Nigeria’s plan to build a $1 trillion digital economy has received a major boost as the federal government moves closer to passing its first-ever E-Governance Bill, a transformative legislation designed to unify the country’s digital policies, strengthen institutional efficiency, and position technology at the heart of national development.
The proposed law, which has already scaled its first and second readings at the National Assembly, will consolidate multiple overlapping ICT and data-related legislations into a single, coherent framework guiding how technology powers governance, citizen engagement, and service delivery.
Bosun Tijani, minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, who disclosed this at Moonshot 2025 Conference in Lagos on Wednesday, described the forthcoming law as a cornerstone in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s plan to build a $1 trillion digital economy.
“For the first time in our history, Nigeria is pursuing a single, comprehensive piece of legislation to guide the digital economy. Previously, the digital space was governed by a patchwork of laws and bills. The new E-Governance Bill will harmonise these frameworks and ensure that technology becomes the backbone of how government interacts with its citizens,” Tijani said.
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He explained that the government’s goal is to ensure that technology supports inclusion, transparency, and efficiency in governance while providing the infrastructure that allows innovators and entrepreneurs to build solutions that solve national problems.
E-governance, which is the use of information and communication technologies to enhance the delivery of government services, has become central to modern public administration worldwide. It promotes transparency, reduces bureaucracy, improves service efficiency, and strengthens citizen participation.
Nigeria’s e-governance journey began more than a decade ago with fragmented initiatives such as digital identity management, electronic tax filing, and online procurement systems. However, these projects often operated in silos, lacking a unifying framework and legal mandate to ensure consistency, data protection, and interoperability.
The E-Governance Bill aims to bridge that gap by creating clear standards for how government agencies deploy and manage digital platforms. It will also define citizens’ digital rights, strengthen cybersecurity protocols, and foster innovation in public service delivery.
To support this legal framework, Tijani said the government is making a $2 billion investment to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable across all states, local governments, and wards. This massive infrastructure push, he noted, will ensure ‘meaningful, affordable connectivity’ for Nigerians, enabling innovators to build products that lift the entire economy.
“We are building the backbone of a truly digital Nigeria. Our focus is on platforms that connect people, enable productivity, and create shared prosperity,” he said.
Tijani added that Nigeria has also released its first Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Framework, which defines how technology should be used to deliver essential services such as healthcare, education, identity, and payments efficiently and securely.
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Complementing these efforts is the government’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative, one of the world’s largest talent acceleration programmes, designed to equip Nigerians with digital skills to thrive in a rapidly changing economy.
Nigeria is also positioning itself as a continental leader in artificial intelligence (AI) development. Tijani announced the establishment of a National AI Trust, a body to guide ethical AI deployment and sustain innovation beyond political cycles.
He also unveiled MAPLAS, an open-source framework for live learning AI models developed by the government to help Nigeria and other African countries build localised solutions.
“AI is a global no-brainer for productivity. We are ensuring that at least four percent of our three million technical talent target focuses on AI and machine learning,” Tijani said.
Tomiwa Aladekomo, chief executive officer of Big Cabal Media, lauded the government’s renewed commitment to digital governance and inclusion, saying the alignment between policy and innovation is essential to sustaining momentum in Africa’s tech ecosystem.
“Momentum doesn’t happen by accident. We have seen how far African technology has come: from struggling with payment trust to building billion-dollar fintechs. A strong legal and regulatory foundation will help preserve that progress and drive the next wave of innovation,” Aladekomo averred.
He added that platforms such as Moonshot have become vital for connecting innovators, investors, and policymakers to build a shared vision for Africa’s digital future.
“This is a moment to think long-term, to build the infrastructure and policies that ensure African innovation thrives sustainably. When you build the road, partners will build the rest,” Aladekomo stated.
