Nigeria has launched an ambitious National Digital Cloud Policy aimed at attracting $750 million in private investment over the next two years. The move seeks to establish the nation as a leading cloud computing and data hosting hub across West Africa and the broader continent.

What the Policy Covers

The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy unveiled the new policy this week. It provides a structured framework for significant investment into data centers, cloud infrastructure, and artificial intelligence computing capabilities. The policy also sets clear guidelines for government cloud adoption, including provisions for protecting sensitive public data.

From Consumer to Producer

Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, emphasized the policy’s strategic intent. Nigeria aims to become a producer of digital services and infrastructure, moving past its current role primarily as a consumer of foreign cloud offerings. This includes fostering local talent and creating export opportunities for digital services, alongside sovereignty provisions for specific categories of government and regulated data.

Fiscal and Regulatory Measures

The new policy outlines wide ranging fiscal and regulatory measures covering infrastructure, energy, capital mobility, and training initiatives. It also proposes cost saving strategies for government departments.

  • Pooling of government cloud service demand across agencies
  • Creation of a National Digital Marketplace for transparent procurement
  • Performance targets for capacity, export earnings, and skills development
  • Separated institutional responsibilities for regulatory oversight, operational delivery, and procurement compliance

The 24 Month Rollout

Implementation will occur in several phases over 24 months, starting with policy activation and baseline assessments. It then moves to launching the National Digital Marketplace and onboarding priority government agencies. The final phase involves scaling government migration and expanding infrastructure, along with strengthening regional interconnection and increasing digital service exports.

This policy complements existing government initiatives, like Project BRIDGE, which involves 90,000 kilometers of fibre optic infrastructure, and aligns with the 3 Million Technical Talent programme focused on IT skills development.

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