Nigerian universities have achieved a major breakthrough in global digital trust infrastructure with the admission of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) into the Education Global Authentication Infrastructure.
The Managing Director of NgREN, Dr. Joshua Atah, announced the development after signing the membership declaration, formally integrating Nigeria into one of the world’s largest academic identity federations. The announcement was made in a statement issued in Abuja.
The eduGAIN inter-federation service links identity federations globally, enabling secure and seamless access to digital content, services, and research resources for the international education and research community. The platform includes participation from over 100 countries and more than 10,000 identity and service providers worldwide.
NgREN’s admission followed a comprehensive evaluation and voting process conducted by the eduGAIN Assembly. Operating under the umbrella of GÉANT, eduGAIN facilitates trusted cross-border access to online research and academic services.
Dr. Atah described the approval as a landmark achievement that will significantly expand collaboration opportunities for Nigerian universities and research institutions. He stated that membership would grant secure access to global scholarly materials while strengthening digital trust systems for services utilized by the international academic community.
According to him, the milestone firmly positions Nigeria’s higher education sector within the global digital ecosystem, enabling institutions connected through NgREN to fully engage in international inter-federation activities.
He also expressed gratitude to the eduGAIN Chair, Steering Committee, and Assembly members for their thorough assessment and eventual approval of NgREN’s application.
“As Nigeria’s National Research and Education Network, NgREN remains dedicated to advancing digital trust identity systems, ensuring secure federated access, and promoting innovation throughout the higher education and research landscape,” Dr. Atah stated.
NgREN functions as Nigeria’s national research and education network, delivering advanced ICT infrastructure, identity federation services, and collaborative digital platforms to universities and research centres across the country.
Through dependable connectivity, cloud services, and digital identity solutions, the network empowers Nigerian researchers to engage at the forefront of global knowledge and innovation while translating research outputs into tangible societal impact.
