The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has described the successful conclusion of the 18th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV 2025) as a landmark moment for Nigeria’s digital economy ambitions, citing its impact on research excellence, global collaboration, and the country’s digital transformation agenda.
Hosted in Abuja under the patronage of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the four-day conference brought together global experts for high-level discussions, research presentations, and strategic partnerships — all of which NITDA said align with the President’s vision of accelerating economic diversification through industrialisation and digitisation.
Organised by the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV), ICEGOV 2025 convened academia, industry leaders, civil society, and policymakers to shape the future of electronic governance. This year’s edition placed Nigeria at the forefront of global digital dialogue, showcasing its growing intellectual and technological capacity.
A total of 151 scientific papers were submitted by 308 authors from 33 countries, with Nigeria leading the pack with 102 authors, followed by Brazil, India, Portugal, and Greece. NITDA noted that this strong participation reflects its sustained investments in digital talent development, research funding, and ecosystem strengthening.
The conference also recognised outstanding scholarship through its Best Paper Awards. Notably, Robert Ifeonu of the Central Bank of Nigeria won the top prize in the Research category for his paper, “Micro-Transformation Framework for Public Sector Innovation: Catalysing Resilient, Outcome-Driven Digital Governance.”
NITDA said the win highlights Nigeria’s growing leadership in developing home-grown governance models with real socio-economic impact.
In her closing remarks, Professor Delfina Soares, Director of UNU-EGOV, commended NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, for his strategic leadership and early support in bringing ICEGOV to Nigeria. She noted that NITDA’s facilitation of local partnerships and sponsorships enhanced the conference’s global relevance while strengthening Africa’s footprint in digital governance research.
NITDA further stated that hosting ICEGOV 2025 created multiple layers of value — from bolstering Nigeria’s global reputation as a digital innovation hub to unlocking new opportunities for investment, collaboration, and capacity building.
The agency added that insights from the conference will accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation goals, improve public sector efficiency, and advance the Federal Government’s agenda on digitisation and economic diversification.
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