Nigerian states are ramping up initiatives to accelerate their digital transformation in line with the federal government's objectives. Earlier this month, Anambra State approved a project to deploy a data management platform.

The Bauchi State government in Nigeria has partnered with Galaxy Backbone (GBB), a state-owned company specializing in ICT solutions and services, to strengthen digital infrastructure and expand the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) across the state. The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last week to formalize this collaboration.

The partnership aims to enhance connectivity, build local ICT skills, provide specialized consulting services, and offer hosted ICT solutions. These initiatives are part of broader efforts to modernize governance and improve the delivery of public services in Bauchi State. To achieve these goals, GBB will leverage its data centers located in Abuja and Kano.

This agreement aligns with Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed's vision to transform Bauchi State into "a hub of digital innovation, ensuring efficient governance and improved service delivery for our citizens." As part of this vision, the state is working on digitizing its education system through the implementation of a Teacher Management Information System (TMIS) and an Education Management Information System.

The collaboration is expected "to lead to an enhancement of Bauchi State’s ICT Infrastructure, through GBB’s resources and expertise, deepen training and consultancy services, while, enhancing economic growth to attract investments, create jobs, and drive economic opportunities through improved digital connectivity and service delivery within the state," GBB said in a statement.

This initiative also contributes to Nigeria's broader digital transformation, as Africa’s digital economy is projected to be worth at least $712 billion by 2050, accounting for 8.5% of the continent’s GDP, according to a joint study by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Google. In Nigeria, the ICT sector contributed 19.78% to real GDP in the second quarter of 2024, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Isaac K. Kassouwi