The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and the International Data Center Authority (IDCA) have signed a strategic partnership to jointly work together with other ecosystem players both local and international for a large-scale national digital infrastructure programme aimed at transforming Nigeria into a fully integrated digital economy ecosystem.

The partnership is in line with the Nigerian Sovereign Cloud initiative which aim to establish an execution-led, investment-driven framework that brings together infrastructure deployment, regulatory standards, and workforce development into a unified national platform designed to mobilise both public and private capital and accelerate long-term economic value creation.

At the centre of the programme is the “Nigeria Digital Triangle (NDT)”, a network of strategically located hyperscale, AI-enabled data centre clusters intended to anchor investment, host global cloud and enterprise workloads, and serve as the backbone for Nigeria’s emerging digital economy.

The initiative is anchored on four integrated pillars: a national digital economy masterplan with defined milestones, hyperscale infrastructure development through interconnected digital hubs, national digital standards aligned with global best practices, and a structured education and workforce development system to sustain long-term capability building.

Kashifu Inuwa, Director General of NITDA, said: “This initiative represents a defining moment in Nigeria’s economic transformation, reaffirming the government’s commitment to advancing the Digital Economy and Data Sovereignty Agenda. By working with the leading experts of IDCA and members of the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative Technical Working Group as the most advanced and credible think tank, prioritizing digital infrastructure, talent development, data sovereignty, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurship, Nigeria is laying a strong foundation for sustainable infrastructure growth, job creation, global competitiveness, and innovation-driven, inclusive development.”

Mehdi Paryavi, Chairman of IDCA, added: “Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa. “Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and has the potential to become larger and more impactful to the lives of the people of Africa and beyond”. This is more than a national initiative - it is a platform for long-term economic value creation. By integrating digital infrastructure, standards, and talent, bundled with investments and the right policymaking, Nigeria is building a competitive advantage in the global digital economy.”

Roger Strukhoff, Chief Research Officer at IDCA, stated: “Nigeria is taking a decisive step toward becoming a regional digital powerhouse. IDCA is pleased to be fundamental to this historic economic evolution. This is a structured, investment-ready approach that aligns strategy with execution and global best practices.”

Solomon Edun, Global Head of Strategic Services & Head of Europe and Africa, commented: “IDCA and Nigeria have worked for years to reach this point. This is a historic moment, and the program is designed to translate vision into measurable outcomes. By focusing on infrastructure deployment, investment attraction, and skills development, we are enabling a scalable and sustainable digital ecosystem.”

Barrister Emmanuel Edet, Acting Director, Regulations and Compliance said “The development of nationally endorsed standards, implemented in parallel with enabling physical infrastructure, is fundamental to ensuring regulatory consistency, data security, and long-term sustainability. This collaborative initiative between Nigeria and the International Data Center Authority establishes the requisite technical benchmarks and strategic governance framework to support effective”.

The initiative will be implemented over a three-year period with defined milestones and structured engagement across government, private sector, and international partners.

This partnership reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to leveraging digital infrastructure as a driver of economic diversification, innovation, and global integration

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