Senator seeks digital database for SMEs

Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salis representing Ogun Central has called for the establishment of a nationwide digital database to strengthen governance, protect small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) from cyber threats, and create a platform for ethical enterprise growth. Speaking at the 2025 National Convention of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta Muslim Alumni Association (MAPAMA) on Sunday, […]

Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salis representing Ogun Central has called for the establishment of a nationwide digital database to strengthen governance, protect small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) from cyber threats, and create a platform for ethical enterprise growth.

Speaking at the 2025 National Convention of the Moshood Abiola Polytechnic Abeokuta Muslim Alumni Association (MAPAMA) on Sunday, Salis who is Chairman of the Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, stated that digitization of government services and integration of national databases would provide regulatory clarity, reduce corruption, and enable businesses to operate efficiently.

“Our laws are still analog while society has gone digital. This bill will give legal recognition to digital signatures, mandate digitization of government services, and create a unified national database linking agencies while preserving custodial rights,” he said.

Salis explained that three key legislative frameworks, the Startup Act, the Cybercrime Act, and the National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill, were designed to empower entrepreneurs, protect critical information systems, and modernize Nigeria’s business environment.

“Entrepreneurs cannot build ethical and scalable enterprises in an environment where the rules keep changing. A unified digital system ensures data integrity, enables service access anywhere, reduces corruption, and provides a reliable foundation for businesses to thrive,” Salis said.