In a landmark move to fast-track Nigeria’s digital economy and position the country as a global tech powerhouse, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and technology giant Google have commenced a high-level two-day collaborative workshop. The event, which kicked off this week in Abuja, marks a pivotal step in actualizing a broader strategic partnership between the Federal Government and Google, following a significant meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Google CEO Sundar Pichai in Paris on February 10, 2025.
The workshop aims to validate critical findings and refine a draft framework built around five transformative pillars that will guide the collaboration between NITDA and Google. These pillars include:
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Scalable Digital Infrastructure – Expanding and strengthening Nigeria’s tech backbone to enable widespread internet access and digital connectivity across urban and rural areas.
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Digital Skills Empowerment – Equipping millions of Nigerians, especially youth and women, with the skills needed to thrive in the 21st-century digital economy.
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Artificial Intelligence Innovation and Research – Promoting AI development and research to solve local and regional challenges while fostering a knowledge-based economy.
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Cloud Adoption for Digital Government – Enabling government agencies to transition to secure, scalable, and efficient digital platforms for better service delivery.
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Strengthening Digital Investment – Attracting local and foreign investment into Nigeria’s burgeoning digital and tech ecosystem.
The forum has brought together key stakeholders from across government ministries, the private sector, academia, and civil society. Their engagement is aimed at fostering inclusivity, policy alignment, and local ownership of the digital transformation blueprint.
Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, emphasized that the workshop represents more than just policy development — it is a signal of intent and commitment from both parties to build a robust digital economy that empowers Nigerians and drives innovation.
“This collaboration with Google aligns with our broader mission to implement the Nigeria Digital Economy Blueprint and support the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda,” Abdullahi stated. “We are not just planning for the future; we are designing it with the right partners.”
On Google’s side, the initiative reflects the company’s ongoing investment in Africa’s digital potential. Google’s Africa Director of Government Affairs and Public Policy, Charles Murito, reiterated the company’s long-term commitment to Nigeria’s technological advancement.
“Our partnership with NITDA is part of Google’s broader goal to unlock digital opportunities, support entrepreneurship, and build local solutions powered by AI and cloud computing. Nigeria is critical to Africa’s digital growth story, and we are excited to be part of this journey,” he said.
Participants at the workshop are expected to provide input that will help shape the final implementation strategy, which will serve as a roadmap for Nigeria’s tech-driven transformation. The collaboration is projected to generate significant economic and social dividends, including job creation, enhanced productivity, and improved public sector efficiency.
As Nigeria pushes forward in its quest to diversify the economy and harness the power of digital innovation, the NITDA-Google partnership stands out as a model of public-private collaboration with the potential to make lasting impact on the nation’s future.
