President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Federal Government to develop a roadmap for the full launch of Nigeria’s Digital Free Zones initiative within 180 days.
The initiative is aimed at making it easier for Nigerian technology and service companies to raise global capital, employ Nigerians and build for international markets.
In a statement released on Thursday, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu directed the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, to develop the roadmap.
Oduwole, who is Vice-Chairman and Implementation Coordinator of the Presidential Steering Committee on Digital Free Zones, will work with the Itana Innovation project and the committee on the plan.
What Tinubu Is Saying
Tinubu said Nigeria has the talent, enterprise and ambition to build companies capable of competing globally, adding that Nigerians should not have to leave the country or rely on other jurisdictions to realise that potential.
“Nigeria has the talent, enterprise and ambition to build companies that can compete anywhere in the world. Our responsibility as a government is to ensure that Nigerians do not have to leave Nigeria or rely on other jurisdictions to realise that potential,” Tinubu said.
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👉 JOIN WHATSAPP CHANNELThe President said the government wants more of the economic value created by Nigerian talent to remain in the country through jobs, investment, professional services, intellectual property and growing Nigerian businesses.
“For too long, some of our most promising young entrepreneurs have felt compelled to establish their companies and intellectual property abroad to access global capital and markets. I do not accept that this must remain the case,” he said.
Tinubu said he wants the next generation of African technology, finance and service companies to be built, headquartered and scaled globally from Nigeria.
The initiative is already taking shape through Itana, which the Presidency described as Nigeria’s first Digital Free Zone.
According to the statement, Itana has been licensed by the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) and provides a platform for global and pan-African digital and service businesses to establish and operate from Nigeria.
The Africa Finance Corporation is backing the $500 million Itana Innovation project at Alaro City in Lagos.
The project will combine an enabling policy environment with an innovation campus, access to capital and ecosystem services designed to help African startups build at scale and retain more of the value they create on the continent, the statement said.
Tinubu said the administration’s ambition goes beyond developing technology parks.
“We want African companies to be incorporated in Nigeria, financed here and governed from here, while serving markets across Africa and the world,” he said.
He also said he wants young Nigerians in cities including Kano, Enugu, Warri, Minna, Maiduguri and Ibadan to be able to work for global companies without leaving home.
The Digital Free Zones initiative builds on earlier government and private-sector efforts to position Nigeria as a base for digital businesses and an exporter of digital services.
Nairametrics reported in 2024 that the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) planned to lead financing for Itana’s $100 million Digital Economic Zone in Lagos, designed to enable global and Pan-African technology, finance and service-based businesses to operate and scale across Africa.
In July 2025, Nairametrics also reported that Itana’s partnership with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment was targeting the creation of 100,000 jobs through startup incubation, ecosystem development and policy support.
The latest move comes as the Federal Government expands its focus on exporting Nigerian talent and services. In August 2026, the government launched the “Hire from Nigeria” campaign, targeting one million export-linked jobs over five years by connecting Nigerian professionals with international employers while allowing them to work from the country.
What You Should Know
Nigeria is increasingly looking to services and talent exports as a source of economic growth, as the country seeks to participate more actively in the global digital economy.
In June 2026, the National Talent Export Programme (NATEP) said it was developing a financing framework to support talent development and export-led growth.
The programme said the framework was part of efforts to position Nigeria as a competitive hub in the global services export economy.
The Federal Executive Council had earlier approved the National Coordination Mechanism for Services Exports in November 2025 to improve coordination among government agencies working to expand Nigeria’s services exports.
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