National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), through its Office for Nigerian Digital Innovation (ONDI), has entered into a strategic partnership with Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB) to provide subsidised sovereign cloud services for startups participating in the iHatch programme.
The collaboration is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s digital ecosystem by improving access to critical digital infrastructure, promoting indigenous innovation, supporting data sovereignty and expanding digital inclusion.
The development was disclosed in separate statements issued by NITDA and Galaxy Backbone.
Under the arrangement, startups enrolled in the iHatch programme will be onboarded onto the Galaxy Cloud Platform (GxCP), GBB’s sovereign cloud infrastructure built on Uptime-certified Tier III and Tier IV data centres, a nationwide fibre network and advanced cybersecurity architecture.
According to the agencies, the initiative is designed to reduce infrastructure barriers facing early-stage businesses by providing access to secure enterprise-grade cloud resources at subsidised rates.
Director-General of NITDA, Mr Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, described the partnership as a strategic intervention to strengthen the resilience and global competitiveness of Nigeria’s startup ecosystem.
Abdullahi said access to reliable digital infrastructure remained one of the most critical enablers for startups seeking to innovate, scale and compete internationally.
He noted that the collaboration aligns with NITDA’s broader digital economy agenda, particularly in building local technology capacity and reducing dependence on foreign infrastructure.
“This partnership reinforces our commitment to nurturing a resilient and globally competitive startup ecosystem by ensuring innovators have access to the infrastructure required to build sustainable businesses,” he said.
Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Galaxy Backbone, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, said the initiative would empower startups with access to secure, enterprise-grade cloud infrastructure while enabling them to host their data locally within Nigeria.
According to him, hosting data locally is critical to strengthening Nigeria’s digital sovereignty, improving compliance and enhancing economic resilience.
Adeyanju explained that to ensure sustainability and long-term impact, GBB would deploy a tiered, milestone-based support model aligned with the development stages of startups.
He said cloud credits would be released in phases across three stages of startup growth — Build, Validate and Scale.
The credits, he said, would remain valid for 12 months, after which beneficiaries would transition to either standard subscription plans or pay-as-you-go billing options.
“This model ensures startups receive support at the stages where they need it most, while also encouraging efficient resource management and long-term business sustainability,” he said.
Adeyanju added that Galaxy Backbone would establish a dedicated Startup Success Team to guide participating startups through onboarding and encourage platform adoption.
He said the initiative would also include automated usage monitoring and alerts to help startups optimise resource utilisation and avoid operational inefficiencies.
In a move aimed at protecting startups from exchange rate volatility, he disclosed that all post-credit billing under the scheme would be denominated in naira.
General Manager, Strategic Partnerships at GBB, Mr Abdul Malik Suleiman, described the partnership as a deliberate intervention to bridge the infrastructure gap confronting Nigerian innovators.
Suleiman said making world-class cloud services more accessible to local startups would significantly lower entry barriers for innovation-driven businesses.
Also speaking, National Coordinator of ONDI, Ms Victoria Fabunmi, said integrating Galaxy Backbone’s sovereign cloud platform into the iHatch programme would strengthen startups’ ability to transition from ideation to commercial scale.
Fabunmi noted that access to the right digital tools and infrastructure was crucial to helping startups compete effectively in both local and global markets.
She said the iHatch programme, which is supported by NITDA through ONDI, had already trained over 160 startups across 37 hub partners nationwide.
According to her, the partnership with GBB is expected to deepen the programme’s impact by accelerating innovation, enabling startup growth and strengthening Nigeria’s broader digital economy.
Industry stakeholders say the initiative reflects growing efforts by government institutions to provide local alternatives to foreign digital infrastructure while reducing operational costs for Nigerian startups.
They also note that the partnership could improve confidence among innovators and investors by strengthening Nigeria’s cloud ecosystem and encouraging local data hosting.
The agencies expressed optimism that the collaboration would unlock new growth opportunities for startups and further position Nigeria as a leading innovation hub on the continent.
