The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to implementing key recommendations and global best practices discussed at the ICEGOV 2025 conference to strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy and governance framework.
Speaking at the closing session of the five-day global conference held in Abuja, the Special Adviser on Innovation and Research to the Director-General of NITDA, Lukman Lamid, said President Bola Tinubu’s administration is determined to improve governance through efficient service delivery while driving economic diversification through innovation and digitisation.
He explained that hosting ICEGOV 2025 provided an opportunity for experts from around the world to develop research-based recommendations to shape the future of digital governance through cooperation, innovation, and inclusion.
“We have seen some of the best papers in this series, and we intend to take some of their propositions and translate them into impact,” Lamid said.
According to him, one of the major outcomes of the conference is the call to strengthen digital public infrastructure and harmonise existing policies to enhance connectivity and inclusion. He cited the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy’s project to deploy 95,000 kilometres of fibre optic cable by 2027 as a crucial step toward achieving last-mile internet access across Nigeria.
“Imagine what this can do for the economy when more Nigerians can access the internet; it will significantly boost our digital economy and drive diversification,” he added.
The Research category award at ICEGOV 2025 went to Robert Ifeonu of the Central Bank of Nigeria for his paper titled “Micro-Transformation Framework for Public Sector Innovation: Catalysing Resilient, Outcome-Driven Digital Governance.”
The Programme Chair of ICEGOV 2025, Dr Adeboyegba Ojo, said Nigeria’s hosting of the international event demonstrates the government’s determination to use technology to enhance governance and service delivery. He explained that the conference provides a vital platform for dialogue on how digital tools and emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), can improve policy formulation and strengthen public engagement.
Dr Ojo said hosting ICEGOV in Nigeria reflects the country’s readiness to join the global discourse on technology-driven governance. He expressed optimism that the government would go beyond providing the platform and start implementing innovative ideas discussed during the event within Nigeria’s unique realities.
The Director of the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV), Delphine Soares, commended Nigeria’s growing commitment to digital transformation. She said the conference created multiple layers of impact, including stronger collaboration among participants and the exchange of ideas on digital governance frameworks and emerging technologies.
“Nigeria is clearly making significant progress in this area,” Soares said. “What we expect from ICEGOV is that it continues to serve as a platform for reflection and collaboration, helping governments use technology to create good governance and improve the lives of citizens.”
Established in 2007 by the United Nations University’s UNU-EGOV, the ICEGOV conference promotes collaboration and knowledge sharing for sustainable development. ICEGOV 2025 recorded strong global participation, with 151 papers submitted by 308 authors from 33 countries, 68 per cent of whom were from emerging economies. Nigeria led the participation list with 102 authors, ahead of Brazil, India, Portugal, and Greece.
Seventy-four papers were accepted overall, and the Best Paper Awards recognised outstanding research and innovation, rounding off a conference that reaffirmed Nigeria’s rising profile in global digital governance and technology-driven development.
