• Deal covers digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, innovation and skills development
• Agreement builds on prior talks, aligns with European digital initiatives

Nigeria signed a memorandum of understanding with Finland on Monday to advance its digital transformation agenda.

The agreement was signed in Abuja by Bosun Tijani, Nigeria’s minister of communications, innovation and digital economy, and Jarno Syrjälä, Finland’s undersecretary of state for foreign trade at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The memorandum covers digital government, emerging technologies, digital public infrastructure, cybersecurity and the development of innovation ecosystems. It also includes measures to build local skills.

“This agreement is a significant next step following our engagements in Helsinki in February, where we met with key stakeholders including Finnvera and Finnfund, and held productive discussions on advancing collaboration around digital infrastructure, the Data Exchange Platform, and opportunities for Finnish participation in Project BRIDGE,” Tijani said.

The deal follows months of talks between Abuja and Helsinki, focused on digital infrastructure and projects such as data exchange platforms. It also aligns with European initiatives, including the Team Europe programme, implemented with support from Finland’s HAUS Finnish Institute of Public Management and Estonia’s development agency ESTDEV.

“Finland is very pleased to deepen its partnership with Nigeria in building resilient, secure, and human‑centric digital societies,” Syrjälä said.

Adoni Conrad Quenum