Nigeria and Team Europe have deepened their digital partnership with the announcement of an €18 million Digital Public Infrastructure initiative, beginning with the launch of a national Data Exchange Platform. The project is designed to strengthen the country’s digital transformation agenda and create secure, inclusive systems for citizens and businesses.
The initiative was unveiled at a high-level conference convened by the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy in partnership with the European Union and European partners from Estonia, Finland, Germany, and France. Supported by the Digital for Development Hub, the forum brought together government officials, legislators, regulators, industry leaders, and international stakeholders to deliberate on the vision, governance, and technical framework of the Nigeria Data Exchange.
The platform is being positioned as the third critical rail of Nigeria’s Digital Public Infrastructure, complementing the National Identity System and the National Payments Infrastructure. It will enable secure data sharing between government and businesses while enhancing service delivery to citizens within a framework that guarantees privacy, accountability, and security. The government has pledged to deliver a functional national data exchange by the end of 2025, aligning the project with the country’s broader economic reform agenda.
The European Union confirmed its financial commitment to the project, highlighting Nigeria as a strategic partner under its Global Gateway and International Digital Strategies. The EU underscored that Digital Public Infrastructure goes beyond technology, stressing its potential to empower societies through digital identities, seamless payments, and trusted data governance frameworks that prioritise inclusivity, human-centric design, and sustainability.
The initiative builds on existing EU-backed projects in Nigeria, including nationwide broadband expansion through fibre-optic rollout, digital skills programmes to prepare young people for the ICT labour market, and support for the country’s growing digital economy. With this latest investment, the Nigeria–Team Europe partnership is being projected as a decisive step towards building a trusted digital ecosystem capable of driving growth and positioning Nigeria in line with global best practices.
