Nigeria and US Bolster Digital Security Partnership for Economic Trust

Renewed Commitment to Digital Collaboration

Nigeria and the United States have reiterated their dedication to enhancing cooperation across critical digital domains, including data privacy, artificial intelligence (AI), and cybersecurity. This renewed commitment is aimed at building trust and resilience within Nigeria's burgeoning digital economy. The reaffirmation took place during the Nigeria Data Privacy Capacity Building Workshop, organized by the U.S. Department of State in collaboration with the Nigerian Mission and other key stakeholders in Abuja.

Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), emphasized Nigeria's resolve to cultivate a secure, trusted, and inclusive digital ecosystem. He highlighted that this partnership represents a concerted effort by both nations to jointly tackle evolving digital challenges and capitalize on new opportunities.

Foundations of the Partnership and Key Milestones

The current collaboration builds upon an agreement reached in April 2024 under the framework of the U.S.–Nigeria Binational Commission. During that time, both countries agreed to work together on priority areas such as data privacy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, capacity building, and broader digital development initiatives.

Significant milestones have already been achieved since the initial agreement, demonstrating the tangible progress of this partnership. These include:

• The successful hosting of an Artificial Intelligence Conference in 2024, co-hosted by the Nigerian Government and the U.S. Mission in Nigeria.
• Nigeria's engagement with U.S. cybersecurity companies to explore partnerships aimed at strengthening the country's technical ecosystem.

Inuwa underscored that NITDA's focus on data privacy, AI, cybersecurity, and policy is driven by the essential need to foster trust within the digital ecosystem, which he described as a 'critical enabler of digital transformation.'

Driving Trust and Economic Growth

The Director-General of NITDA stressed that 'Trust is central to digital progress. Where trust is absent, innovation slows, and costs rise. Where it is present, progress accelerates and barriers to growth are reduced.' He further noted the interconnectedness of these elements, explaining that AI relies on data, data demands privacy, and privacy can only be guaranteed through strong security.

Nigeria's digital economy has shown robust growth, with revenues projected to reach US$18.30 billion by 2026. The country is also a leader in startup investment on the African continent. This rapid expansion necessitates robust security frameworks and responsible AI deployment to ensure sustained development and public confidence.

Looking ahead, NITDA plans to elevate Nigeria's National Cybersecurity Conference into an international platform in 2026, with active participation from the U.S. Mission and global technology firms. This initiative aims to explore new partnerships and enhance Nigeria's capacity for digital self-determination, positioning the nation as a frontier for global digital innovation.