Nigeria is set to begin the certification of cloud service providers and digital infrastructure operators under its new National Sovereign Cloud Initiative (NSCI) from October 2026, marking a major step toward strengthening the country’s digital sovereignty and cloud security.
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has signed the regulatory instruments supporting the initiative, establishing unified rules and technical standards for cloud providers, data centres, artificial intelligence infrastructure and government digital assets.
Under the new framework, NITDA plans to operationalise a national digital regulatory platform through which cloud and digital infrastructure providers operating in Nigeria will undergo registration, technical assessment, certification and regulatory oversight.
The initiative is built around key frameworks including the National Cloud Computing Guideline, National Cloud Technical Guideline, National Digital Infrastructure Assurance Framework (NDIAF) and the National Cloud Investment Strategy. Together, they are designed to improve security, compliance and confidence in Nigeria’s growing cloud ecosystem while encouraging investment in digital infrastructure.
NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said the new measures represent a transition from policy development to implementation. The agency is also expected to establish a Sovereign Cloud Governance Committee to oversee the initiative.
The certification programme will apply to both domestic cloud operators and international providers serving the Nigerian market. Key areas of focus are expected to include data residency, security, access controls, auditability and compliance with Nigerian regulations.
Beyond protecting sensitive data, the initiative is expected to support Nigeria’s ambitions in artificial intelligence, digital government, financial technology and digital trade. NITDA has also indicated that the country wants to develop cloud infrastructure capable of serving not only Nigeria but the wider West and Central African markets.
The National Sovereign Cloud Initiative is therefore positioned as both a regulatory and economic strategy, with Nigeria seeking to strengthen control over critical digital infrastructure while attracting investment into cloud computing, data centres and emerging technologies.
With certification scheduled to begin in October, attention will now turn to the launch of the regulatory platform, the number of providers certified and the extent to which the new framework drives investment and expands Nigeria’s digital infrastructure capacity.
