The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) on Wednesday inaugurated a Multi-Stakeholder Coordinating Group (MSCG) on digital governance to deepen transparency, accountability and inclusion in Nigeria’s digital space.

The initiative follows Nigeria’s recent global recognition at the Open Government Partnership (OGP) Global Conference in Spain, where the country received awards for excellence in digital governance.

Speaking at the inauguration in Abuja, NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, said the recognition placed a new responsibility on Nigeria to sustain and improve its digital governance reforms.

He recalled that Nigeria’s participation at the summit in Spain led to international awards for both national and regional achievements in digital governance, noting that the honour should translate into stronger commitment at home.

According to him, the country’s digital transformation agenda is already anchored on key legal and policy instruments, including the Data Protection Act, the draft National e-Governance and Digital Economy Bill, as well as internal governance frameworks such as the Nigerian Government Enterprise Architecture and interoperability standards.

Inuwa said these tools have contributed to Nigeria’s growing global reputation, stressing that collaboration across sectors is now critical to sustaining progress.

He explained that the new coordinating group was designed to institutionalise reforms and prevent policy disruptions that often follow leadership transitions.

“We must ensure that what we are building is sustained beyond individuals and institutions. The goal is to embed inclusivity, security, privacy and accountability into every layer of our digital governance framework,” he said.

The DG also highlighted ongoing reforms in public sector IT procurement, disclosing that NITDA’s IT clearance process saved the federal government over N319 billion through improved project scrutiny and collaboration with relevant financial oversight bodies.

He expressed concern over the high failure rate of government IT projects, attributing it to weak design processes and poor understanding of system requirements before procurement.

To address this, he said the agency is introducing stricter guidelines requiring certified system designs, professional implementation, and independent quality assurance before deployment of IT projects across ministries, departments and agencies.

“Digital transformation must be properly designed, professionally executed and independently verified. That is how we avoid waste and ensure value for money,” he added.

Earlier, Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships at NITDA, Dr Aristotle Onumo, said the inauguration marked a shift from isolated institutional efforts to coordinated ecosystem-driven governance.

He said digital transformation globally is now driven by partnerships rather than standalone institutions, noting that Nigeria’s growing recognition in digital governance reflects the strength of collaboration among stakeholders.

Onumo explained that NITDA’s approach is guided by platform-based governance and networked value creation, rather than fragmented institutional interventions.

He added that the MSCG would serve as a bridge between policy formulation and implementation, ensuring that reforms under the Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) and the National Action Plan IV (NAP IV) translate into measurable outcomes.

Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) in Nigeria, Dr Gloria Ahmed, commended NITDA for its leadership in advancing open and inclusive governance reforms.

She said the establishment of the MSCG aligns with global principles of transparency, accountability and citizen participation, which are central to the OGP framework.

According to her, the success of ongoing reforms, including commitments under NAP IV, will depend on sustained multi-sector participation and effective coordination mechanisms such as the newly inaugurated group.

She further emphasised that Nigeria’s broader governance reforms, including the National Development Plan and ward-based development initiatives, require strong digital systems and stakeholder engagement to achieve results.

The inauguration ended with a call for sustained collaboration among stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria’s digital governance reforms remain inclusive, transparent and impactful.