The Federal Government has unveiled plans to attract $750 million in private investment into Nigeria’s cloud and data infrastructure within the next 24 months, as part of efforts to strengthen the country’s digital economy and position it as a regional hub for cloud and data services. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, disclosed this at the GITEX 2026 Government Leadership and AI Summit in Abuja, saying the initiative was designed to move Nigeria beyond being a consumer of technology to becoming a producer and exporter of digital solutions.
Akume, who was represented at the event by the Permanent Secretary of the Political and Economic Affairs Office, Bekearedebo Warrens, said the investment target was contained in the newly unveiled National Digital Cloud Policy. According to him, the policy is expected to attract substantial private capital into cloud computing and data infrastructure while making Nigeria a competitive destination for cloud and data services serving both the domestic market and the wider African market.
The Federal Government also plans to roll out a 90,000 kilometre fibre optic network covering every state, local government area and ward across the country. The project is expected to be complemented by about 3,700 telecommunications towers, which the government says will help extend connectivity to more than 20 million Nigerians living in underserved communities and address persistent gaps in broadband and last mile connectivity.
The government said the infrastructure expansion would be supported by investments in digital skills, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and other emerging technologies. Akume disclosed that the 3 Million Technical Talent programme had recorded 1.87 million registrations across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas, with more than 125,000 Nigerians trained in areas including cloud computing, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and software engineering. He urged investors and technology companies participating in GITEX Nigeria 2026 to build partnerships that would help Nigeria develop the infrastructure and human capital needed to compete in the rapidly expanding global digital economy.