The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to invest N12 billion in digital economy research projects, aiming to harness the benefits of digital transformation. The announcement was made during the opening ceremony of the 18th edition of the International Conference on Theory and Practices of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV), held in Abuja.
Dr. Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, made the statement at the four-day conference, which focused on the theme “Shaping the Future of Digital Governance Through Cooperation, Innovation, and Inclusion.” The event was organized by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
During his address, Dr. Tijani emphasized the importance of conferences like ICEGOV in offering opportunities for countries to research emerging technologies while balancing them with policies that affect societies. He noted that Nigeria’s participation in ICEGOV 2024 highlighted the country’s growing commitment to the digital economy and assured the global community that the government’s efforts would continue to bear fruit.
“The Nigerian government is not just doing this as a show because immediately after ICEGOV last year, we funded over 55 research projects. At the minute, we are putting together about N12 billion to fund further research projects that are focused on the digital economy,” Tijani said.
He further explained that three research clusters would be established across six universities, focusing on critical areas of the digital economy. One cluster will focus on artificial intelligence, another on the pressing issue of connectivity in Nigeria, and the third on digital skills and literacy, especially considering the country’s large population.
Dr. Tijani stressed that digital technologies have become the backbone of modern societies. “Digital technologies are now the core of human activities,” he said. “Without them, societies remain underdeveloped. It’s important that these technologies are no longer just seen as economic tools, but as tools to reshape and govern society as well.”
Ms. Elsa Estevez, Chair of the ICEGOV Steering Committee, also addressed the theme of the conference, particularly the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and digital transformation. She highlighted the need for international cooperation to navigate the risks and benefits of these technologies.
“In the past years, we were profoundly affected by digitally driven innovations, and we often adapt them without much reflection,” Estevez noted. “Such innovations dramatically change the way we interact socially, work, and build our capacities. We need to ensure that innovations are not just technological, but human-centered and contribute to better societies.”
She also emphasized the importance of securing the public digital space. “For inclusion, governments and states need to listen and moderate discussions about public affairs, shape political agendas to respond to uncovered needs, and secure the digital space from fake speech, fake news, and political manipulation. Securing the public digital space requires regulation, education, and awareness, all based on sound information ethics.”
Malam Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of NITDA, spoke about the government’s plans to integrate digital literacy into school curricula by 2026. He explained that the rapidly growing youthful population in Nigeria required tailored initiatives to ensure they keep pace with the country’s technological advancements.
“In Africa, we have a very young population. Our citizens are digitally native, and they are all online. Therefore, governments need to meet them where they are,” Inuwa said. “We have so many initiatives in Nigeria, including the digital literacy framework, where we are working on integrating digital literacy into our formal education system.”
Inuwa confirmed that, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the government has already received approval to integrate digital literacy and skills into Nigeria’s formal education system starting next year. Additionally, he revealed that measures were being put in place to ensure that public servants become digitally literate to improve service delivery in the public sector.
