NITDA DG Calls for AI Sovereignty to Protect Nigeria’s Economy, Security

By Peter Emmanuel |

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has called on Nigeria to prioritise Artificial Intelligence (AI) sovereignty to protect the country’s economy, citizens and national security.

Inuwa made the call as the 2026 edition of the Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX Nigeria) commenced in Abuja, where technology stakeholders gathered to discuss Nigeria’s digital future and the role of emerging technologies.

He said AI sovereignty should not be viewed only from a geopolitical perspective but as Nigeria’s ability to exercise digital self-determination across the entire technology stack.

“We need to look at it end-to-end, the entire technology stack, not just the AI itself,” Inuwa said, stressing the importance of connectivity, data centres and cloud infrastructure in building Nigeria’s AI capacity.

The NITDA DG said GITEX Nigeria 2026 provides an opportunity for Nigeria and Africa to examine their readiness to develop AI capacity and determine how the technology can be controlled and deployed in ways that protect national interests.

NITDA DG Calls for Greater Control of Nigeria’s AI Infrastructure

Inuwa said Nigeria’s pursuit of AI sovereignty must cover the entire digital infrastructure required to develop, deploy and operate AI systems. He identified connectivity, data centres and cloud infrastructure as critical components of the country’s ability to build and sustain AI capacity.

According to him, focusing solely on AI applications without developing the infrastructure that supports them could leave Nigeria dependent on external systems and providers.

He said Nigeria must therefore strengthen its domestic digital infrastructure while creating an environment that encourages investment and innovation in the technology sector.

The NITDA DG said greater control over the technology stack would give Nigeria more capacity to determine how digital technologies are developed and used within the country.

He added that the objective should be to ensure that Nigeria has the technical capacity and infrastructure required to make independent decisions about the technologies that increasingly influence its economy and society.

Nigeria Must Strengthen Data, Cloud Sovereignty to Build AI Capacity

Inuwa highlighted the recent signing of regulatory instruments on cloud and data sovereignty as important steps towards strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and encouraging the development of data centres.

He said data sovereignty was particularly important because access to reliable and well-governed data is necessary for developing AI models that effectively respond to Nigeria’s needs.

The NITDA DG also stressed the importance of greater Nigerian ownership of AI technologies, algorithms and data. He said strong data governance would help ensure that AI systems are developed using information that is properly managed and protected.

According to Inuwa, Nigeria’s digital sovereignty agenda under the Bola Tinubu-led government’s Nigeria First Policy is anchored on four areas: digital sovereignty, data sovereignty, cloud sovereignty and AI sovereignty.

He said strengthening these areas would help Nigeria develop the capacity to participate more effectively in the global AI economy while protecting its data, infrastructure and national interests.

NITDA Warns Against Foreign Control of AI Systems

Inuwa also raised concerns about operational sovereignty, particularly who controls AI systems deployed across critical sectors such as finance, healthcare and education.

He questioned whether AI systems operating in such sensitive sectors are controlled in ways that comply with Nigerian laws and serve the interests of Nigerians.

“If we don’t have control over it, whoever controls that AI can manipulate us, can control everything we do,” he warned, stressing the potential risks associated with excessive external control of critical AI systems.

The NITDA DG said Nigeria must ensure that AI technologies deployed across critical sectors remain subject to appropriate national laws, regulations and oversight.

He challenged stakeholders at GITEX Nigeria 2026 to consider what Nigeria and the wider African continent are doing to build their own AI capacity and sovereignty.

“GITEX Nigeria 2026 should help us answer: What are we doing as a nation? What are we doing as a continent in terms of building our AI capacity and sovereignty?” Inuwa said.