Partnership with Google will turn Nigeria to global tech hub – FG

By Stellamaris Ashinze

Lagos, Feb. 13, 2025

The Federal Government on Thursday  said its partnership with Google is set to transform Nigeria into a global technology hub.

Mr. Inuwa Kashifu, the Director-General, National Information  Technology  Developmental Agency  (NITDA) said this in a television interview  monitored in Lagos.

Kashifu said that the partnership  was focused on infrastructure development, scaling of citizens, AI innovation, cloud adoption and investment framework.

He said that the partnership aimed to create an ecosystem that would power Nigeria’s digital transformation.

“The partnership, which was launched during a meeting between the President and the Google CEO in Paris,  will lead to the development of a roadmap for Nigeria’s digital transformation.

“It will focus on five key areas: infrastructure development, scaling of citizens, AI innovation, cloud adoption, and investment framework,” he said.

Kashifu also highlighted the importance of data centres in driving digital economy and the need to domicile sensitive data both for government  and the private sector.

He said that no data centre relied on grid electricity globally.

“Data centres go off-grid, they go green because they also need carbon credit. We are looking at that as part of the framework,’’ he said.

The D-G said that there was a need to upskill Nigeria’s workforce to take advantage of the opportunities presented by the partnership.

According to him, there is need to embed digital skills in the country’s education sector from primary school to tertiary institutions.

On the partnership with Awari Technologies, Kashifu said that  it was not part of the conversation  with Google.

He said that  it was under a “Special   Purpose Vehicle” focused on developing a large language model in Nigeria, which would help to promote language and culture.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that  President Bola Tinubu had met with Google  Chief Executive  Officer,  Sundar Pichai, in Paris to forge a strategic  partnership aimed at enhancing  the country’s digital transformation  journey.