Nigeria Taps Danish Tech in Major Digital Government Overhaul

COPENHAGEN, Denmark & LAGOS, Nigeria – January 14, 2026 – In a landmark move poised to accelerate Nigeria's public sector modernization, Danish GovTech firm cBrain has announced a strategic partnership with Publica AI, a prominent Nigerian technology solutions provider. The collaboration will see the deployment of cBrain's acclaimed F2 digital platform across Nigeria's federal ministries and agencies, aiming to usher in a new era of efficiency, transparency, and data security in the nation's governance.

The agreement represents a significant step in Nigeria's ongoing digital transformation journey and marks a pivotal moment in cBrain's international expansion, underscoring a strategic shift towards partner-led growth in key emerging markets.

A Strategic Shift for Global Ambitions

For cBrain, the partnership with Publica AI is more than just a new contract; it's a validation of an evolving go-to-market strategy. As the company enters its next growth cycle, it is increasingly relying on local partners to navigate complex international landscapes and ensure scalable, sustainable expansion. This move away from direct implementation in every new market allows the Danish firm to leverage its core strength—a standardized, powerful software platform—while entrusting delivery and adaptation to experts on the ground.

This Nigerian venture is a cornerstone of cBrain's broader Africa strategy, which has been methodically developed over the past few years. The company is not a newcomer to the continent. In 2025, it made headlines by configuring and deploying its F2 Paperless Ministry solution for the Kenyan Ministry of ICT in a remarkable 10-week timeframe. This rapid implementation served as a powerful proof-of-concept for the region, demonstrating that government-wide digitalization need not be a decade-long, custom-coded ordeal.

Furthermore, cBrain has already established a foothold in Nigeria, having recently deployed a digital procurement solution for Lagos State. This new federal-level agreement with Publica AI builds upon that initial success and is aligned with wider international development goals, including the UNDP Digital Offer for Africa strategy and the Danish government's own Africa strategy.

"We are pleased to partner with Publica AI to bring the F2 platform to the Nigerian market," said Niels Tanderup Kristensen, Director at cBrain. "By working with a strong local partner, we ensure that our standard software is implemented with a deep understanding of Nigeria’s regulatory environment and administrative needs, while supporting efficiency, compliance, and data sovereignty."

Modernizing Governance in Africa's Largest Economy

Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation and largest economy, has made digital transformation a national priority. The federal government has been actively seeking solutions to enhance the efficiency of its public services, improve transparency, and foster greater accountability. The goal is not merely administrative; it is deeply tied to economic development, with digital governance seen as a key driver for boosting GDP and creating a more equitable society.

The cBrain-Publica AI partnership directly addresses these ambitions. The F2 platform is a commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS) software suite specifically designed for government operations. It provides an integrated solution for core administrative functions, including case management, automated workflows, citizen self-service portals, and secure registries. By offering these capabilities out of the box, the platform aims to replace fragmented, paper-based processes and expensive, slow-to-build custom IT systems.

Publica AI will play a crucial role as the local implementation partner. The Nigerian firm will be responsible for delivering and configuring the F2 platform, ensuring it aligns with local regulations and administrative culture. This combination of world-class standard software with deep local expertise is central to the partnership's value proposition.

Willie Ignatius, CEO of Publica AI, highlighted the significance of this local-first approach. "This partnership with cBrain marks an important development for digital government in Nigeria," he stated. "By combining cBrain's internationally recognised F2 platform with Publica AI's local presence and technical capabilities, we are well-positioned to support Nigeria's federal ministries and agencies in their digital transformation journeys."

The 'COTS' Advantage: Speed, Reusability, and Sovereignty

A key differentiator of the cBrain approach is its foundation on a COTS platform. For decades, government IT projects have often been characterized by massive budgets, lengthy development timelines, and a high risk of failure associated with building bespoke software from scratch. The F2 model challenges this paradigm by offering a pre-configured, standardized solution that can be rapidly adapted and deployed.

The 10-week deployment in Kenya exemplifies this "fast-track path" to modernization. The African version of the F2 solution is not built from zero; it is an adaptation of the same robust platform used by over 75 Danish government authorities. This model of "reuse and adapt" drastically reduces implementation time and risk, allowing governments to see tangible results much faster.

Perhaps most critically for Nigeria, the partnership is structured to fully respect the country's stringent data protection and local content requirements. With the Nigerian Data Protection Act (NDPA) and guidelines from the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) enforcing strict rules on data residency, the ability to control and secure sovereign data is non-negotiable.

The F2 platform's architecture, which includes integrated on-premise AI and flexible hosting options, allows for all government data to remain within Nigeria's borders. Publica AI's role ensures that the implementation is compliant with local content laws, building domestic technical capacity and creating value within the Nigerian economy.

"We are particularly pleased that this collaboration fully respects Nigeria's data protection and local content requirements, ensuring that sovereign data remains within our borders whilst our teams gain valuable expertise in world-class government technology," Ignatius added. This focus on data sovereignty provides a compelling alternative to some global cloud-based solutions that may not offer the same level of control over sensitive government information.

A Blueprint for Digital Transformation

The collaboration between cBrain and Publica AI in Nigeria may well serve as a blueprint for other nations in Africa and beyond. It demonstrates a pragmatic and effective model for digital transformation: combining a proven, world-class technology platform with the invaluable expertise of a local partner. This approach balances the need for rapid modernization with the critical imperatives of regulatory compliance, data sovereignty, and local economic development.

By leveraging Danish best practices in digital government and adapting them to the specific needs of the Nigerian context, the partnership offers a scalable and repeatable path to building more efficient, transparent, and resilient public institutions. As governments worldwide grapple with the complexities of digitalization, this blend of global innovation and local adaptation represents a powerful formula for success. The project in Nigeria will be closely watched as a litmus test for the future of GovTech in emerging markets.