By Oluwole Alao

The Federal Government of Nigeria, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), hosted the 17th edition of the West Africa Internet Governance Forum, which is aimed at strengthening governance frameworks and fostering inclusive, secure, and impactful digital transformation initiatives across the West African sub-region.

The five-day forum, themed “Building a Resilient, Inclusive, and Safe Digital Future for West Africa,” convened regional stakeholders to deliberate on pressing issues in internet governance and digital policy.

Building upon its active participation in previous forums, including the 2024 Internet Governance Forum in Riyadh, where NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, emphasized ethical AI development and digital sovereignty for Africa, NITDA continues to champion initiatives that promote responsible digital innovation and inclusion.

At the opening of the Parliamentary Track session, lawmakers, digital policy experts, and civil society leaders from across West Africa engaged in discussions focused on harmonizing digital legislation and advancing inclusive, secure, and rights-based digital development throughout the region.

In his keynote address at the event, the Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, highlighted the forum’s relevance amid the rapid digital transformation reshaping economies and societies, and stressed the vital role of multi-stakeholder engagement in building an inclusive digital ecosystem that benefits everyone.

Speaking on Nigeria’s digital leadership, Dr. Tijani pointed to major national and regional initiatives being championed by the government, including efforts to bolster subsea cable resilience, which carries more than 99% of today’s internet traffic.

“And not only is Nigeria leading the African continent to actually help the world shape how these cables become more resilient, we are also working actively through the ITU Advisory Board to ensure that there’s a robust subsea cable redundancy protocol for the West Africa Region,” he stated.

The Minister affirmed the Nigerian government’s commitment to advancing data protection and privacy, expanding digital literacy and inclusion, and developing policy frameworks that will drive the country’s digital transformation.

“I can boldly announce that by Tuesday next week, Mr. President will be chairing an interagency committee which is focused on accelerating the deployment of digital public infrastructure across the Nigerian government.”

“We are working to deepen and democratise access to the internet, protect users’ rights, enable innovation that uplifts our economies and empower our people,” the Minister noted.

Dr. Tijani called on participants to move beyond discussions and declarations, urging them to demonstrate concrete commitment by investing in infrastructure for underserved communities, advancing digital literacy, securing cyberspace, and fostering values-driven innovation.

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the West African Parliamentarians Network on Internet Governance who also doubles as the Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cybercrimes, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, expressed his deep gratitude to the delegates from the West African region, Nigerian lawmakers, government agencies, digital economy stakeholders, international partners, and the local organising committee for making the forum a success.

Emphasising the importance of regional collaboration, the Senator called for tangible action to harness the power of the internet in addressing West Africa’s most urgent challenges.

He encouraged participants to move beyond dialogue and adopt a practical declaration that champions the inclusive and transformative use of digital technologies while stressing that key focus areas should include public service reform, the protection of personal data, and the empowerment of young people through digital opportunities.

In his remark, the DG NITDA highlighted the forum’s significance as a platform where policymakers, industry leaders, civil society, technical experts, and youth will converge to exchange ideas that will build the capacities of West African stakeholders and foster collaboration at national, regional, and global levels.

Inuwa noted that the event aligns with the Nigerian government’s commitment to improving governance for effective service delivery under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s redefined priority areas.

The NITDA DG encouraged the parliamentarians to collaborate in crafting and enacting legislation that drives digital transformation, strengthens cybersecurity, and safeguards data privacy.

He reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to these objectives, highlighting the nation’s recent progress in expanding digital infrastructure and implementing forward-looking policy frameworks.

By sharing best practices and aligning legislative efforts, Inuwa believes that West African countries can collectively overcome challenges and leverage digital technologies for sustainable development.

Other dignitaries at the event were the Chairman of the House Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, Hon. Adedeji Stanley Olajide, EVC NCC, Dr. Aminu Maida, MD Galaxy Backbone, Prof Ibrahim Adeyanju, MD NIGCOMSAT, Mrs Jane Egerton-Idehen, NC NDPC, Dr Vincent Olatunji, DG NIMC, Engr Bisoye Coker-Odusote, lawmakers from the House of Assembly and House of Representatives, and many others.