NIGERIA, EUROPE JOIN FORCES ON €18M DATA EXCHANGE PLATFORM

Nigeria and the EU chart a new path for secure digital governance with €18m support for a national data exchange platform.

Nigeria Data exchange platform Digital ecosystem Finance National identity system National payments infrastructure.
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani
Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani


Nigeria is setting its sights on a trusted national data exchange system, with the European Union and Team Europe committing €18 million to support the country’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) ambitions.

At the heart of this effort is the Nigeria Data Exchange Platform (NGDX), unveiled during a high-level technical roundtable convened by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in partnership with EU member states Estonia, Finland, Germany, and France.

The NGDX is being touted as the “third rail” of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure complementing the National Identity System and the National Payments Infrastructure to create a robust foundation for secure data sharing and improved digital services.

Dr. Bosun Tijani, Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, stated that the project is crucial to Nigeria’s digital transformation journey.

“The next frontier is a trusted Data Exchange that enables government and business to share and use data securely, while providing citizens with better services under a framework that guarantees privacy, security, and accountability,” Tijani noted, assuring that the initiative will comply with the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023.

From the European side, Massimo De Luca, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, stated that the EU’s €18 million support aligns with its Global Gateway Strategy, emphasizing that DPI can only succeed if it is anchored in inclusivity, equity, human-centricity, and trust.

He added that ongoing EU-backed initiatives in Nigeria, from rolling out 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable under the BRIDGE project, to training youth through 3 MITT, demonstrate the depth of digital cooperation.

The NGDX, expected to be functional by the end of 2025, is being positioned as a cornerstone of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, one that could redefine how citizens and businesses interact with government in a secure and accountable digital ecosystem.

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