Nigeria is set for a major digital leap as the National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill nears passage into law, the Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima has said.
SINL Nigeria Online reports that Senator Shettima spoke in Abuja while officially opening the 2025 edition of the Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition.
The conference themed “Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Future: Accelerating Growth, Inclusion, and Global Competitiveness” the vice president described the bill as a cornerstone of the nation’s ambition to build a $1 trillion economy powered by digital innovation.
Specifically, he noted that the bill represents more than legislative reform, pointing out that it is “a strategic leap toward embedding technology into the fabric of governance, economic planning, and national development.”
Drawing a compelling parallel with Nigeria’s cashless policy, which catalysed the fintech revolution, the Vice President said the anticipated impact of the new bill would ignite a govtech revolution.
“Just as the cashless policy unlocked the fintech revolution, this new bill will unlock the govtech revolution—an era of smarter governance, greater transparency, and inclusive service delivery,” he declared.
He explained that this new era would be defined by smarter governance, greater transparency, and inclusive service delivery, all driven by digital tools and infrastructure. He stressed that the bill is part of a broader national strategy to position Nigeria as a global leader in digital innovation, with the potential to transform every sector of society.
The Vice President outlined a series of initiatives that complement the bill, including the integration of digital literacy into school curricula and the digitization of the informal sector to bring millions of Nigerians into the formal economy.
He highlighted the 3 Million Technical Talent Program, which aims to develop world-class expertise and establish Nigeria as a hub for digital skills.
Addressing the youth directly, he called them the “lifewire of our nation,” urging them to embrace their roles as innovators, disruptors, and dreamers who turn possibilities into profits.
“You are the innovators, the disruptors, the dreamers who turn possibilities into profits. It is because of you that we are creating an enabling environment that encourages innovation. The language of our long-term stability is digital,” he remarked.
On the government’s infrastructure efforts, the Vice President noted that major projects such as the Broadband Superhighway—designed to deliver high-speed internet across the country—and the Bridge and 7-7-4 initiatives, which aim to ensure that startups in remote towns like Gusau have the same digital access as those in major cities like Abuja and Lagos, are ongoing.
Underscoring the need for equal access to digital infrastructure, he noted that equitable connectivity is not just a matter of fairness but a prerequisite for national competitiveness in the digital age.
On the policy front, Senator Shettima celebrated Nigeria’s emergence as a leading fintech ecosystem, attributing this success to bold reforms and a forward-thinking regulatory environment.
He said the new bill, once enacted, would build on this momentum by establishing a unified legal framework for digital governance, electronic transactions, and cybersecurity.
This framework would also strengthen key institutions such as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), ensuring that Nigeria’s digital ecosystem is both innovative and secure.
Painting a vivid picture of the digitally empowered Nigeria he envisions, Senator Shettima expressed optimism about a future where farmers use real-time market data to secure fair prices, young women in rural communities work remotely for global companies, and universities produce graduates equipped with the skills to thrive in the global digital economy. He emphasized that digital transformation must be inclusive, touching every corner of the country and every segment of society.
Declaring the conference officially open, the Vice President urged participants to seize the moment and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s digital transformation, expressing confidence that the outcomes of the conference would shape the country’s future.
He also affirmed the administration’s commitment to ensuring that digital innovation drives opportunity, inclusion, and prosperity for all Nigerians.
Meanwhile the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, in a keynote address reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to building a sustainable, inclusive, and globally competitive digital economy, calling on stakeholders across sectors to work together to achieve Nigeria’s digital transformation goals.
He described the annual gathering as more than a conventional technology conference.
According to him, Digital Nigeria serves as a national platform for dialogue, collaboration, and actionable strategies that will shape the country’s future in the digital era.
Dr Tijani took the audience on a reflective journey through Nigeria’s digital history, noting that the liberalisation of the telecommunications industry in 1999 was a bold, transformative decision that changed the trajectory of the nation’s economy.
Similarly, in an opening remarks, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, urged Nigerian youth to take the lead in driving Africa’s digital transformation, emphasising that the nation’s young population holds the key to a prosperous and inclusive future.
Inuwa extended heartfelt appreciation to the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for his presence, describing it as a powerful demonstration that this administration cares deeply about the youth.
The NITDA Boss noted that the conference’s theme, Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Future: Accelerating Growth, Inclusion, and Global Competitiveness, aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its focus on economic diversification through digitalisation, industrialisation and innovation.
He emphasised that Nigeria, with over 220 million people and an average age of 18, stands at a critical crossroads, one that could either unleash unprecedented prosperity or deepen socio-economic challenges if the nation fails to harness the creativity of its youth.
“If we harness the energy, the creativity and talent of our youth, we are not just going to power Nigeria, but we can power the entire Africa into a new era of prosperity. But if we fail to do that, if we fail to skill our youth, if we fail to provide a platform for them to create value, we are stunting the most valuable asset we have as a nation,” he noted.
The NITDA DG revealed that the 2025 edition of the conference has attracted over 4,800 participants from 12 countries and 25 Nigerian states, making it both a national and international gathering of innovators, policymakers, and investors.
In addition, the National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Dr. Vincent Olatunji, delivered a goodwill message on behalf of all Chief Executive Officers of parastatals under the ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy.
He urged stakeholders in the digital economy to unite in unlocking Nigeria’s vast potential in the sector.
Olatunji emphasised that the country stands at a critical juncture where collaboration and innovation are essential to achieving global competitiveness.
