FG and Imo Set to Spearhead Nigeria's Data Preservation Initiative

The Urgency of Data Preservation in Nigeria

Nigeria's public sector is being called upon to treat the preservation of data and public records as a critical infrastructure, comparable to roads, electricity, and water. This initiative aims to build trust, foster innovation, and protect institutional memory. The call was made during the Piql West Africa Public Sector Breakfast Meeting held in Abuja, where representatives from the Federal Government, the National Archives, and cultural and research institutions gathered to discuss how to future-proof Nigeria’s public records.

Senator George Akume, delivering remarks on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), emphasized the importance of the collaboration between the National Archives and Norwegian digital preservation company Piql. He described this partnership as a significant step toward creating a "secure, accessible, and future-proof national data repository." The SGF's office linked this initiative directly to Nigeria's ambition of building a trillion-dollar economy by 2030, arguing that reliable public records are essential for economic growth, investor confidence, and good governance.

Evelyn Odigboh, Director of the National Archives, warned that Nigeria risks losing its institutional memory if long-term preservation is not prioritized. She highlighted that these records are not relics but vital components of a nation's identity. "A nation without archives is like a person without memory, unable to chart a clear path to the future," she stated. Odigboh stressed that digitization alone is insufficient; records must be preserved in formats that remain tamper-evident, accessible, and verifiable for generations.

The forum underscored a key theme: digitization is not equivalent to preservation. While digitization makes records searchable, it does little to guarantee their integrity over time. Cloud systems can fail, file formats become obsolete, and data can be altered without a trace. To address these challenges, Piql's solution involves writing data to offline, tamper-evident film stored both locally and in Norway's Arctic World Archive. This approach ensures authenticity and sovereignty while protecting records from cyberattacks and software obsolescence.

Two prominent voices from Imo State expressed willingness to act as a proving ground for large-scale digital preservation. Professor Emeka Oguzie of the Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) noted that durable records would improve research reproducibility, compliance with international grant requirements, and technology transfer. Sir Terence Onyejiaku, Director-General of the Imo Data Management Centre, committed to exploring Piql's system for authenticating and safeguarding key public records. He identified land registries and cadastral data as priority areas where tamper-evident archives could prevent costly disputes, speed up mortgages, and improve access to credit.

Observers believe that Imo could set an example for other states by building a reference architecture for trustworthy public memory. This would combine FUTO's technical expertise, the Data Management Centre's operational capacity, and private sector input. The Abuja meeting brought together stakeholders from across government, academia, defense, and culture. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) delegation emphasized the importance of institutional memory for regulatory credibility, while data protection officials highlighted the need for audit trails and lawful retention under the NDPR.

Cultural policymakers also contributed to the discussion. Obi Asika, Director-General of the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), argued that heritage preservation should be treated as a policy priority and integrated with technology rather than left as a symbolic gesture. Breakout sessions addressed sensitive issues such as classification, security, lawful access, and integrating endangered private archives, such as royal houses and artists' collections, into a national framework.

Organizers announced plans to consolidate ongoing pilot projects into a state-level program within 12 to 18 months, aiming to develop a Nigerian preservation facility that meets global standards. They also announced a 2026 mission to the Arctic World Archive, which would inaugurate Africa's first large-scale deposit of sovereign records in the vault, providing long-term resilience against loss or tampering.

Analysts argue that the economic case for reliable archives is strong. They reduce litigation, speed up audits, improve investor due diligence, and provide each administration with verified records of past decisions. One participant noted, "Preservation may be slow and unglamorous, but it is the plumbing of a modern economy. States that take it seriously will save time, money, and disputes. Imo now has a chance to lead by example."