Nigeria’s push to entrench digital trust and scale innovation within its digital economy received fresh momentum as the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) engaged in high-level talks with Trust Stamp, a NASDAQ-listed global technology company.
The strategic meeting, chaired by NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, centred on forging a collaborative framework that strengthens Nigeria’s digital trust architecture while accelerating responsible innovation.
Discussions focused on aligning potential areas of partnership with Nigeria’s broader digital transformation agenda, particularly NITDA’s strategic priorities of building a secure, inclusive, and innovation-driven digital ecosystem.
The engagement signals a deliberate effort to deepen public–private collaboration in advancing secure identity systems, data protection standards, and scalable digital infrastructure to support the country’s evolving digital economy.
Inuwa emphasised that trust remains a critical foundation for the growth of the digital economy, noting that secure systems and strong cybersecurity frameworks are essential for driving innovation, economic growth, and national development.
He stated that building trust in digital platforms and services is key to accelerating adoption and unlocking opportunities across sectors.
He reiterated NITDA’s mandate as a regulator to create an enabling environment through forward-looking policies and regulatory frameworks that support innovation rather than promote specific technologies.
According to him, government interventions are designed to stimulate markets, create opportunities, and empower both businesses and citizens to participate fully in the digital economy.
The Director General further reaffirmed Nigeria’s openness to investments that strengthen digital infrastructure and enhance digital services, stressing that sustainable national development is best driven by private sector participation under supportive regulatory and policy frameworks.
He called for continued engagement to ensure alignment with national priorities and effective integration into Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.
In his remarks, Trust Stamp Vice President, Jonathan Pasha, highlighted the company’s global experience in secure verification and trust technologies, describing its approach as partnership-oriented and focused on delivering long-term value within local ecosystems.
He noted that the company prioritises collaboration with governments and private sector stakeholders to address local challenges and expand access to secure digital services.
Pasha referenced Trust Stamp’s ongoing operations in Nigeria, including its collaboration with a telecommunications provider to enhance SIM swap prevention and fraud detection capabilities.
He also outlined the firm’s biometric tokenisation technology, which converts biometric data into secure, privacy-preserving representations, enabling verification processes without exposing sensitive information.
He explained that the technology supports secure verification, fraud prevention, financial inclusion initiatives, and the tokenisation of real-world assets, while being designed to function effectively in low-connectivity environments and on low-specification devices to expand access to digital services.
Both parties expressed interest in advancing technical-level discussions to identify specific areas of collaboration aligned with national priorities and Nigeria’s digital transformation objectives.
NITDA reaffirmed its commitment to fostering a secure and trusted digital economy through strategic partnerships, robust regulatory frameworks, and initiatives that promote innovation, inclusion, and sustainable growth.
