Starting October 1, the federal government will fund 75 new research projects in digital innovation under a N75 million scheme, while also moving to establish hyperscale data centres in partnership with global technology giants.
Both initiatives are part of a broader strategy to deepen Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, secure data sovereignty, and position the country as a hub for innovation in Africa.
Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, made the disclosure at the GITEX Nigeria 2025 event in Lagos, where he said the government would roll out the new research support scheme on October 1 through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
According to him, the M75 million initiative is targeted at researchers, startups, corporates, and the Nigerian diaspora, with the aim of deepening participation in digital innovation and building a resilient ecosystem capable of competing globally.
“On October 1, there will be a research scheme that will support another 75 research projects. Such investments will reinforce Nigeria’s position in the global digital economy,” Tijani announced.
The minister stressed that government alone cannot deliver the scale of infrastructure required for a thriving digital economy. While government provides enabling policies and infrastructure, he said startups, corporates, and diaspora innovators have a critical role in scaling innovation.
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“Startups can help us scale, corporates can help innovate. We invite you to build on our investment as a government and contribute to Nigeria and the world,” Tijani told investors and innovators.
Highlighting Lagos as one of the fastest-growing cities in the world with about 2,000 new residents arriving daily, the minister said robust digital infrastructure is now a national priority.
He reiterated that Nigeria’s digital policy must go beyond catching up with other nations and instead focus on creating resilient systems that sustain innovation over the long term.
In a related development, NITDA’s director general, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, announced that the agency is working with big tech companies and hyperscalers to establish hyperscale data centres in Nigeria, a move designed to guarantee data sovereignty and strengthen local digital capacity.
Speaking at the 3rd biennial corporate governance and enterprise development conference in Lagos, Abdullahi said the initiative forms part of the government’s ‘Cloud First Strategy’, which aims to attract hyperscalers and ensure critical national data remains within Nigeria’s borders.
“Today, we don’t have data sovereignty; our data is on social media, Google, Microsoft and others, and they decide what we see, what we believe, and what we buy. We are working with Big Tech and coming up with laws that will help us build hyperscale data centre capability in Nigeria,” he explained.
Abdullahi further revealed that Nigeria is developing its own ‘National Artificial Intelligence Strategy’, including standards for AI adoption and an ethical framework for deployment. He added that the forthcoming ‘Online Harm Protection Bill’ will harmonize online and offline regulations, while homegrown large language models are being built to reflect Nigeria’s cultural context and societal priorities.
“Emerging technologies cannot rely solely on existing laws. We have developed a regulatory intelligence framework to guide AI adoption, emphasizing collaboration and practical use cases before regulation,” Abdullahi stated.
