President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is expected to sign the National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill 2025 into law before the end of November, marking a major milestone in Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
Gatekeepers News reports that this was disclosed by the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, during a public hearing jointly organised by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on ICT, Cybersecurity, Digital, and Information Technology on Monday.
Tijani said the Bill positions Nigeria to become the first African country to enact a comprehensive legal framework for the digital economy and e-governance.
“This Bill is being awaited by President Bola Tinubu for assent this month, as it is one of the catalysts for achieving our one-trillion-dollar economic projection,” the minister stated.
He described the legislation as a transformative policy framework designed to modernise governance, strengthen digital systems, and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a knowledge-driven economy.
According to Tijani, the digital economy’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP has grown from 16 percent to 19 percent, with projections to reach 21 percent by 2027.
He explained that the Bill provides a comprehensive legal and institutional structure covering electronic communications, digital signatures, artificial intelligence (AI) governance, cybersecurity, and digital literacy.
Tijani stressed that the Tinubu administration is focused on long-term structural reforms rather than short-term fixes.
“Together with the National Assembly, we are deploying 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic network to connect every geopolitical zone, state and local government with world-class internet access,” he said.
“Beyond this, we are addressing the needs of over 20 million unconnected Nigerians by deploying nearly 4,000 new communication towers in underserved communities.”
The Bill also proposes the creation of a National Data Exchange System, which will facilitate secure data sharing among government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), as well as between the public and private sectors. It further outlines a framework for ethical AI adoption to drive productivity and competitiveness across industries.
“In strengthening this Bill, we are shaping the future of generations yet unborn,” Tijani added. “The generation that liberalised our telecoms sector in 1999 laid the foundation for today’s growth. Now, we take the next bold step to expand our economy through technology and innovation.”
Meanwhile, Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, described the Bill as a milestone in Nigeria’s digital governance journey.
He noted that it will provide legal recognition for electronic communications, records, and contracts, while mandating all public institutions to digitise their operations.
