Nigeria committed to leading Africa’s digital governance transformation — NITDA DG
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Nigeria committed to leading Africa’s digital governance transformation — NITDA DG
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to driving Africa’s digital governance transformation through research, collaboration, and digital literacy.
Inuwa stated this at the 18th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) 2025, held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, with the theme “Shaping the Future of Digital Governance through Cooperation, Innovation, and Inclusion.”
He said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises economic diversification through digitalisation, industrialisation, creative arts, manufacturing, and innovation.
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The NITDA boss described the hosting of ICEGOV 2025, the first in West Africa, as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward becoming a digital powerhouse on the continent.
“Tonight marks a remarkable milestone in our journey to making Nigeria a leader in digital governance. Our participation in previous ICEGOV events inspired us to take on the challenge of hosting the 2025 edition, the first ever in West Africa,” he said.
He attributed Nigeria’s growing participation in the conference to the vision of the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, who, according to him, encouraged active engagement through research and capacity building.
“The Honourable Minister said he wanted us to host workshops at ICEGOV 2024 because he believes in research. If we truly want to build a robust and sustainable economy in the digital era, we must invest heavily in deep research, especially in deep tech,” Inuwa said.
He noted that the conference theme reflects Nigeria’s digital strategy, which promotes co-creation and collaboration to ensure inclusivity and citizen-focused solutions in governance.
Inuwa also said the ministry’s strategic plan, titled “Accelerating the Nation’s Collective Prosperity through Technical Efficiency,” rests on five key pillars; Knowledge, Policy, Infrastructure, Trade, and Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Capital.
According to him, digital transformation goes beyond technology to improving how government serves citizens.
“Digital transformation is not just about technology; it’s about improving how we serve our citizens. Governance must meet citizens where they are online. Our goal is to build trust, efficiency, and better service experiences,” he said.
He highlighted several of NITDA’s initiatives aimed at deepening digital literacy and strengthening public sector capacity, including the National Digital Literacy Framework, which seeks to ensure that every Nigerian acquires digital skills from early education to adulthood.
Inuwa said the agency is also partnering with the Federal Ministry of Education to integrate digital literacy into the school curriculum by next year and working with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to train all public servants with over 24,000 already enrolled.
He added that the Commission has launched nationwide campaigns to extend digital skills training to market traders, transport workers, senior citizens, and faith-based groups.
The NITDA DG also underscored the importance of regional collaboration, urging African countries to work together to achieve digital self-determination.
“Our goal is to build the capacity, infrastructure, and right policies for Africa’s digital self-determination. ICEGOV gives us the platform to learn, share, and shape that future together,” he said.
