NITDA, Budget Office Set Up Committee to Strengthen Nigeria’s Sovereign Cloud Infrastructure

By Peter Emmanuel |

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in collaboration with the Budget Office of the Federation (BOF), has inaugurated a Joint Technical Committee on the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative (JTC-NSCI) to address key financial, procurement and investment issues affecting the implementation of the initiative.

The committee is chaired by the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu, while the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, serves as Co-Chair.

The committee is expected to provide a platform for government agencies to work together on the financial and operational requirements needed to develop secure domestic cloud infrastructure for government operations, regulated sectors and critical national workloads.

Speaking at the inauguration, Inuwa said the development of trusted domestic cloud and digital infrastructure was important to Nigeria’s digital economy and would also create opportunities for private-sector investment and innovation.

He said the successful implementation of the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative would require coordination between the government’s digital infrastructure plans and the financial, procurement, financing and investment systems needed to sustain them.

Committee to Address Funding, Procurement and Investment Challenges

The Joint Technical Committee will examine government ICT and cloud expenditure, including the total cost of owning and operating cloud infrastructure.

It will also review how existing government infrastructure can be better utilised to reduce duplication and improve value for money.

The committee will examine budget and procurement arrangements to ensure that government spending on cloud services is properly aligned with the objectives of the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative.

Infrastructure financing and investment mobilisation will also form part of its work as the government seeks to develop a sustainable framework for expanding domestic cloud capacity.

The committee will further consider the wider financial implications of cloud adoption and identify ways to make the initiative financially sustainable.

NITDA Says Secure Domestic Cloud Infrastructure Is Essential

Inuwa said Nigeria needs trusted domestic cloud and digital infrastructure capable of supporting government operations, regulated sectors and other critical national workloads.

He said the initiative would provide a stronger foundation for managing sensitive digital services while supporting the growth of Nigeria’s digital economy.

According to him, building the infrastructure would require more than technology and regulation, as financial planning and investment arrangements must also be put in place.

He said creating an enabling environment for private-sector participation would be important to expanding Nigeria’s cloud infrastructure and encouraging innovation.

The NITDA chief said cooperation between government institutions would therefore be necessary to ensure that the initiative develops in a sustainable manner.

JTC-NSCI Brings Key Government Institutions Together for Coordinated Implementation

The committee brings together institutions responsible for public finance, procurement, investment, infrastructure, connectivity, power, cybersecurity, data governance and regulated sectors.

Their involvement is expected to help address the different financial, technical and regulatory issues that could affect the implementation of the sovereign cloud initiative.

The committee will also provide a platform for these institutions to align their responsibilities and work towards common implementation priorities.

Its establishment complements the wider governance and implementation arrangements already developed for the National Sovereign Cloud Initiative.

The inauguration marks another step towards translating Nigeria’s sovereign cloud policy and regulatory framework into a coordinated, sustainable and investment-ready programme.