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Nigeria has launched a ₦12 billion research funding programme aimed at strengthening the role of data and evidence in shaping the country’s digital economy.
Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Minister Bosun Tijani said the National Digital Economy Research Clusters initiative will support academic and research institutions to generate policy-relevant insights for the sector.
The programme is being implemented under Project BRIDGE, a government initiative to deploy 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic infrastructure across the country, according to Tech Africa news.
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“The move is intended to address gaps in policymaking, where decisions have often been influenced by market trends and short-term considerations rather than long-term research,” Tijani said,
The research clusters will focus on six areas: connectivity and access, digital public infrastructure, digital skills, the digital economy and jobs, online safety and trust, and artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
Each cluster will be led by senior academics from Nigerian universities working with international partners, with more than 200 researchers expected to participate, including postdoctoral fellows and PhD candidates.
The government said findings from the programme will be used to guide policy and support the development of Nigeria’s digital sector as investments in connectivity expand.
Applications for the programme are open to universities and research institutions, with further details expected to be provided by the ministry.
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