NITDA Unveils Sovereign Cloud Initiative, New Regulatory Framework
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has commenced the implementation of the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative (NSCI), unveiling a new regulatory framework aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital sovereignty, attracting cloud infrastructure investments and positioning the country as a preferred hub for trusted digital infrastructure in Africa.
The milestone was marked by the formal signing of three regulatory instruments by the NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, alongside the unveiling of the National Cloud Investment Strategy at a ceremony attended by senior government officials, regulators, industry leaders, development partners and technology stakeholders.
The regulatory instruments include the National Cloud Computing Guideline, National Cloud Technical Guideline and National Digital Infrastructure Assurance Framework (NDIAF), designed to provide regulatory certainty, technical standards and assurance mechanisms for Nigeria’s growing cloud ecosystem.
NITDA also unveiled the National Cloud Investment Strategy, which outlines the country’s roadmap for attracting sustainable investments in cloud infrastructure, data centres, sovereign computing, artificial intelligence infrastructure and other critical digital assets.
Speaking at the event, Abdullahi described cloud infrastructure as a strategic national asset that supports digital government, financial services, artificial intelligence, digital trade, innovation and economic resilience.
“Today’s signing marks our transition from policy development to implementation. These instruments provide the regulatory certainty, technical standards, and assurance framework required to build a trusted cloud ecosystem that safeguards Nigeria’s digital sovereignty while creating new opportunities for investment, innovation and sustainable economic growth,” he said.
According to the NITDA Director-General, the signing concludes the policy development phase of the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative and ushers in a phased implementation programme to be executed in collaboration with government institutions, sector regulators, academia, industry, development partners and the private sector.
He said the initiative builds on the Federal Government’s Cloud First Policy and followed extensive consultations involving government agencies, indigenous cloud providers, global hyperscale cloud companies, data centre operators and development partners.
As part of the implementation roadmap, Abdullahi said NITDA would constitute the Sovereign Cloud Governance Committee (SovGov) within two weeks to provide strategic oversight for the initiative.
The committee will comprise representatives from relevant government institutions, regulators and the private sector, while NITDA will serve as its secretariat.
He also announced plans to operationalise a national digital regulatory platform before October 2026. The platform will serve as a central portal for cloud service provider registration, onboarding, technical assessment, certification, publication of certified providers, certification verification and other regulatory services.
Following the launch of the platform, NITDA will commence the registration, technical assessment and certification of Cloud Service Providers, Data Centre Operators, Managed Service Providers, AI Infrastructure Providers, Sovereign Compute Providers and other eligible digital infrastructure operators under the National Digital Infrastructure Assurance Framework.
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The certification programme, expected to begin in October, will facilitate compliance with cloud localisation requirements and operational resilience standards, including those introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
It will also provide government institutions and regulated sectors with a trusted register of certified digital infrastructure providers.
Representing the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, the Director of the Payment System Supervision Department, Dr Rakiya Opemi Yusuf, described the initiative as a defining moment in Nigeria’s digital transformation and financial system resilience.
She said financial stability had evolved beyond traditional banking metrics to include the reliability of digital infrastructure such as cloud platforms, data centres, cybersecurity architecture and identity systems.
“Financial stability now depends equally on digital stability. Every mobile payment, POS transaction, ATM withdrawal, electronic transfer and fintech service ultimately depends on the reliability of digital infrastructure,” Yusuf said.
She explained that the CBN’s Data Localisation Circular, issued on June 25, 2026, was designed to strengthen the resilience of Nigeria’s financial system by ensuring that financial data remains protected under Nigerian jurisdiction, rather than creating barriers to innovation.
According to her, NITDA’s assurance framework complements the CBN’s prudential regulations by establishing standards through which digital infrastructure providers can demonstrate resilience, operational readiness and security.
The CBN representative also disclosed that the apex bank was finalising a comprehensive implementation guideline on payment transaction data localisation to provide greater clarity on compliance expectations for financial institutions.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Engr. Nadungu Gagare, described the initiative as a critical milestone in Nigeria’s pursuit of digital independence, data governance and national security.
Gagare said data had become one of the most strategic national assets in the digital age, making sovereign control over government and critical information essential for economic stability and public trust.
He said the initiative would strengthen Nigeria’s digital government infrastructure while stimulating local cloud capacity, encouraging domestic technology investment, creating high-skilled jobs and empowering indigenous innovators.
The Permanent Secretary commended NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi and the agency’s technical team for providing leadership in advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting the seamless implementation of the initiative across ministries, departments and agencies.
The National Sovereign Cloud Initiative is a Federal Government programme coordinated by NITDA to strengthen Nigeria’s digital sovereignty and accelerate the adoption of trusted cloud infrastructure.
The initiative provides a unified national framework for cloud governance, technical standards, digital infrastructure assurance and investment promotion through the National Cloud Computing Guideline, National Cloud Technical Guideline, National Digital Infrastructure Assurance Framework and National Cloud Investment Strategy.
The programme is expected to reinforce Nigeria’s drive to build a secure, resilient and investment-friendly digital ecosystem while positioning the country as a leading destination for cloud services, data centres, artificial intelligence infrastructure and trusted digital infrastructure under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
By PRNigeria
