Tinubu’s Financial Inclusion Adviser to Lead Nigeria 2027 Data Localisation Discussion

Dr. Nurudeen Abubakar Zauro, Technical Adviser to the President on Economic and Financial Inclusion and Executive Secretary of the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion (PreCEFI), has confirmed his participation in the 2026 Digital Economy & Energy CEO Roundtable, where he will lead a high-level Special Fireside Chat on the future of inclusive financial infrastructure and Nigeria’s 2027 digital economy.

The Roundtable, organised by TechTV Network, in partnership with the Centre for Economic Policy & Digital Transformation (CEPDT)  is scheduled for Thursday, November 19, 2026, at the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos.

With the theme “The 2027 Infrastructure Test: Preparing Nigeria for the Data Localization Era,” the Roundtable will convene policymakers, regulators, chief executives, financial-sector leaders, technology executives, energy stakeholders, infrastructure providers and investors to examine the infrastructure, policy and investment priorities that will shape Nigeria’s digital economy.

Dr. Zauro’s Special Fireside Chat, titled “Beyond Digital Access: Building Inclusive Financial Infrastructure for Nigeria’s 2027 Digital Economy,” will explore how the Federal Government’s economic and financial inclusion agenda can be translated into measurable outcomes through stronger digital infrastructure, effective policy coordination and strategic public-private partnerships.

ZAURO: CONNECTING DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE WITH FINANCIAL INCLUSION

In his confirmation to attend the event, Dr. Zauro noted that Nigeria’s digital transformation must go beyond expanding access to technology and financial services to building the infrastructure and institutional frameworks that make inclusion sustainable, secure and economically meaningful.

He underscored the importance of connecting digital innovation with the Federal Government’s economic and financial inclusion objectives, particularly as the country prepares for the emerging data-localisation requirements and the wider demands of a rapidly evolving digital economy.

His session is expected to examine the implementation of the Aso Accord on Economic and Financial Inclusion, the role of digital identity and digital public infrastructure, and the partnerships required to extend the benefits of digital financial services to underserved communities, individuals and businesses.

The discussion will also address implementation gaps, consumer confidence, MSME growth, gender inclusion and the need to ensure that technological advancement does not deepen existing economic inequalities.

THE 2027 DATA LOCALISATION IMPERATIVE

The Roundtable comes at a significant moment in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure development, particularly with the January 1, 2027 deadline for applicable payment service providers to ensure that payment transaction data generated within Nigeria is stored and managed locally in accordance with relevant Central Bank of Nigeria requirements.

The transition raises important questions about the country's domestic data infrastructure capacity, cloud and data-centre readiness, cybersecurity, energy reliability, operational resilience and the investment required to support secure and dependable digital services.

Beyond regulatory compliance, the broader national challenge is how to strengthen Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, build greater data sovereignty and resilience, attract strategic investment and ensure that the country's digital economy remains competitive and inclusive.

WHY ZAURO’S PARTICIPATION MATTERS

Dr. Zauro brings extensive experience spanning banking, financial regulation, auditing, policy advisory, academia and development finance.

His previous responsibilities at the Central Bank of Nigeria included senior positions in the Internal Audit Department and Financial Inclusion Secretariat, where he contributed to policy frameworks supporting digital financial services, mobile money, agency banking and fintech regulation.

At PreCEFI, he has been involved in nationwide capacity-building programmes targeting more than ten million Nigerians and in advancing the Aso Accord on Economic and Financial Inclusion, a whole-of-government framework aligned with the Federal Government’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by 2030.

He is also the convener of the SheIncluded Initiative and National Gender Inclusion Movement, platforms focused on advancing gender inclusion and broader economic participation.

His participation will bring an important public-policy dimension to the Roundtable, particularly on how investments in digital infrastructure can support financial access, enterprise development and wider economic participation.

AGANBI: NIGERIA MUST MOVE FROM DIGITAL AMBITION TO INFRASTRUCTURE READINESS

Speaking to newsmen, Roundtable Convener, Don Pedro Aganbi, said Dr. Zauro’s participation would strengthen the connection between Nigeria’s financial inclusion priorities and the infrastructure realities confronting the digital economy.

“Digital transformation cannot be measured simply by the number of people connected or the volume of transactions processed. We must also examine the strength, reliability, security and inclusiveness of the infrastructure supporting these services.

“Nigeria is approaching an important transition. The data-localisation imperative presents both a regulatory responsibility and an opportunity to strengthen domestic digital infrastructure, attract investment and build greater resilience into our financial and technology ecosystems.

“However, infrastructure development must ultimately serve people and businesses. We must ensure that the next phase of Nigeria’s digital economy expands financial access, supports enterprise growth, creates opportunities for underserved communities and strengthens our competitiveness.

“Dr. Zauro’s perspective is particularly important because financial inclusion must be integral to the infrastructure conversation. Our objective is to move beyond broad policy declarations and develop practical priorities that government, industry and investors can act upon,” Aganbi said.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES

The Roundtable will examine critical issues across data sovereignty and localisation, cloud and data-centre capacity, energy security, cybersecurity, digital trust, infrastructure resilience and strategic investment partnerships.

Its deliberations are expected to contribute to an Executive Communiqué and a proposed Nigeria 2027 Digital Infrastructure Action Agenda, identifying practical priorities for strengthening the country's digital infrastructure and advancing inclusive economic participation.

The event is designed to move Nigeria’s digital economy conversation from digital ambition to infrastructure readiness, bringing together the policy leadership, industry expertise and investment perspectives required to address the country's emerging infrastructure priorities.

WHY IT MATTERS

Nigeria’s 2027 data-localisation transition is about more than meeting a regulatory deadline. It raises fundamental questions about the country’s capacity to host, manage, secure and sustain critical digital services. The infrastructure required must also deliver tangible economic value.

By bringing the Federal Government’s financial inclusion agenda into the same conversation as data sovereignty, energy security, cybersecurity and infrastructure investment, the Roundtable seeks to address a defining national question: how can Nigeria build a resilient digital economy without leaving individuals, small businesses and underserved communities behind?