Nigerian higher education institutions have achieved a major breakthrough in global digital identity infrastructure as the Nigerian Research and Education Network, NgREN, secured admission into eduGAIN, the world’s leading inter-federation service for research and education.
The admission was announced in a statement on Tuesday after the formal signing of the declaration of membership by NgREN’s Managing Director, Dr Joshua Atah.
eduGAIN, which operates under the auspices of GÉANT, connects identity federations across more than 100 countries, linking over 10,000 Identity and Service Providers worldwide.
The platform simplifies and secures access to digital content, academic services and research resources for institutions within the global education community.
NgREN’s admission followed a rigorous assessment and voting process conducted by the eduGAIN Assembly, underscoring Nigeria’s compliance with international standards for digital trust and identity federation.
Speaking on the development, Atah described the milestone as transformative for Nigerian universities and research institutions.
According to him, membership will open up enhanced collaboration opportunities, enable secure access to international scholarly resources, and strengthen trusted digital frameworks between Nigerian institutions and their global counterparts.
“This achievement firmly positions Nigeria’s higher education sector on the global stage,” he said, noting that institutions federated under NgREN can now fully participate in the global inter-federation ecosystem.
He expressed appreciation to the eduGAIN Chair, Steering Committee and Assembly members for their diligence in reviewing and approving NgREN’s application.
“As Nigeria’s National Research and Education Network, NgREN remains committed to strengthening digital trust identity, enabling secure federated access, and supporting innovation across the higher education and research ecosystem,” Atah added.
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 nationwide.
Through reliable connectivity, cloud hosting and digital identity solutions, the network supports institutions in advancing research, fostering innovation and translating knowledge into real-world impact.
