The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has hosted Charles Murito, Google’s Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy for Sub-Saharan Africa, as part of ongoing engagements with international technology stakeholders aimed at advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
The high-level meeting focused on strengthening collaboration around cloud adoption and forward-looking Artificial Intelligence (AI) frameworks designed to address real-world national challenges. Discussions also examined progress on the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative (NSCI), a strategic programme being led by NITDA to enhance Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and data sovereignty.
Speaking during the engagement, Abdullahi reaffirmed NITDA’s commitment to developing regulatory instruments through broad stakeholder consultations, stressing that the Agency prioritises practical and implementable solutions over theoretical policy frameworks.
According to him, inclusive engagement remains central to ensuring that digital policies effectively support innovation while safeguarding national interests.
Murito commended NITDA’s participatory approach to policy development, noting that significant progress has been made on the Cloud First Guidelines. He explained that the guidelines have evolved into a balanced and practical roadmap following extensive consultations and feedback from industry stakeholders, particularly on critical areas such as data classification.
Also speaking at the meeting, Aminu Lawal, Special Adviser to the Director General on Policy, provided updates on the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative, highlighting extensive technical work and contributions from both government and private-sector stakeholders.
He disclosed that the guideline is nearing finalisation and is expected to promote secure cloud adoption, strengthen data resilience, and boost national confidence in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure ecosystem.
Murito further emphasised the human-centred potential of emerging technologies, citing examples such as improving teacher-to-student ratios through data-driven planning and expanding access to healthcare services via digital solutions.
The engagement underscored NITDA’s ongoing efforts to collaborate with global technology partners to build a secure, inclusive, and innovation-driven digital economy for Nigeria.
