The Federal Government, in partnership with the European Union, has launched the Nigeria Data Exchange (NGDX) platform, a key step in advancing the country’s Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).

The initiative, unveiled during a high-level roundtable in Abuja, was driven by the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in collaboration with the EU and Team Europe partners including Estonia, Finland, Germany, and France.

Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, described the NGDX as central to Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“Nigeria already has two of the three critical stacks for DPI, the National Identity rail and the Payments rail.

The next frontier is a trusted Data Exchange to enable secure sharing of information for improved services while safeguarding privacy and accountability,” Tijani said.

He confirmed that the platform would operate under the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and assured that a fully functional system would be in place by the end of 2025, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Massimo De Luca, announced €18 million in EU support for Nigeria’s DPI rollout, describing Nigeria as a strategic partner in the EU’s digital strategy.

“Digital Public Infrastructure is more than technology, it empowers societies through secure digital identities, seamless payments, and trusted data governance. But such systems must be inclusive, equitable, secure, and human-centric,” De Luca said.

The EU also highlighted ongoing digital projects in Nigeria, including the BRIDGE initiative deploying 90,000 km of fibre-optic cables, and 3MITT, a program training youth in ICT.

De Luca described the launch as “a first step towards full EU support for DPI rollout in Nigeria,” emphasizing its potential to boost growth while ensuring secure and inclusive digital ecosystems.