Starting October 1, 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria will fund 75 new research projects in digital innovation under a ₦75 million scheme, while also partnering with global technology giants to establish hyperscale data centres in the country.
The twin initiatives are part of a broader national strategy to deepen Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, secure data sovereignty, and position the country as a hub for innovation in Africa.
The announcement was made by Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, at the GITEX Nigeria 2025 event in Lagos. According to Tijani, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will roll out the new research support scheme on October 1, targeting researchers, startups, corporates, and the Nigerian diaspora.
“On October 1, there will be a research scheme that will support another 75 research projects. Such investments will reinforce Nigeria’s position in the global digital economy,” Tijani said.
He stressed that government alone cannot deliver the scale of infrastructure required for a thriving digital economy. While the government will provide enabling policies and baseline infrastructure, Tijani urged startups, corporates, and diaspora innovators to collaborate and scale solutions.
“Startups can help us scale, corporates can help innovate. We invite you to build on our investment as a government and contribute to Nigeria and the world,” he told investors and innovators.
Highlighting Lagos as one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, with about 2,000 new residents arriving daily, Tijani noted that robust digital infrastructure is now a national priority.
Big Tech Partnerships for Hyperscale Data Centres
In a related update, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of NITDA, announced plans to collaborate with Big Tech companies and hyperscalers to set up hyperscale data centres in Nigeria.
This effort is part of the government’s Cloud First Strategy, which seeks to attract hyperscalers and ensure critical national data remains within Nigeria’s borders.
“Today, we don’t have data sovereignty; our data is on social media, Google, Microsoft and others, and they decide what we see, what we believe, and what we buy. We are working with Big Tech and coming up with laws that will help us build hyperscale data centre capability in Nigeria,” Abdullahi explained.
National AI Strategy & Regulation
Abdullahi also revealed that Nigeria is building a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which will include:
- AI adoption standards
- An ethical framework for deployment
- A forthcoming Online Harm Protection Bill to align online and offline regulations
- Development of homegrown Large Language Models (LLMs) tailored to Nigeria’s cultural and societal context
He emphasized that emerging technologies cannot rely solely on existing laws, noting that NITDA has created a regulatory intelligence framework to guide AI adoption with an emphasis on collaboration and practical use cases before regulation.
