The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has described the successful conclusion of the 18th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2025) as a landmark achievement for Nigeria’s digital transformation and economic diversification drive.
Hosted in Abuja under the patronage of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the four-day global conference convened policymakers, researchers, innovators, and development partners for robust discussions, research presentations, and strategic partnerships aimed at advancing digital governance worldwide.
Speaking on the significance of the event, NITDA said ICEGOV 2025 directly reinforced President Tinubu’s economic agenda of accelerating national development through industrialisation and digitisation, while also highlighting Nigeria’s growing leadership in digital innovation and research excellence.
The conference, an initiative of the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV), featured over 151 scientific papers submitted by 308 authors from 33 countries, with Nigeria leading global submissions with 102 authors. The Agency noted that this reflects the impact of its sustained investment in digital talent development, research support, and ecosystem strengthening over the past decade.
Among the highlights of the conference was the Best Paper Award won by Robert Ifeonu of the Central Bank of Nigeria for his work titled “Micro-Transformation Framework for Public Sector Innovation: Catalysing Resilient, Outcome-Driven Digital Governance.” NITDA hailed the recognition as evidence of Nigeria’s growing capacity to produce globally relevant, home-grown research on digital governance.
In her closing remarks, Professor Delfina Soares, Director of UNU-EGOV, commended NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, for his strategic leadership and commitment to hosting ICEGOV in Abuja. She noted that NITDA’s coordination, partnerships, and sponsorships significantly enhanced the conference’s success and expanded Africa’s footprint in digital governance research.
NITDA further stated that the economic and strategic benefits of hosting ICEGOV 2025 were substantial—boosting Nigeria’s global reputation as a digital innovation hub, fostering cross-sector partnerships, and attracting new investment opportunities in research and capacity building.
The Agency reaffirmed its resolve to build on the conference’s outcomes to strengthen public sector efficiency, advance regulatory reforms, and deepen Nigeria’s transition toward a knowledge-driven digital economy.
As delegates departed Abuja with renewed commitments and collaborative projects, NITDA pledged to sustain the momentum, ensuring that Nigeria not only participates in global digital governance discourse but continues to shape it through innovation, policy leadership, and inclusive development.
