ENHANCING CLOUD COMPUTING ADOPTION IN NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS

ABSTRACT

Cloud computing is a significant opportunity to revolutionize Nigeria's public sector, yet government implementation across government institutions is fragmented. This position paper examines the root impediments—ranging from institutional fragmentation to regulatory resistance—that limit cloud integration in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Drawing from comparative worldwide strategies and regional policy analysis, the paper proposes a context-specific framework based on five strategic pillars: coherent policy reform, institutional capacity building, development of digital infrastructure, cloud-specialized regulation of security, and targeted pilot implementation. Rather than considering cloud adoption an engineering challenge, the paper proposes a strategy where cloud computing is positioned as an enabler of governance reform. It concludes by urging coordinated, multi-stakeholder action to ensure cloud infrastructure becomes a central building block of Nigeria's digital public administration.

Keywords: Cloud computing, public sector, Digital transformation, Policy Reform, Cybersecurity