By: Kanto
Kai Okanta
The National Information
Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to
strengthening public-private partnerships, collective intelligence and
sustainable innovation to accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation and
advance the country’s digital economy.
The commitment was
reiterated at a high-level stakeholder engagement hosted at Lagos Business
School, where participants discussed priorities for implementing the agency’s
strategic roadmap and expanding the reach and impact of digital initiatives
across Nigeria.
Speaking on behalf of NITDA
Director-General Kashifu Inuwa, Dr Aristotle Onumo, Director of the Special
Duties Directorate, underscored the importance of sustained synergy among
industry leaders, academia and policymakers in driving comprehensive digital
transformation.
Onumo commended the
leadership of Lagos Business School and participating organisations for their
role in shaping and executing the agency’s strategic roadmap. He emphasised
that actionable, long-term partnerships remain the cornerstone of expanding the
reach and impact of digital initiatives across the country.
Developed through extensive
national consultations, NITDA’s strategic roadmap serves as a dynamic blueprint
designed to respond to the rapidly evolving global technology landscape.
The agency noted that
continuous dialogue is essential to evaluating benchmark progress, refining
core priorities and ensuring that government interventions remain agile,
impactful and directly aligned with market realities.
Highlighting the agency’s
evolving approach, Inuwa noted that NITDA is increasingly operating as an
ecosystem platform for digital innovation. Under this co-creation model,
collaborative problem-solving is reshaping how digital services are deployed,
regulatory frameworks are developed and an enabling environment for technology
startups is sustained.
The engagement provided a
platform to evaluate milestones across NITDA’s eight strategic pillars, which
guide the nation’s digital vision. Discussions focused on deepening digital
literacy, enforcing balanced regulation, expanding digital infrastructure,
nurturing local entrepreneurship and accelerating the operationalisation of the
Nigeria Startup Act.
To translate policy into
actionable outcomes, participants also engaged in syndicated working sessions
structured around five thematic pillars: Infrastructure, Innovation, Talent,
Governance and Cybersecurity.
The working groups brought
together industry experts and thought leaders to examine systemic bottlenecks,
share operational insights and propose practical solutions to fast-track the
implementation of NITDA’s strategic roadmap.
