In accordance with the Agency’s strategic roadmap aimed at fostering strategic partnerships and collaborations to propel Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), emphasized the imperative of collaboration to harness the best solutions stemming from diverse ideas, experiences, insights, and shared knowledge essential for the nation’s progress.
Inuwa reiterated this stance while hosting the participants of the 2024 Senior Executive Course 46, who embarked on a strategic visit to study the Agency’s operations concerning the advancement of the Digital Economy, aligning with the current administration’s Agenda. The delegation, spearheaded by Brigadier General Abdulrahman Idris, sought to gain insights into NITDA’s initiatives.
In emphasizing the interconnectedness of organizations in achieving their goals and objectives, Inuwa stressed, “We need to collaborate with other institutions to learn from and exchange ideas that will positively impact citizens’ lives, thus enhancing living standards across the nation.”
Furthermore, he underscored that the collaboration between NITDA and NIPSS (Nigerian Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies) would underscore the significance of harnessing technology and digital innovation to drive economic growth, foster job creation, and attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Nigeria.
He said, “At NITDA, we started by re-imagining and reinventing our social contract with Nigerians and the ecosystem, which led to the change of the Agency’s mission and vision to improve service delivery and the swift growth of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. We need to ensure that our core values reflect our willingness to discharge our duties and we exist to serve Nigerians.”
Offering insights into NITDA’s strategic trajectory, Inuwa highlighted the agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2024-2027) 2.0, organized around eight pillars: Fostering Digital Literacy and Talent Development, Cultivating a Robust Technology Research Ecosystem, Strengthening Policy Implementation and Legal Frameworks, Promoting Inclusive Access to Digital Infrastructure and Services, Enhancing Cybersecurity and Digital Trust, Nurturing an Innovative and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, Forging Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations, and Cultivating a Vibrant Organizational Culture with an Agile Workforce.
Earlier in the discourse, Brigadier General Idris elucidated on NIPSS’s establishment under Decree number 20 of 1979, now encapsulated in Cap N-51 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. He elucidated that the Institute was conceived as a premier policy think-tank, aimed at nurturing a cadre of proficient technocrats endowed with profound intellectual prowess. Their mission: to conceptualize and execute innovative, dynamic policy initiatives and strategies crucial for national development.
Idris further noted that since its inception, NIPSS has successfully graduated 45 courses, empowering government institutions with the intellectual acumen necessary for effective policy implementation, thus contributing significantly to national development.
He said, “The administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has tasked the institutions with the mandate to address some issues of national interest around the digital economy sector and NITDA is one of the critical stakeholders in the sector and this has informed our visit’’.
