The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has urged Nigerians and organizations to patronize locally developed digital solutions to drive economic growth and strengthen the country’s data sovereignty.
Oyedele made the call on Monday in Abuja during a courtesy visit to Galaxy Backbone Ltd. (GBB), where he urged Nigerians to support the Federal Government’s “Buy Nigeria, Make Nigeria” initiative by choosing locally developed software, hardware, and digital infrastructure.
He said greater patronage of indigenous technology would boost Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global digital economy, noting that some organizations had found locally produced solutions to be more affordable while maintaining quality.
The minister said digital infrastructure was critical to Nigeria’s economic development and called for deliberate investment in the sector.
“Many organizations, particularly in the private sector, still rely heavily on foreign suppliers, despite the availability of capable Nigerian technology providers,” he said.
Oyedele described GBB’s work as a national responsibility and pledged the Ministry of Finance’s support to strengthen its operations and sustainability.
Earlier, GBB’s Managing Director, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, called for sustained investment, private-sector partnerships, and policy support to expand the organization’s fiber network, data centers, and cybersecurity capabilities.
Adeyanju said GBB currently operates more than 5,000 kilometers of fiber infrastructure and Uptime Institute-certified Tier III and Tier IV data centers, alongside cybersecurity and other shared digital services supporting government institutions.
He said increased investment in digital infrastructure would improve productivity, innovation, economic growth, and public service delivery.
GBB, a Federal Government-owned ICT services provider, manages shared digital infrastructure for government institutions and continues to expand its connectivity and digital services across Nigeria.
Leave feedback about this