Posted on:

March 10, 2026

#WeekInReview: Full Week Recap of Activities of the Honourable Minister, Dr. ‘Bosun Tijani (Vol. 119)

HM's Meeting With Gates Foundation

INTRO

The past week reflected the importance of strengthening the foundational systems that support Nigeria’s digital economy and broader national development priorities. From participating in high-level discussions on Nigeria’s space programme and national infrastructure planning, to advancing critical initiatives such as the GIS-enabled Alphanumeric Digital Postcode System and deepening collaboration with international partners including the European Union and the Gates Foundation, the Honourable Minister’s engagements focused on ensuring that technology, innovation, and data systems continue to drive more efficient public services and economic opportunity. These efforts remain central to the government’s commitment to building resilient digital infrastructure and enabling inclusive growth across the country.

 

TIMELINE

Tuesday, March 3 – Strengthening Nigeria’s space development agenda

  • The Honourable Minister attended the inaugural meeting of the National Space Council at the Presidential Villa. At the meeting, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, reiterated his administration’s commitment to the realisation of Nigeria’s space policy and programme as enshrined in the revised 25-year roadmap for space development.

 

Wednesday, March 4 – Advancing Nigeria’s GIS-enabled digital postcode system

  • On Wednesday, Dr. Tijani announced the approval of the implementation of a GIS-enabled Alphanumeric Digital Postcode System for Nigeria. Approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, the modern, geospatial intelligent addressing system will improve accuracy across the country and enable faster and more reliable mail and parcel processing. Beyond strengthening postal operations, the Digital Postcode System will also serve as an important national enabler supporting better national planning, improved emergency response, more efficient logistics and e-commerce, and the delivery of government services.

BLUEPRINT ALIGNMENT

Infrastructure

Last week’s engagements strongly align with our Strategic Blueprint pillar on Infrastructure, which focuses on building the digital and physical systems required to power Nigeria’s modern economy. The approval and planned implementation of the GIS-enabled Alphanumeric Digital Postcode System represents a critical step toward strengthening Nigeria’s national addressing infrastructure—an essential enabler for logistics, e-commerce, emergency response, and efficient public service delivery. In parallel, our participation in discussions around Nigeria’s space programme and the ministerial committee on the Grid Asset Management Company Limited (GAMCO) highlights the broader national effort to build resilient infrastructure systems that support economic growth and digital connectivity.

Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Capital

The Honourable Minister’s engagement with the European Union and the Gates Foundation during the week reflects continued progress under the Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Capital pillar of the Ministry’s Strategic Blueprint. Discussions on initiatives such as the AI Scaling Hub underscore his commitment to building a vibrant innovation ecosystem in Nigeria. Through strategic partnerships and targeted investments, the Honourable Minister is working to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence while expanding opportunities for digital talent and innovation-led economic growth.

Thursday, March 5 – Deepening global partnerships for digital infrastructure and AI innovation

  • Dr. Tijani had a breakfast meeting with the Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria and to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Ambassador Gautier Mignot, and Ambassador of Denmark to Nigeria, Ambassador Jens Ole Bach Hansen, where they discussed their support for Project BRIDGE and our Ministry’s 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme through the EU Digital Economy Package. The Package of €45 million includes a €22 million grant towards Project BRIDGE, as well as €18 million for Digital Public Services and €5 million to support our 3MTT Nigeria Programme.
  • After this he met with the Nigeria Team from the Gates Foundation, led by Country Director, Uche Amaonwu, for a conversation on the progress of initiatives both parties are advancing together. A key focus of the discussion was the AI Scaling Hub, launched during Bill Gates’ visit to Nigeria in June last year. As we move into a new phase of implementation in our Ministry, our priority is to sustain momentum and ensure the initiative delivers tangible outcomes that strengthen Nigeria’s AI ecosystem.
  • Following Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval of the implementation of a GIS-enabled Alphanumeric Digital Postcode System for Nigeria, the Honourable Minister met with Tola Odeyemi, Postmaster General and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST), to strategise on the implementation plan for the System. As our digital economy continues to grow, foundational systems such as this play an essential role in building the infrastructure required to connect people, businesses, and services more efficiently across the country.

 

Friday, March 6 – Supporting national infrastructure reform through the GAMCO framework

  • As part of the 11-member ministerial committee inaugurated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu tasked with developing the operational framework for the proposed Grid Asset Management Company Limited (GAMCO), Dr. Tijani was at the Presidential Villa to attend the committee’s first meeting presided over by the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. The committee would, amongst other things, undertake a comprehensive review of existing laws, regulations, policies, and institutional frameworks governing Nigeria’s electricity value chain, including generation, transmission, distribution, and market operations.

Isime Esene

Office of the Honourable Minister

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