To advance Nigeria’s digital transformation and unlock inclusive economic growth, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, led a strategic engagement tour alongside Marcus Jadotte, Vice President of Government Affairs & Public Policy (Cloud) at Google. This high-level visit focused on consolidating NITDA’s ongoing collaboration with Google through direct engagements with top-tier Nigerian government officials.
The visit formed part of sustained efforts to drive meaningful partnerships between the public and private sectors, particularly in areas that will shape Nigeria’s digital economy. During the tour, the delegation engaged with the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani; Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa; and National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.
Each of these meetings was purpose-driven, targeting critical sectors essential to Nigeria’s digital advancement—cybersecurity, digital education, cloud adoption, public service reform, and technology infrastructure. The discussions explored practical solutions for accelerating the country’s digital ecosystem while ensuring that emerging technologies serve the best interests of citizens and institutions alike.
At the heart of these engagements lies President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. This national policy prioritises technology as a major pillar for governance reform, economic competitiveness, job creation, and national security. The collaboration with Google represents a strategic alignment with this vision, offering opportunities to leverage global expertise for local capacity building.
By working with NITDA and other ministries, Google is expected to contribute to efforts aimed at modernising Nigeria’s digital infrastructure. Key priorities include building secure and scalable cloud environments, reducing government technology costs through cloud efficiencies, and improving service delivery via data-driven governance. The initiative also supports education through investments in digital learning tools and infrastructure that can transform how Nigerian students access knowledge and compete globally.
Cybersecurity also featured prominently in the dialogue. Strengthening Nigeria’s defences against digital threats has become a national imperative. The engagement with the National Security Adviser provided an avenue to align public-private initiatives toward building a more resilient digital infrastructure, capable of detecting, responding to, and preventing cyber-attacks.
The collaboration between NITDA and Google has far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. It not only enhances the nation’s position in the global digital economy but also signals a shift toward responsible, inclusive technology governance. The renewed partnership is expected to support local innovation, upskill the workforce, and create new employment opportunities within the country’s growing tech sector.
By prioritising digital transformation across critical ministries, NITDA’s coordination of this partnership reflects a deliberate, long-term approach to technology-led development. The outcomes of these engagements will shape national policies and drive measurable progress across sectors, from public services to education, and from infrastructure to national security.
As implementation follows, expectations remain high that Nigeria will consolidate its position as a digital leader in Africa. Through sustained collaboration, targeted investments, and policy innovation, the country is now taking bold steps to ensure that digital technology works for every Nigerian—efficiently, securely, and inclusively.
