Nigerian Deputy Speaker touts DPI bill as ‘historic opportunity’

Nigeria’s Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has described the forthcoming National Digital Economy and E-Governance Bill as a historic opportunity to establish a strong legislative foundation for Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure and future.

The legislation aims to bolster Nigeria’s digital public infrastructure (DPI) and governance ecosystem, while helping to modernize the public sector by creating legal parity between electronic and paper-based processes.

Progress on the bill has been slow within Nigeria’s legislative chambers. Introduced in the Senate in July 2024 under Bill No. SB. 498, it completed its first reading in the House of Representatives but has yet to reach other stages.

Speaking at the National GovTech Policy Roundtable 2026 in March, the Deputy Speaker called for sweeping changes in how government services are designed and delivered, championing a “Digital First Governance” model, according to Voice of Nigeria.

Although Nigeria has achieved considerable progress in areas of DPI including digital identity, payment infrastructure, e-service platforms, and data systems, these initiatives remain siloed and need to be brought together under a more cohesive framework, he noted.

Should the bill pass into law, it would require digital compliance across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), promote interoperability between systems, define institutional responsibilities, and put in place enforcement mechanisms that endure across successive administrations, Kalu notes.

Last year, Nigeria announced a US$2 billion commitment to DPI aimed at enhancing digital service delivery to its citizens. The country is also undertaking an ambitious digital ID initiative, with a target of registering 180 million individuals by 2026.

Article Topics

digital identity  |  digital payments  |  digital public infrastructure  |  Nigeria