Nigeria is on the verge of a historic digital transformation as the Federal Government moved to pass the National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill into law, Vice President Kashim Shettima has said.
Speaking at the opening of the 2025 Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition in Abuja, themed “Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Future: Accelerating Growth, Inclusion, and Global Competitiveness,” Shettima described the proposed law as the cornerstone of the nation’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy powered by technology.
He said the bill represented a strategic leap toward embedding digital innovation into governance, economic planning, and national development. “Just as the cashless policy unlocked the fintech revolution, this new bill will unlock the govtech revolution an era of smarter governance, greater transparency, and inclusive service delivery,” the Vice President declared.
Shettima noted that the new framework would integrate digital literacy into school curricula, digitize the informal sector, and strengthen key institutions such as NITDA, NCC, and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission, ensuring that Nigeria’s digital ecosystem remained both innovative and secure.
Highlighting ongoing infrastructure projects such as the Broadband Superhighway and the Bridge and 7-7-4 initiatives, he said the government is determined to ensure equitable digital access across cities and rural areas alike.
Addressing Nigerian youths, whom he described as “the lifewire of our nation,” Shettima urged them to embrace their roles as innovators and disruptors in driving the digital future. “The language of our long-term stability is digital,” he said.
The Vice President concluded by reaffirming the administration’s commitment to using digital innovation to drive inclusion, opportunity, and prosperity for all Nigerians.
The event was attended by Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy; Kashifu Inua Abdullahi, DG of NITDA; Dr. Aminu Wada, EVC of NCC; Dr. Vincent Olatunji, CEO of NDPC; Professor Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu, Executive Secretary of NUC; Engineer Margaret Aina Oguntola, President of NSE; as well as members of the diplomatic corps, service chiefs, and industry leaders.
