Galaxy Backbone Limited (GBB), Nigeria's information technology and shared services provider, is urging the country to take a leading role in shaping the use of emerging technologies rather than remaining a consumer of global innovations. Speaking at a pre-anniversary press conference in Abuja on Monday, the company's Managing Director, Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju, said Nigeria must decide whether it wants to actively influence how technology transforms lives or simply adopt foreign solutions. "The question before us is simple: Will Nigeria merely consume these innovations? Or will Nigeria actively shape how they transform our nation?" Adeyanju asked.
He stated that Galaxy Backbone's next phase will focus on maximising existing infrastructure to enable innovation through secure and smart digital solutions. The company plans to expand digital access, support sub-national governments, businesses, and institutions, and position itself as a national digital transformation enabler. As part of its 20th-anniversary activities, GBB will host its first Digital Transformation Summit, themed "Powering Nigeria's Digital Future," bringing together leaders from government, industry, and academia.
Adeyanju announced a refreshed brand identity to reflect the organisation's evolution from a government ICT infrastructure provider to a digital transformation platform. The new brand, he said, symbolises GBB's role as an aggregator connecting governments, businesses, and institutions. Since its establishment, GBB has grown into a national asset with infrastructure spanning nearly 30 states, linking various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The company has built world-class data centres and a cloud platform to improve efficiency in public service delivery.
Prof. Ibrahim Adeyanju leads a state-owned firm that connects nearly 30 states yet questions Nigeria's role in shaping technology it already helps deploy. GBB's infrastructure is used across federal agencies, yet the call to lead in tech innovation comes two decades after its founding. If the company is now a transformation enabler, its delayed shift from connectivity provider raises questions about pace and vision. Nigerians using GBB-linked services have waited years for efficiency gains the firm says it's only now beginning to maximise.
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