The Permanent Secretary, General Services Office (GSO), Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, mni, has emphasized the need for stronger collaboration among African nations in building robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) systems that will drive inclusive governance, economic growth, innovation, and citizen-centered service delivery across the continent.
Dr. Kana made this known in his goodwill message at the High-Level Continental Engagement with the theme: “Building African Digital Foundations Together”, which was organized by Galaxy Backbone Ltd in collaboration with Co-Develop, Smart Africa, and MicroSave Consulting on Tuesday 19th May, 2026 in Abuja.
Addressing distinguished representatives of governments, development partners, digital institutions, and stakeholders from across Africa, Dr. Kana described the gathering as a strategic platform for shaping the future of Africa’s digital economy and strengthening the foundations required for sustainable development. He stressed that the continent’s opportunity extends beyond merely digitizing existing systems to building a uniquely African digital future anchored on collaboration, inclusion, trust, and scalability.
According to him, Digital Public Infrastructure has increasingly become a central pillar for national development and global competitiveness, noting that nations making significant progress in innovation, financial inclusion, digital governance, healthcare, education systems, and artificial intelligence are doing so on the strength of resilient digital ecosystems.
“Digital identity systems, interoperable payment rails, trusted data exchange frameworks, and secure digital platforms are no longer optional national assets; they have become essential instruments of state capability and economic resilience,” he stated.
Dr. Kana particularly commended Galaxy Backbone alongside institutions such as the National Identity Management Commission and the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System for their contributions to Nigeria’s evolving Digital Public Infrastructure ecosystem and their support for the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda. He added that over the years, Galaxy Backbone has continued to demonstrate commitment to enabling secure digital infrastructure, supporting public sector modernization, and improving service delivery through technology-driven initiatives.
He welcomed the drive toward developing a unified African Digital Public Infrastructure road-map over the next three to five years. He said the proposed framework would assist countries in identifying common priorities, encouraging reusable digital building blocks, reducing implementation costs, and strengthening local innovation ecosystems.
He further emphasized the importance of moving beyond isolated conversations to practical and coordinated implementation efforts through pilot projects, shared platforms, and collaborative systems that could support broader continental interoperability in digital identity, payment systems, trade facilitation, healthcare, education, and data governance.
Speaking on the implications of emerging technologies, Dr. Kana noted that Africa’s readiness for the era of Artificial Intelligence would depend heavily on strong Digital Public Infrastructure.
“There can be no meaningful Artificial Intelligence ecosystem without strong digital public infrastructure. Trusted data systems, digital identity frameworks, connectivity infrastructure, and interoperable platforms remain essential prerequisites for building ethical and inclusive AI systems that serve public interest objectives,” he said.
While reaffirming the commitment of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to innovation and regional cooperation, he assured that Nigeria remains committed to working with African partners and the international community toward building a digitally connected, inclusive, and prosperous continent. Kana also stressed the importance of maintaining public trust in digital systems through governance frameworks that promote transparency, accountability, accessibility, security, and inclusion.
In his address, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone Ltd, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, stated that the event provides an important opportunity to deepen collaboration among African countries, strengthen partnerships, and share practical approaches to building resilient and inclusive digital ecosystems capable of driving economic growth and improving public service delivery.
E-Signed:
Chris Ugwuegbulam
Head, Information & Public Relations
19th May, 2026
