Nigeria is using the continental stage of GITEX Africa 2026 to issue a strategic warning to African policymakers and industry leaders: without coordinated investment in cloud infrastructure and cybersecurity, the continent risks fragmentation and falling behind in the global digital economy.
Speaking at the event held in Marrakech, Kashifu Abdullahi, Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA),  calls for deeper regional collaboration to build a unified and resilient digital ecosystem across Africa.
The 2026 edition of GITEX Africa, themed around accelerating the continent’s digital economy in the age of artificial intelligence, is bringing together governments, technology companies, startups, and investors to shape Africa’s digital trajectory, with strong focus on AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and digital sovereignty.
At the centre of Abdullahi’s message is a clear caution: Africa’s digital future hinges on its ability to develop a coordinated cloud infrastructure strategy.
NITDA warns against fragmented cloud strategy
At the centre of Abdullahi’s message is a clear caution: Africa’s digital future hinges on its ability to develop a coordinated cloud infrastructure strategy.
Speaking during a panel session on Africa’s cloud opportunity, he warns that a fragmented approach could limit innovation, weaken data sovereignty, and reduce the continent’s competitiveness globally.
According to him, while governments play a critical enabling role through policy and regulation, the private sector must lead the development of cloud ecosystems due to its agility and capacity for innovation. He emphasises that collaboration across borders will be essential to building scalable, interconnected systems capable of supporting Africa’s growing digital economy.
He also identifies data centre operators as key enablers, noting that their role in delivering reliable and scalable infrastructure will determine how effectively African markets can support digital services at scale.
The NITDA DG’s intervention comes as heads of ICT agencies across the continent, under the Council of African IT Agencies, deepen engagement on shared priorities aimed at strengthening policy coordination and innovation ecosystems.
Abdullahi says this growing alignment reflects an emerging regional consensus that digital transformation must be pursued collectively to unlock inclusive growth and position Africa as a globally competitive technology market.
Rising cybersecurity risks in AI era
Beyond infrastructure, Abdullahi raises concerns over the increasing complexity of cybersecurity threats in an AI-driven landscape. He notes that more than 95% of cyber breaches are linked to human factors, underscoring the urgent need for digital literacy and capacity building as frontline defences.
Speaking during a cyber resilience session, he calls for more proactive and adaptive security strategies that integrate people, processes, policy, and technology.
Nigeria’s approach, he explains, is anchored on a holistic cybersecurity framework tied to its national ambition of achieving widespread digital literacy, positioning human capacity as a critical layer of defence in the digital ecosystem.
Looking beyond risks, Abdullahi also frames Africa’s large youth population as a strategic advantage, urging countries to invest in skills development to position the continent as a global hub for digital talent.
He calls for a coordinated continental strategy that not only addresses infrastructure and security gaps but also enables Africa to export digital skills and services at scale.
The intervention by NITDA signals a broader policy direction in which Nigeria is pushing for Africa to move from isolated national efforts to a more integrated digital economy model.
At stake, according to Abdullahi, is whether Africa can build the foundational infrastructure, talent base, and governance frameworks required to compete globally, or remain constrained by fragmented systems and missed opportunities.
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