NDSF@17: Nigeria Must Move from Digital Policy Spectator to Global Leader

As the world enters a pivotal era of digital policy negotiations, the 17th Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum (NDSF) on Internet Governance for Development (IG4D) has set a clear mandate: Nigeria must evolve from a spectator to a leader in global digital governance.

In his welcome address at the forum, which convened recently at the Welcome Centre Hotels, Lagos, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, the lead convener of the NDSF and Group Executive Editor of ITREALMS Media Group, issued a rallying cry to industry stakeholders.

“As the world negotiates the next phase of global digital compacts, Nigeria must not merely be a spectator; we must be an active architect,” Nweke declared.

Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Olusola Teniola, chairman of the forum, challenged participants to ensure that the multi-stakeholder dialogue translates into tangible progress.

Emphasizing that “the ultimate measure of digital transformation is the positive impact it has on citizens and communities,” Dr. Teniola urged stakeholders to move beyond talk and commit to concrete, measurable, and actionable outcomes.

He further noted that “the complexity of today’s digital ecosystem requires stronger collaboration among government, the private sector, civil society, academia, the technical community, development partners, and users themselves” to realize the WSIS vision of an inclusive, people-centered information society.

To achieve this, Nweke emphasized the urgent need to strengthen Nigeria’s digital foundations, noting that true digital sovereignty requires robust infrastructure, including data center interconnectivity and carrier-neutral protections. He further advocated for the expansion of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) to boost the .ng domain brand and support the SMEs that drive the national economy.

The forum also prioritized the empowerment of the next generation through several key initiatives: The newly optimized Women, Youth & Students Track, which equipped attendees with cybersecurity skills through a “Phishing @ A Glance” presentation sponsored by the DNS WomenNG Foundation.

The formal adoption of the “2026 Nigerian Youth Declaration on Digital Rights” by secondary school participants, ensuring young voices are central to the policy conversation.

The launch of the 2026 National DigitalSENSE Youth Essay Competition, designed to institutionalize youth advocacy and digital rights awareness nationwide.

Nweke concluded by thanking the forum’s institutional partners, including the NCC, NITDA, ALTON, ISOC Nigeria, Digital Realty, DNS WomenNG Foundation, IHS Nigeria, and NLNG; for their commitment to the multi-stakeholder synergy necessary to bridge the digital divide.

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