Nigeria has moved a step closer to implementing its National Sovereign Cloud Initiative as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Budget Office of the Federation inaugurate a joint committee to oversee the programme.
The Joint Technical Committee, inaugurated on Thursday, will focus on the financing, procurement, investment and fiscal structures required to turn the government’s sovereign cloud plans into reality.
Budget Office Director-General Tanimu Yakubu will chair the committee, while NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inuwa will serve as co-chair.
The committee brings together officials and stakeholders across public finance, procurement, investment, digital infrastructure, connectivity, power, cybersecurity, data governance and regulated sectors.
According to NITDA, the committee will examine government spending on ICT and cloud services, the total cost of cloud adoption, existing infrastructure, budget and procurement arrangements, infrastructure financing and investment mobilisation.
Speaking at the inauguration, Inuwa said Nigeria needed trusted domestic cloud and digital infrastructure capable of supporting government operations, regulated industries and other critical national workloads.
He also said the initiative could create opportunities for private-sector investment and innovation.
Inuwa stressed that the project would require more than technology and regulation, noting that Nigeria must also align its digital infrastructure plans with the financial and procurement systems needed to sustain the initiative.
The latest move comes shortly after the Federal Government, as reported by Tech Regard, unveiled the National Digital Cloud Policy on August 18, with a target of attracting $750 million in private investment over the next 24 months.
The policy is designed to provide a framework for expanding cloud and data-centre infrastructure while positioning Nigeria as a regional hub for digital services and data hosting.
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NITDA had earlier, on August 5, introduced three regulatory instruments under the sovereign cloud programme: the National Cloud Computing Guideline, National Cloud Technical Guideline and National Digital Infrastructure Assurance Framework (NDIAF).
The agency also presented a National Cloud Investment Strategy as part of efforts to establish a structured approach to cloud adoption, digital sovereignty, infrastructure assurance and investment.
The inauguration of the joint committee therefore marks a shift from developing Nigeria’s sovereign cloud policy and regulatory framework to putting the financial, procurement and investment mechanisms needed for implementation in place.
About the Author
Cecilia Attah is a tech analyst with a degree from Benue State University. She covers tech news and startups at TechRegard with a focus on how technology is transforming Africa and shaping the global landscape.
