Nigeria Inches Closer to Digital Economy Law to Accelerate National Tech Transformation
Nigeria’s push to expand its technology-driven economy has gained traction, with Vice President Kashim Shettima announcing that the National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill was nearing passage into law.
He said the legislation represents a crucial step in the administration’s bid to build a $1tn digital-powered economy.
In a statement following the 2025 Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibition, Shettima described the bill as a structural overhaul that will embed technology more deeply into governance, economic planning and national development.
He likened its potential impact to the policy shift that enabled Nigeria’s fintech boom, noting that the bill is expected to spark a govtech revolution centred on transparency and efficient service delivery.
He outlined a series of programmes designed to support the transition, including the introduction of digital literacy in schools, digitisation of the informal sector and the 3 Million Technical Talent initiative, which seeks to produce globally competitive digital professionals.
Addressing young Nigerians, the vice president called them the “lifewire of our nation” and encouraged them to shape the country’s technological future as creators and innovators.
Shettima also pointed to infrastructure projects such as the Broadband Superhighway and the Bridge and 7-7-4 programmes, which aim to widen access to high-speed Internet and bridge digital gaps across the country.
He said the proposed legislation would bolster the work of institutions including the National Information Technology Development Agency, the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission, ensuring a secure and innovation-friendly tech environment.
The conference drew key industry and government figures, including Communications Minister Bosun Tijani; NITDA Director-General Kashifu Inua Abdullahi; NCC Executive Vice Chairman Aminu Wada; NDPC head Vincent Olatunji; and National Universities Commission Executive Secretary Professor Abdullahi Yusuf Ribadu.
Shettima urged participants to contribute actively to Nigeria’s digital transformation, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to harnessing innovation to expand opportunity, deepen inclusion and drive broad-based prosperity.
