President Bola Tinubu has declared data as “the new oil,” emphasising its critical role in governance and Nigeria’s global standing.
He announced a directive for all ministries, departments, and agencies to capture, safeguard, and responsibly release data to drive public value and facilitate international benchmarking.
This strategic emphasis on data comes as Galaxy Backbone launches its 1Government Cloud Academy, an initiative designed to equip civil servants with the essential digital skills for Nigeria’s transition to a paperless public sector.
According to a statement from Galaxy Backbone on Wednesday, the set up of the academy is a strategic move to advance Nigeria’s transition to a paperless civil service and enhance communication across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies.
The announcement was a key highlight of the 2025 International Civil Service Conference in Abuja, attended by President Tinubu, members of the Federal Executive Council, the diplomatic community, industry leaders, and civil servants.
In his opening remarks, President Tinubu reinforced the strategic significance of data, describing it as “the new oil.”
He clarified that unlike traditional oil, data’s value appreciates with refinement and responsible utilisation.
The President mandated all MDAs to diligently capture and safeguard data under the Nigerian Data Protection Act (2023), and to release it in ways that generate public value, ensuring strict adherence to international data privacy standards.
“We must let our data speak for us. We must publish verified data assets locally and share them globally. This will enable international benchmarking and strengthen Nigeria’s standing on the world stage,” he stated.
He further emphasised the need for data sovereignty and privacy to be rigorously protected within local and allied data centers.
Galaxy Backbone’s new 1Government Cloud Academy aims to train selected civil servants and public sector stakeholders in technical tools crucial for successful digital transformation. This move is a strategic step towards advancing Nigeria’s digital public service and improving communication across MDAs.
The Programme Director of the 1Government Cloud initiative, Mr. Wumi Oghoetuoma, while speaking on a panel at the event, underscored the paramount importance of trust and understanding in the successful adoption of digital tools.
“Many digital solutions have failed not because they were ineffective, but because users didn’t trust or fully understand them,” Oghoetuoma noted.
The PUNCH