When the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, unveiled 2geda in Ibadan on August 16, 2025, it was more than just the launch of a new digital platform. It reignited a long-running question: can Nigeria build and control its own digital future?
The monarch framed the initiative as a call to action.
“We must support our youths to make Nigeria great again. They are intelligent and innovative, and they need our support,” the Ooni said, urging governments, traditional institutions, and private sector leaders to back the project so it can scale like Facebook, WhatsApp, or Snapchat.
For decades, Nigeria’s digital ecosystem has been dominated by foreign-owned platforms, with the data, influence, and profits flowing overseas. 2geda represents an attempt to reverse that trend—keeping digital value and control within the country.
Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo placed the launch within the broader debate on national sovereignty.
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“National development cannot thrive without digital sovereignty. The Federal Government is ready to support a strong digital economy platform like 2geda with a collective mission to foster security, connection, and a sense of belonging among Nigerians at home and abroad,” he said.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) also weighed in, highlighting the platform’s potential role in combating online crime. Hauwa Ringim, Acting Director of the EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate, noted that social media spaces are often exploited for cybercrime, stressing that a homegrown platform must guard against becoming vulnerable to the same risks.
Despite the optimism, questions linger. Can Nigerians rally behind an indigenous platform in the same way they have embraced global networks? Can 2geda scale up technologically and financially to compete internationally? And will it overcome the credibility challenges associated with Nigeria’s cybercrime reputation?
What is clear is that the launch of 2geda has opened a fresh national conversation. At stake is not just the success of a single app but Nigeria’s ability to claim a stronger voice in the digital world, shape its online identity, and secure the economic value created by its citizens.