Continued investment in Digital Innovation, according to the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), will benefit the education sector and the economy as a whole. The organization stated that it will continue to support and collaborate with all higher education institutions around the country.
The NITDA Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, represented by the Director, IT Infrastructure Solutions, Dr Abdullahi Gambo Usman, stated this when receiving the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Administration, Federal University Dutsen Ma, Katsina state, Professor Mary Agbo, Thursday, in Abuja.
“The Agency will continue to connect and listen to active and energetic higher education institutions in order to understand the difficulties they face, particularly in the area of IT and innovation,” he said.
As the prime Agency for e-government implementation, internet governance, and overall IT development in Nigeria, NITDA is poised to actualize its mandate by providing a flourishing atmosphere in the Digital space.
He said it is Important to seek to explore the benefits of innovations and creativity in order to bring about a functional education system for the country.
He also stressed the importance of stakeholders and the Agency working together to set standards, capacity building, and research and development.
He added that the IT sector played a pivotal role in getting the country’s economy out of recession, and recorded the highest growth rate in Q1 of 2020 as reported by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
He maintained that the positive growth of IT in Nigeria, being the only double digits growth rate sector, which made it lead in the year 2020 and Q1 of 2021, is what prompted the need to provide support and guidelines in all sectors of development and innovation to Nigerian.
Responding to the plea and request from the visiting university, as outlined by the DVC, especially in the area of security challenges in the visualisation of the Optic Fiber Cable that links the 2 campuses which were donated to the university by professor Pantami through NCC.
The DG suggested a number of technologies that may be used to assure security, including “autonomous drones” that could reduce human involvement in these often-dangerous situations. It can also assist save costs while also increasing safety.
“By using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to interpret satellite images, NITDA experts have long been able to tap into satellite images to help in preventive and response efforts,” he said.
Stating further that with the availability and quality of these images, they increasingly offer an even more valuable resource for security.
He explained that “NITDA always emphasizes how important it is to know how to use modern technology, not just as an enabler but as a strategic design for your strategy in general which will inspire you to do more.”
Developmental legislation, Digital literacy and skills, Digital transformation, Digital innovation and entrepreneurship, Cyber Security, Emerging Technologies, and Promotion of indigenous content are the seven pillars of the NITDA Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2021-2024), he said.
Inuwa noted that the Agency’s focus is on improving how things are being done using technology and innovation by creating an enabling environment and innovation ecosystem that will allow all universities to key in.
The DVC Administration, Federal University Dutsen Ma, Professor Mary Agbo, in her remarks, noted that the university appreciated the kind gesture and laudable project from the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy for the giant projects executed in the university. She also appreciated and solicited further support from NITDA in capacity building and training for staff of the CBT centre of the University.
Prof Agbo commended NITDA for the various IT intervention deployed across the country towards the growth and development of IT, which she said plays a critical role in the advancement of the country and also in the Educational Sector.
