved communities are not excluded. Expanding internet access and improving digital literacy, he said, will be key to achieving this goal.
Inuwa also pointed to NITDA’s recent regulatory efforts, revealing that the agency reviewed IT projects worth over ₦1.5 trillion across federal Ministries, Departments, and Agencies within the past year.
This intervention, he said, helped the government save more than ₦319 billion.
However, he acknowledged ongoing challenges. More than half of government IT projects over 56 percent have historically fallen short of expectations, largely due to weak planning and insufficient technical oversight.
To tackle this, NITDA is tightening its guidelines, with a focus on better system design, professional certification, and stronger quality assurance processes.
He further stressed that reforms must be institutional rather than personality-driven, warning that progress should not depend on individuals.
The initiative, he added, aligns with the broader digital transformation agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and reinforces the need for accountability in governance.
“We need stakeholders to hold us accountable for what we promise to deliver,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Gloria Ahmed, National Coordinator of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in Nigeria, praised the initiative as a timely move to strengthen cooperation across sectors.
She noted that the effort reflects core OGP principles transparency, accountability, and citizen engagement adding that technology plays a crucial role in building public trust.
Ahmed also referenced Nigeria’s recognition at the 2025 OGP Global Summit in Spain, describing it as evidence of the country’s progress, while urging stakeholders to sustain the momentum.
Looking ahead, she highlighted the Fourth National Action Plan, which includes commitments to deepen digital governance and develop a national Digital Public Infrastructure.
A key component of this is the Nigeria Data Exchange Platform, designed to improve coordination and enhance public service delivery.
She emphasis that the success of these initiatives will depend heavily on collaboration among government institutions, civil society organisations, and the private sector.
With the inauguration of the Multistakeholder Coordination Group, Nigeria is positioning itself to strengthen partnerships, improve coordination, and push forward a more transparent, inclusive, and digitally driven system of governance.
