NITDA DG Urges Corps Members to Build Startups, Says They Are Catalysts for Technological Innovation
By Alabidun Shuaib AbdulRahman
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, has urged corps members and interns serving in the agency to transform their creative ideas into viable tech startups capable of driving innovation and national development.
Inuwa gave the charge at the grand finale of the NITDA Innovation Challenge 1.0, held at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
The event featured innovative presentations by corps members and interns, who showcased technology-driven solutions developed under NITDA’s internal innovation programme aimed at solving real-life problems and enhancing public service delivery.
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Sharing his personal story, the NITDA boss recalled how his technology journey began during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year over two decades ago.
“I had an opportunity to build a website for the place I served, and that opened doors for me,” he said.
“Before I completed my service, a company offered me a ₦1.5 million contract to develop another website. Since then, I have remained committed to creating value through technology.”
Inuwa revealed that NITDA currently hosts over 550 corps members, many of whom face employment challenges after their service year.
To address this, he said the agency has created platforms that allow them to gain digital skills, refine their ideas, and build startups even before completing their service.
“We know it’s not easy to get jobs after NYSC,” he said.
“So we are creating opportunities for you to start building your own startups while you are here. You don’t have to wait until after your service year — you can begin testing your ideas right now.”
The DG commended participants for their impressive innovations, which included smart performance tracking systems, digital branding tools, knowledge management platforms, job placement systems, and certificate verification solutions.
“These are the kinds of solutions we need,” he noted. “Keep exploring, keep building — you are the future of Nigeria’s digital economy.”
Also speaking, Dr. Ayodeji Eniola, Director in the DG’s Office, described the NITDA Innovation Challenge as “a movement” that will redefine how innovation is approached within NITDA and across the public service.
“What we are witnessing today is not just a programme but a movement,” Eniola said.
“In years to come, the world will look back at this moment and celebrate it, because the innovations developed here will transform not only NITDA but the entire public sector.”
He added that the initiative was inspired by the DG’s vision to institutionalise innovation through a structured system, which led to the development of the NITDA Innovation Framework (NIF) — a blueprint for harnessing creativity and improving efficiency in public institutions.
“Innovation is not about competition; it’s about collaboration,” he added.
“Everyone who participated has helped to build the foundation of something much bigger. Together, we are shaping the future of Nigeria’s digital economy.”
Under the framework, staff, corps members, and interns were encouraged to identify and propose solutions to real operational challenges within NITDA and the national digital transformation agenda.
The maiden edition of the challenge attracted 35 submissions from various departments, out of which 13 priority challenges were identified.
This led to the formation of 24 teams, who underwent workshops, mentorship sessions, and pitching rounds.
At the end of the exercise, 23 teams successfully completed their projects, addressing 10 key issues within the agency.
Ten finalist teams presented their innovations before the NITDA Innovation Council, with six emerging as winners.
The NITDA Innovation Challenge, according to the organisers, is part of the agency’s broader strategy to foster creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in the public sector — in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).
Through initiatives like this, NITDA aims to position itself as a model for innovation-driven governance and a launchpad for young Nigerian innovators.
Cash prizes were presented to the top six winning teams as follows:
Team X (COPA) – 1st Place
Team Sentinel (Smart ID) – 2nd Place
Smart Track Innovators – 3rd Place
Team Trivergent – 4th Place
Team TechLogs (SafeCheck) – 5th Place
Team Big Tech (Digital Brainbox) and Team SRAPture – tied for 6th Place
