African regulators urged to align rules for cross-border digital growth
NITDA director-general Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi has called for stronger regulatory coordination across Africa as cloud computing, artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure expand beyond national borders. The argument, outlined at a Nairobi technology event, favours compatible standards and shared compliance processes rather than abolishing national regulators.
Africa needs more coordinated regulation if its cross-border digital economy is to develop without creating uncertainty for technology companies, according to National Information Technology Development Agency Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi. Speaking at the ITW Data Cloud Africa 2026 event in Nairobi, Kenya, Inuwa called for a more unified regulatory approach. He argued that fragmented approval systems could delay projects and make it harder for investors to plan cloud, data-centre and other digital infrastructure.
The issue arises because digital services increasingly cross national boundaries while regulation remains organised mainly by country and sector. Cloud platforms can serve several markets, artificial-intelligence systems may be developed and deployed in different jurisdictions, and data centres can support businesses beyond the countries where they are located. The article argues that these projects require power, connectivity, specialised equipment, technical expertise and predictable rules.
It also notes that AI can involve data protection, cybersecurity, telecommunications, financial services and consumer protection at the same time, potentially producing overlapping requirements. Inuwa’s proposed model of horizontal co-regulation would allow a technology regulator to establish broad standards that sector-specific regulators could adapt. The approach would preserve individual mandates while creating a common technological foundation.
Nigeria’s National Sovereign Cloud Initiative is presented as an example. NITDA has developed cloud standards and frameworks addressing secure and interoperable deployment, including interoperability and data portability. The article says Africa does not necessarily need identical laws or a single continental regulator.
Instead, it argues for greater compatibility among rules, standards and compliance processes. It also warns that a single regulatory portal would not solve the problem if companies still had to repeat the same procedures with multiple agencies. The proposed goal is regulatory interoperability: cooperation that genuinely reduces duplication while allowing national authorities to retain responsibilities for privacy, security, financial stability and critical infrastructure.
The article says frameworks must also be reviewed as AI and cloud technologies change.
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