Nigeria Launches Technical Committee for Sovereign Cloud Initiative

Nigeria has inaugurated a Technical Committee on the Sovereign Cloud Initiative, marking a significant step towards securing the nation’s digital sovereignty and optimizing government expenditure on computing infrastructure. The inaugural meeting took place in Abuja, led by Kashifu Abudullahi, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

He emphasized the need for Nigeria to reduce dependence on foreign providers for critical digital infrastructure, highlighting that cloud computing is essential for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The committee's mandate includes fiscal planning, budgeting, procurement, and investment in cloud services.

Abudullahi revealed that government IT projects from 2023 to 2026 are valued at over N4.2 trillion, with N3.89 trillion identified and over N400 billion saved through reviews. Tanimu Yakubu, the committee chairman and Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, stressed the importance of understanding existing infrastructure and optimizing investments.

Dr Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, pledged support for the initiative to ensure efficient resource use.