By Oluwole Alao
In a decisive move to accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has convened key stakeholders across the public and private sectors to co-create the development of the Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and the Technical Standard for Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) frameworks in providing inclusive access to digital services across the country.
This initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda priority areas of fostering inclusive growth, improving governance for effective service delivery, and ensuring no community is left behind in the nation’s digital economy.
The high-level stakeholders’ engagement, themed “Advancing Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure through Standards, Data Exchange, and e-Government Transformation,” was held at the NCC Complex in Mbora, Abuja, with the participation of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and other key players in the digital ecosystem.
The objective of the engagement is to assess the readiness of states to effectively utilise the DPI approach in delivering public services and to develop a roadmap outlining a plan for the entire citizenry to adopt and scale DPI as a pathway for inclusive digital transformation.
It is worth recalling that earlier in the year, at the inaugural meeting of the National Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Co-ordination Committee, the DG NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to driving digital identity and data integration as critical enablers of national planning and inclusive governance.
He emphasised the urgent need for harmonised data systems across government institutions to enable real-time insights, smart planning, and responsive governance to meet citizen needs.
The stakeholders’ and Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) session further buttressed this vision by bringing together key actors in both the public and private sectors to co-create solutions around DPI and the NGDX.
The forum served as a strategic platform to align national and sub-national priorities, foster collaboration, and design inclusive frameworks that will accelerate digital adoption in unserved and underserved areas across the country.
In his remark, Inuwa, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Corporate Planning and Strategy department, Dr Dimie Wariowei, underscored the agency’s commitment to building an inclusive digital economy that leaves no Nigerian behind.
He explained that DPI and NGDX are critical enablers of the country’s digital transformation agenda, which provides the foundation for secure, interoperable, and citizen-centred digital services.
“This is part of our rule-making process, where we ensure that the voices of everyone who is going to be affected by our regulations and policies get involved in the process,” he averred.
The DG noted that the co-creation approach will ensure inclusivity and sustainability, as private sector players bring innovation and efficiency while government institutions guarantee policy alignment and regulatory oversight.
While noting that the co-creation is crucial to extending infrastructure and services to rural and hard-to-reach communities, Inuwa concluded that “I want us to put in our best so that we can eventually own this document together, and during implementation, we can seamlessly put it to use because we have all been part of its developmental process.”
Industry experts and civil society representatives, which include the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NCC), Galaxy Backbone (GBB), National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT), Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST), the NGF, players from the private sector, and others, all commended NITDA for adopting a collaborative framework, noting that multi-stakeholder engagement is vital for building trust and scaling digital solutions across the country.
