The Federal Government has unveiled the National Digital Trustmark Initiative, a new scheme designed to verify and certify authentic online platforms and e-commerce websites in Nigeria.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, unveiled the initiative in Abuja on Thursday.
He said it was aimed to boost public confidence in online transactions, protect consumers from fraud, and enhance Nigeria's global digital reputation.
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According to him, the Trustmark will serve as a verifiable seal of authenticity for legitimate online platforms, ensuring Nigerians can transact safely and securely in the digital space.
The NITDA boss noted that digital economy had been Nigeria's fastest-growing sector for almost five years, surpassing oil and gas and other key sectors in its contribution to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
"The digital economy has already bypassed the oil and gas sector in terms of contribution to our GDP. Today, the services sector contributes over 58% to Nigeria's GDP, and almost all these services are powered by digital technology," he said.
He also noted that while digitisation had created vast opportunities, it had also brought challenges such as cyber fraud, identity theft, and fake online platforms that erode public trust and discourage online transactions.
"Technology is a double-edged sword. As good actors use it to enhance productivity and efficiency, bad actors exploit it to cause harm.
'Many people are discouraged from transacting online due to lack of trust and confidence. This also affects our international reputation, as Nigeria is often unfairly stigmatised as a hub for cybercrime," he added.
Inuwa explained that the Digital Trustmark was part of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda to promote digital inclusion, protect consumers, and strengthen trust in e-commerce economy.
The initiative was co-created by NITDA, the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), is supported by GIZ, the German international development agency in Nigeria.
Under the new framework, every verified company, e-commerce platform, government agency, and online business will display a Trustmark seal on their website.
The seal, which can be scanned or clicked for verification, will confirm that the platform is genuine, legally registered, and compliant with Nigeria's data and cybersecurity standards.
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The verification process, he said, would include manual and automated checks such as corporate registration (CAC), Know Your Customer (KYC) documentation, and address validation. Once approved, the business will be issued a Trustmark certificate and a digital badge for display on its platform.
"The seal will make it easy for citizens to distinguish between authentic and fake websites. Many scammers clone websites that look exactly like banks or known brands. With the Trustmark, people can easily identify verified platforms and transact safely," he said.
The project, supported by GIZ, has NACCIMA and NITDA, amongst others, as major stakeholders.
The implementation phase of the Trustmark will feature a portal and mobile app for managing certification lifecycles, issuance, validation, revocation, and renewal and licensed verifiers who will onboard online sellers and platform owners.
