Nigeria pushes local cloud infrastructure to cut reliance on foreign tech giants

Nigeria has called on African countries to urgently build domestic cloud infrastructure and assert control over their data, warning that failure to do so could lock the continent into long-term digital dependence on foreign technology providers.

Kashifu Inuwa, the director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency, who made the call at the GITEX Africa 2026, said Africa must shift from being a consumer of global technology to becoming a builder of its own digital systems.

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“In today’s reality, digital is no longer optional; it is a way of life. The cloud is the oxygen that sustains that life. The question is: who controls that oxygen?” Inuwa said.

His remarks underscore growing concern among policymakers over Africa’s limited control of its digital infrastructure, even as internet use, data generation and artificial intelligence adoption rise across the continent.

Africa accounts for up to 19 percent of the world’s population but holds only about 0.6 percent of global data centre capacity, according to Inuwa, exposing countries to risks around data security, economic dependence and limited participation in the global digital economy.

“This is not just a technology gap, it is a sovereignty gap. We are generating data, but we are not in control of how and where that data is stored, processed or monetised,” he said.

The Nigerian official warned that reliance on foreign-owned cloud platforms leaves African economies vulnerable to policy shifts and geopolitical tensions beyond their control, particularly as data becomes a strategic asset.

To address this, Inuwa proposed a cloud of clouds model, a federated system linking national and regional cloud platforms into a single interoperable network. The approach would allow countries to retain control over their data while benefiting from shared infrastructure and cross-border collaboration.

He pointed to Gaia-X as a reference model, though noting that Africa would need to adapt the concept to its unique economic and regulatory landscape.

Analysts say such a move could reshape Africa’s digital economy by keeping data value within the continent, supporting local artificial intelligence development and reducing capital outflows tied to foreign cloud services.

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Inuwa also stressed that cloud sovereignty should not be mistaken for digital isolation, but rather the ability for countries to define their own standards and policies in a rapidly evolving global tech environment.

“There is no single country in Africa that can do this alone. We must collaborate and build shared infrastructure that benefits the entire continent,” he said.

The push aligns with broader efforts by African governments to strengthen digital independence, as global competition intensifies over data, computing power and emerging technologies such as AI and the Internet of Things.

With a young population, rising internet penetration and a fast-growing startup ecosystem, Africa has the potential to leapfrog legacy systems and build modern digital infrastructure, Inuwa said.

However, he warned that without coordinated investment and regulatory alignment, the continent risks remaining on the margins of the digital economy.

“Digital sovereignty is not a technical ambition, it is a strategic necessity,” he said.