THE National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has stepped up efforts to boost Nigeria’s innovation space through a strategic partnership with Galaxy Backbone Limited to provide subsidised sovereign cloud services for startups.

The collaboration, disclosed on Sunday, will support participants in the iHatch programme with access to secure, locally hosted cloud infrastructure, a move seen as critical to scaling indigenous technology solutions and strengthening data sovereignty.

Under the arrangement, startups will be onboarded onto the Galaxy Cloud Platform, enabling them to host data within Nigeria while benefiting from enterprise-grade infrastructure backed by advanced data centres and cybersecurity systems.

Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, said the initiative is designed to remove key barriers confronting startups.

“This partnership reinforces our commitment to building a resilient and globally competitive startup ecosystem by providing access to essential digital infrastructure,” he said.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of Galaxy Backbone, Ibrahim Adeyanju, described the move as a major boost for innovation-driven enterprises.

“This initiative empowers startups with secure, enterprise-grade cloud services at highly subsidised rates, allowing them to host data locally and strengthen Nigeria’s digital sovereignty,” he said.

The programme will operate a tiered, milestone-based system where cloud credits are released across different growth phases, including build, validation and scale. The credits will run for a specified period before beneficiaries transition to regular billing.

To ensure sustainability, all post-subsidy payments will be made in naira, shielding startups from foreign exchange fluctuations. A dedicated support team will also guide users, while automated tools will help monitor and optimise usage.

National Coordinator of the innovation office, Victoria Fabunmi, said the integration of sovereign cloud services into the iHatch programme would enhance startups’ ability to grow and compete globally.

The iHatch programme has already trained over 160 startups across multiple hubs nationwide, with stakeholders expressing optimism that the new partnership will accelerate innovation and deepen Nigeria’s digital economy.