Nigeria: Tinubu sets 180 days to launch digital free zones

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has given the government 180 days to prepare for the full launch of digital free zones, according to a directive made public on September 17, 2026. The initiative aims to assist technology and service companies in accessing capital and international markets from Nigeria.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole, is tasked with coordinating the roadmap alongside the presidential committee overseeing the program and the Itana project. The work will encompass regulations, taxation, banking services, immigration, arbitration, and the digitization of administrative procedures within these zones.

Itana, touted as the country’s first digital free zone, has already received a license from the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority. It is designed for technology, financial, and service companies looking to operate from Nigeria while serving multiple African or international markets.

The presidency aims to reduce the reliance of young Nigerian businesses on foreign jurisdictions for raising capital or holding their intellectual property. The government also seeks to expand remote work opportunities from Nigeria for global companies.

The framework is also intended to enable the relevant companies to incorporate, finance, and manage their operations in Nigeria. The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority remains the federal body responsible for the designation, regulation, and supervision of the country’s free zones.

The Africa Finance Corporation and Itana formalized their partnership on September 26, 2024, to develop the digital economic zone in Alaro City, located within the Lekki Free Zone of Lagos. Alaro City is planned to span over 2,000 hectares.