FG Strengthens Cloud-First Policy for MDAs

The Federal Government has strengthened its Cloud First approach for ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) as part of a new national policy aimed at transforming government digital services and expanding Nigeria’s cloud computing infrastructure.

The Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in a statement by Isime Esene, Office of the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, unveiled the National Digital Cloud Policy, establishing a framework for the growth, governance and internationalisation of Nigeria’s cloud computing and data infrastructure ecosystem.

The policy is expected to drive greater adoption of cloud services across government while attracting investment in data centres, cloud infrastructure, connectivity and artificial intelligence computing capacity.

Under the framework, the government will leverage the collective demand of MDAs for cloud services through a whole-of-government aggregation model.

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The approach will see government aggregate demand from multiple registered cloud providers and provide shared government cloud services.

According to the government, the arrangement is designed to reduce duplicated expenditure, secure better commercial terms and create predictable demand that can support long-term private investment in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.

The policy also provides for the establishment of a National Digital Marketplace to facilitate coordinated and transparent procurement of cloud and digital infrastructure services.

It further introduces dedicated cloud budget arrangements and an anchor-capacity mechanism to improve predictability in government demand for cloud services.

Beyond government adoption, the policy seeks to position Nigeria as a regional hub for cloud hosting, data processing and digital services, particularly across the ECOWAS region and wider Sub-Saharan Africa.

The framework focuses on four priorities: investment and market development, regional digital services exports, government cloud transformation, and digital sovereignty and security.

The government said the policy maintains an open and competitive market for both domestic and international cloud providers.

It added that the framework does not impose general data localisation requirements on commercial data, with sovereignty requirements limited to defined categories of government and regulated data where national control is necessary.

The policy also provides incentives aimed at attracting investment into qualifying cloud and data infrastructure projects, including fiscal and regulatory measures, support to address energy constraints, and provisions for technology transfer and skills development.

Speaking on the policy, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, said cloud and data infrastructure had become essential to the digital economy.

Tijani said Nigeria must take advantage of its growing technology ecosystem to move beyond dependence on foreign cloud infrastructure.

“Nigeria must move from being primarily a consumer of global cloud infrastructure to becoming a competitive location for the infrastructure, investment, skills and digital services that will define the next phase of the global digital economy,” he said.

The minister said the government’s approach would encourage both Nigerian and international companies to invest in the sector while ensuring the protection of sensitive government information.

“Our approach is deliberately open and investment-oriented. We want Nigerian and international providers to invest, build capacity, develop talent and serve both the Nigerian market and the wider African continent from Nigeria,” Tijani said.

He added that the policy would balance investment and competition with national security considerations.

“The National Digital Cloud Policy therefore provides a balanced framework — one that promotes investment and competition, strengthens indigenous capability, modernises Government and applies sovereignty requirements only where they are genuinely necessary,” Tijani said.