By Ebube Bruno
CALABAR (CONVERSEER) – When Muhammadu Buhari took office on May 29, 2015, Nigeria’s digital sector was barely taking its first steps. The country’s youthful population was ready to explore the possibilities of the internet age, but the infrastructure and policies weren’t quite there yet.
What Buhari did between 2015 and when he left office on May 29, 2023, shows how bold reforms, controversial bans, and key policy decisions can jumpstart surprising growth, inspire resilience, and either fuel or stifle innovation.
Following his death, Nigeria reflects on his eight-year presidency.
Here are 10 of the most impactful policies from Buhari’s administration that shaped what Nigeria’s tech sector has become today.
1. Foreign Exchange and Import Restrictions
Buhari started his presidency by restricting the importation of 41 items, making it harder for businesses to access foreign currency for international transactions.
This policy created serious challenges for tech businesses that depended on cross-border tools and international payments. Startups struggled to pay for servers, software subscriptions, and other essential tools. Many were forced to find creative workarounds or local alternatives.
For industry watchers, this was an early signal that Buhari’s conservative economic approach might limit the digital generation’s potential.
2. The NIN-SIM Linkage of 2020
Buhari’s government launched a massive campaign to register every phone user’s identity, linking SIM cards to a National Identification Number (NIN).
When Buhari took office, only about 7 million Nigerians had a national ID. By his final year, that number had jumped to nearly 100 million. This was a remarkable achievement for a country that had long struggled to maintain a proper citizens’ database.
While the process was often frustrating for users, it laid the groundwork for better identity verification in digital services and financial technology.
3. The Twitter Ban of 2021
In June 2021, Buhari’s government banned Twitter for seven months after the platform deleted one of his tweets. The ban forced millions of Nigerians to use VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) to access the platform.
The impact was devastating. Small businesses lost their online visibility, content creators were cut off from their audiences, and political conversations were pushed underground. Many Nigerian businesses reported significant revenue losses during this period.
This happened when the global economy was recovering from COVID-19, and Nigeria was battling its own economic depression. For a leader who had used social media effectively in his campaigns, this was a shocking reversal.
4. The Cryptocurrency Ban of 2021
In February 2021, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) banned banks from facilitating cryptocurrency transactions, citing concerns about financial stability and money laundering.
However, instead of killing interest in crypto, the ban pushed trading to peer-to-peer networks, making it harder for authorities to monitor. Nigeria remained one of the world’s largest crypto markets despite the restrictions.
The CBN eventually lifted the ban in December 2023, introducing new regulations instead.
5. The eNaira Launch of 2021
In October 2021, Nigeria became the first African country to launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC) – the eNaira. It was designed to modernise payments and provide an alternative to cryptocurrencies.
While this was considered one of the CBN’s boldest innovations, adoption remained slow. Users complained about app glitches, limited merchant acceptance, and confusion about how it differed from regular digital payments.
6. The Nigerian Startup Act of 2022
Speaking about Nigeria’s potential to become “the epicentre for innovative emerging technology in Africa,” Buhari signed the Nigeria Startup Act into law in October 2022, near the end of his presidency.
This landmark legislation provided a legal framework to support tech startups, offering tax incentives, regulatory clarity, and easier access to funding. It represented a significant shift in how the government approached technology and innovation.
The Act aims to reduce friction between startups and regulatory bodies, potentially making Nigeria more attractive to both local entrepreneurs and international investors.
7. The Naira Redesign Crisis of 2022
In late 2022, Buhari’s administration introduced a policy to redesign the naira currency. Old notes were pulled from circulation, but new ones didn’t arrive in banks quickly enough, creating a severe cash shortage.
During this chaos, financial technology (fintech) companies experienced massive growth. Platforms like OPay, PalmPay, and Moniepoint became essential financial services for millions of Nigerians who couldn’t access cash.
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A KPMG survey found that 58% of Nigerians switched to fintech services during the crisis, while digital payments increased by 52% between January and October 2023.
8. Local Manufacturing Push
Local tech production, long talked about but rarely achieved, gained real momentum under Buhari. His executive order prioritising local procurement helped Nigerian companies secure major contracts.
Zinox Technologies supplied over 100,000 smart devices for the 2023 national census, while AfriOne became the country’s first smartphone assembly brand, producing POS terminals, tablets, and home appliances from its Lagos facility.
9. Institutional Reforms and New Agencies
Buhari restructured the government to better support the digital economy. In 2019, he renamed the Ministry of Communications to include “Digital Economy,” formally recognising the sector’s importance.
The administration also established several new institutions:
- The Nigeria Data Protection Bureau (2022)
- The National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics
- The Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), which introduced over 180 business reforms
10. Broadband and 5G Expansion
Under Buhari, Nigeria launched 4G services nationwide and became one of the first African countries to deploy 5G networks.
When he took office, broadband penetration was just 6%, and the tech sector contributed only 8.5% to the national GDP. By 2023, broadband penetration had reached 46%, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accounted for 19.54% of GDP.
However, challenges remained. Fibre optic cable installation was still slow due to high fees charged by state governments, and the national power grid continued to supply less than 5GW when he left office.
Buhari’s Complex Legacy: The #EndSARS Moment
The October 2020 #EndSARS protests revealed the tension between Nigeria’s digital generation and traditional governance. Young protesters used social media, live streams, and fintech apps to organise, raise funds, and document police brutality.
When banks froze protesters’ accounts under government pressure, many switched to cryptocurrency – highlighting both the resilience of the digital economy and its potential to challenge state control.
Buhari’s response was harsh. The shooting at Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, was broadcast live on social media even as officials denied it happened. The government subsequently arrested volunteers, intimidated activists, and froze more accounts.
For many young Nigerians, this contradiction – promoting a digital economy while restricting digital freedoms – defined Buhari’s relationship with the tech sector.
The Paradox of Progress
Muhammadu Buhari’s impact on Nigeria’s tech ecosystem tells a story of contradictions. His administration implemented policies that both boosted and hindered digital innovation, sometimes simultaneously.
Many in the tech community argue that the sector’s transformational growth happened not because of Buhari’s policies, but despite them. They point to the resourcefulness of young Nigerians who found ways around restrictions and built successful businesses even when government policies made it harder.
What’s clear is that Buhari’s eight years in office coincided with Nigeria’s emergence as a major player in Africa’s digital economy. Whether he deserves credit for that transformation – or whether it would have happened faster without his restrictions – remains a matter of ongoing debate.
The question now is whether his successor can build on the foundations laid while avoiding the contradictions that marked his approach to digital governance.
