Nigeria has taken a bold and decisive step toward strengthening its national Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) with the launch of a high-level technical roundtable on the Nigeria Data Exchange Platform (NGDX), a landmark initiative aimed at driving secure, inclusive, and trusted digital systems across the country.
Convened by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, with strategic support from the European Union (EU) and Team Europe partners, including Estonia, Finland, Germany, and France, the Nigeria Data Exchange Conference represents a major milestone in the country’s digital transformation agenda.
The event, facilitated by the Digital for Development (D4D) Hub, brought together a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including senior government officials, legislators, regulators, industry leaders, development partners, and international experts. Discussions focused on the vision, governance framework, and technical architecture of the NGDX, which is set to become the third foundational rail of Nigeria’s DPI, complementing the National Identity System and the National Payments Infrastructure.
Speaking at the conference, Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, underscored the centrality of the initiative to Nigeria’s evolving digital ecosystem:
“Nigeria already has two of the three critical stacks required for a successful Digital Public Infrastructure — the National Identity rail and the Payments rail.
The next frontier is a trusted Data Exchange that enables government and businesses to share and utilize data securely, while ensuring that citizens receive better, more efficient services under a framework that guarantees privacy, security, and accountability”, he said.
Dr. Tijani further emphasized that the NGDX will be fully aligned with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, which safeguards citizens’ right to privacy and establishes the National Data Protection Commission as a regulatory authority. He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to delivering a fully functional National Data Exchange Platform by the end of 2025, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Representing the European Union, Massimo De Luca, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, highlighted the EU’s enduring partnership with Nigeria in building a robust digital economy. He announced that the EU has committed €18 million to support the development of Nigeria’s DPI, aimed at driving innovation, economic growth, and secure data ecosystems.
“Nigeria is a key partner for digital cooperation under the EU’s Global Gateway Strategy and International Digital Strategy.
“Our collaboration promotes secure and trusted digital solutions while encouraging stronger business and innovation ties between Europe and Africa”, De Luca said.
As Nigeria continues its journey toward becoming a digitally empowered nation, the NGDX initiative signals a paradigm shift in how data is shared and managed, ensuring greater interoperability, transparency, and trust across government, businesses, and citizens.
With Team Europe’s technical expertise and financial backing, the project is expected to unlock new opportunities for digital innovation, enhance service delivery, and position Nigeria as a regional leader in secure data governance.
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