Tinubu Sets 180-Day Roadmap For Nigeria’s Digital Free Zones

President Bola Tinubu has directed the development of a 180-day roadmap for the full rollout of Nigeria’s Digital Free Zones initiative, in a move aimed at keeping more technology-driven businesses, jobs and intellectual property within the country.

The statement was issued on Thursday, by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.

The directive is part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to reposition Nigeria for greater participation in the global digital economy and create an environment where Nigerian technology and service companies can access international markets and capital without relocating their operations abroad.

President Tinubu said the initiative would also expand opportunities for Nigerians to work remotely for global companies while strengthening the local ecosystem supporting digital businesses.

According to the President, Nigeria possesses the talent and entrepreneurial capacity required to build globally competitive companies, but government must create the right conditions for that potential to be realised domestically.

Tinubu said the administration wants more economic benefits generated by Nigerian talent to remain within the country through employment, investment, professional services, intellectual property and the expansion of locally based businesses.

The President has tasked the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, who serves as Vice-Chairman and Implementation Coordinator of the Presidential Steering Committee on Digital Free Zones, to work with the Itana Innovation project and other members of the committee to produce the roadmap.

The plan is expected to guide the initiative towards full implementation within 180 days.

Tinubu established and chairs the Presidential Steering Committee as part of efforts to update Nigeria’s free zone system, which was originally developed more than 30 years ago, to reflect the needs of the modern digital economy.

The President expressed concern that Nigerian startups and entrepreneurs have often had to incorporate their businesses or hold intellectual property outside the country in order to access international financing and markets.

He added that Nigeria should become a base from which the next generation of African technology, financial and service companies can be established, managed and expanded internationally.

The Digital Free Zones initiative is already being implemented through Itana, which has been licensed by the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) as Nigeria’s first Digital Free Zone.

Itana provides a platform for digital and service-oriented companies seeking to establish and operate from Nigeria while serving customers across Africa and other international markets.

The $500 million Itana Innovation project at Alaro City in Lagos is being backed by the Africa Finance Corporation. The development is expected to bring together an innovation campus, access to financing, ecosystem support and an enabling policy environment for African startups.

The Federal Government says the broader objective is to enable businesses to remain incorporated and operated in Nigeria while competing effectively in global markets.

Tinubu said the vision should extend beyond physical technology parks to include employment opportunities for Nigerians regardless of where they live.

According to him, locally based digital businesses can generate wider economic activity by employing Nigerians and patronising domestic professional services.

The Presidential Steering Committee is expected to address several areas required for the effective operation of Digital Free Zones.

These include regulation, taxation, banking, immigration, arbitration and the digitisation of government processes within free zones.

The initiative is also being positioned as part of Nigeria’s strategy to benefit from the expansion of Africa’s digital economy and the increasing volume of digitally enabled trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area.

Tinubu said Nigeria has both the human resources and market capacity to play a significant role in Africa’s technology and digital economy value chain.