The United Kingdom and Nigeria have deepened their digital cooperation following a high-level benchmarking and knowledge-exchange programme focused on improving end-to-end clearance of IT projects and strengthening the procurement of public digital services.
The week-long engagement, held in London from 23 to 28 November 2025, was hosted by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through its Digital Access Programme, in collaboration with top UK digital governance bodies such as the Government Digital Service (GDS), Public Digital, Crown Commercial Service (CCS), the British Standards Institute, and the FCDO Cyber Policy Department.
Senior officials from Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) participated in the exchange, which aligns with the UK–Nigeria Strategic Partnership on economic development, governance reform, and technological innovation.
According to an FCDO statement on Wednesday, insights from the programme will support Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen NITDA’s IT Project Clearance process, improve digital procurement efficiency and embed global best practices in cybersecurity and data governance. It also underscores the UK’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s inclusive digital transformation and opening its technology supply chain to Nigerian institutions.
Delivering opening remarks on behalf of NITDA Director General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director of the IT Project Clearance Unit, Dr. Usman Gambo Abdullahi, said Nigeria is committed to reforming public service delivery through stronger digital governance.
“At the heart of Nigeria’s reforms is our determination to improve government service delivery, reduce waste, strengthen cybersecurity, and build trust in public digital systems. Modernising the IT Projects Clearance process is a key enabler of this vision,” he said, thanking the UK government for its continued support.
FCDO Director for International Science and Technology, Ros Eales, described Nigeria as “a key partner of the UK in the tech sector,” stressing the importance of ensuring that global digital transformation remains safe, secure and inclusive, especially amid rapid technological shifts driven by artificial intelligence.
The British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Jonny Baxter, said the UK was proud to support Nigeria in strengthening digital governance and institutional reform. He noted that the collaboration reflects a longstanding commitment to Nigeria’s digital transformation and represents a shared pursuit of economic growth.
Head of Digital Development at FCDO London and global lead for the UK Digital Access Programme, Alessandra Lustrati, presented the UK’s Digital Development Strategy 2024–2030 to the Nigerian delegation. She emphasized the need for government digital services to be accessible, open and citizen-centred, supported by strong cybersecurity and data protection frameworks.
The UK and Nigeria are expected to continue expanding cooperation in digital governance, public sector reform and secure digital development as both countries pursue ambitious technology-driven economic goals.
