Nigeria’s higher education sector has achieved a major milestone in global digital trust infrastructure with the admission of the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) into the Education Global Authentication Infrastructure (eduGAIN).
The announcement was made following the signing of the declaration of membership by NgREN’s Managing Director, Dr Joshua Atah.
eduGAIN, operated under the auspices of GÉANT, connects identity federations worldwide, enabling secure, trusted, and seamless access to online research and education services across borders. It currently comprises over 100 countries and more than 10,000 identity and service providers.
Dr Atah stated that the achievement will greatly benefit Nigerian institutions by enhancing collaboration opportunities, providing secure access to international scholarly resources, and strengthening trust frameworks for digital services. He emphasized that the development firmly positions Nigeria’s higher education on the global stage.
The approval followed a rigorous assessment and voting process conducted by the eduGAIN Assembly. Membership allows Nigerian universities and research institutions federated under NgREN to participate fully in the global inter-federation ecosystem.
NgREN expressed appreciation to the eduGAIN Chair, Steering Committee, and Assembly Members for their diligence in assessing and approving the application. Dr Atah reaffirmed NgREN’s commitment to strengthening digital trust identity, enabling secure federated access, and supporting innovation across Nigeria’s higher education and research ecosystem.
NgREN serves as Nigeria’s national research and education network, providing advanced ICT infrastructure, identity federation services, and collaborative platforms for universities and research institutions. By offering reliable connectivity, cloud hosting, and digital identity services, NgREN is helping institutions translate research into real-world impact.
By Ngozi Nwankwo, Abuja
