Nigeria Must Lead Africa’s Digital Future, Says FG

The Federal Government, alongside international partners, has urged the integration of cyber, anticipatory, and digital diplomacy into the core of Nigeria’s foreign policy, highlighting the urgent need for the country to take a leadership role in shaping Africa’s digital future.

The call was made at the inaugural seminar on “Anticipatory, Cyber, and Digital Diplomacy for Strengthening Nigeria’s Foreign Policy,” held in Abuja on Tuesday.

Speaking at the opening session, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, said the country must not remain a passive observer in a rapidly changing digital world.

“We are living through a historic transformation. The convergence of disruptive technologies, shifting geopolitical alignments, and deepening digital interdependence is redefining the foundations of diplomacy.

“From artificial intelligence and quantum computing, to the geopolitics of data and the militarisation of cyberspace, the very nature of statecraft is being rewritten before our eyes,” Tuggar said.

The minister stressed that Nigeria must act with urgency to position itself as “a principled, capable and forward-looking actor in the evolving global digital order,” calling for cyber diplomacy to be deeply integrated into Nigeria’s foreign service, national security framework, and multilateral engagements.

He added, “We must lead Africa’s digital future, training a new generation of cyber negotiators, expanding regional incident response capabilities, and championing African-led solutions to global digital challenges.

“This includes advancing climate-conscious data practices and ethical AI development.”

Explaining the significance of anticipatory diplomacy, Tuggar said, “It provides us with the ability to detect early warning signals, foresee systemic shocks and plan strategically for the future, whether in the global race for critical minerals, the regulation of artificial intelligence, or the restructuring of global supply chains.”

On cyber diplomacy, he noted it encompasses international cooperation on combating cybercrime, protecting infrastructure, safeguarding elections, and shaping global norms around data privacy, internet freedom, and information integrity.

“This is not optional. We are part of the equation. The only question to ask is how prepared we can be.

“Nigeria’s foreign policy must adapt to a world where private technology firms often wield more influence than sovereign states, and where digital platforms can shape public opinion, economic outcomes, and even conflict dynamics.

“As we seek greater influence within ECOWAS, the African Union and the United Nations, our engagement must be anchored in sovereignty, trust, and innovation,” Tuggar emphasised.

He also announced the creation of a Cyber Diplomacy Unit within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, tasked with coordinating Nigeria’s cyber-related foreign policy and championing ethical digital governance.

“This is Nigeria’s digital gift to the world,” he said, referencing the launch of the Anticipatory Cyber and Digital Diplomacy Masterclass Series for African and Global South diplomats, which will be freely accessible online.

Tuggar further highlighted that the inclusion of women and youth, regional collaboration, and engagement with the private sector and diaspora are central to Nigeria’s cyber diplomacy strategy.

Echoing similar sentiments, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, said the digital era demands a fundamental transformation in statecraft.

“The 21st century has introduced a paradigm shift in conflict, communication, and cooperation.

“Traditional diplomatic methods are no longer sufficient,” Fagbemi noted.

He underscored the need for legal and policy frameworks that can manage the impact of technologies like AI, data governance, and cybersecurity.

“Cyber threats pose a danger to national infrastructure and the rule of law.

“A legal framework must, therefore, be robust enough to deter cybercrime, enforce justice, and foster international cooperation to protect digital sovereignty,” the minister noted.

Fagbemi emphasised that public diplomacy through social media and digital platforms must be managed ethically and responsibly, and that the Ministry of Justice is committed to working with security agencies, the private sector, and civil society to advance a secure digital future for Nigeria.

Representing international partners, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery, reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to cyber and digital cooperation with Nigeria.

“The British High Commission is very pleased to be one of the sponsors for today’s seminar,” Montgomery said, outlining the UK’s bilateral work with Nigeria under the Security and Defence Partnership, including a Memorandum of Understanding on cybersecurity signed last year.

“In combination, we’ve agreed to share lessons and collaborate in five areas: threat hunting, building cyber threat intelligence capability, identifying critical national infrastructure, digital forensics, and national incident response planning,” Montgomery stated.

He noted that these are fundamental to building government cyber capabilities and effective international cyber diplomacy.

While emphasising that Nigeria will shape its own sovereign cyber decisions, Montgomery offered the UK’s support in sharing lessons from its own Foreign Office experience, especially in engaging research institutions, the private sector, and higher education to build a resilient digital ecosystem.

“I fully agree with the Honorable Minister for Foreign Affairs about today’s seminar being framed by technological challenges and threats,” he said, noting that threats from hostile states, disinformation, hate speech, and cybercrime are real and growing.

“We fear that this grey zone is going to be turbocharged by artificial intelligence tools,” Montgomery warned, adding that the UK and Nigeria have already recorded “shared successes” in tackling cyber fraud and crime, with more collaboration needed.

The seminar was attended by diplomats, foreign policy experts, legal practitioners, security agencies, and members of the private sector.

In recent years, diplomacy has evolved beyond traditional statecraft to address emerging issues in cyberspace, artificial intelligence, and global digital governance.

Countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, China, and European Union members have crafted comprehensive cyber diplomacy strategies, acknowledging the rising importance of cybersecurity, data privacy, AI ethics, and the growing influence of tech companies on international affairs.

Nigeria’s digital foreign policy came under the global spotlight in June 2021 when the government suspended Twitter after the platform removed a tweet by then-President Muhammadu Buhari. It ignited international debate around digital sovereignty, platform accountability, and freedom of expression.

By 2024, Nigeria was reportedly facing over 4,000 cyber attacks daily, according to cybersecurity firm Nitroswitch.