The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has emphasized the importance of partnerships between the public and private sectors to advance Nigeria’s digital transformation.
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has urged stakeholders to strengthen industry collaboration to accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation. Speaking at The Omniverse Summit 2025 in Lagos, Inuwa emphasized the critical role of innovation and policy in driving sustainable growth and positioning Nigeria as a global digital powerhouse.
Represented by Dr. Aristotle Onumo, Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, Inuwa highlighted Nigeria’s remarkable progress in the tech ecosystem. With internet penetration surpassing 55% and the digital economy projected to contribute over 20% to GDP by 2030, Nigeria is witnessing unprecedented growth. Homegrown fintech giants such as Flutterwave, Paystack, and Moniepoint were cited as prime examples of how innovation is attracting billions in investments and revolutionizing financial services.
Inuwa noted that emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) are transforming critical sectors, including governance, agriculture, healthcare, and education. To sustain this momentum, he reiterated NITDA’s commitment to fostering innovation through investments in research and development, talent cultivation, and startup support systems. These efforts aim to bridge the digital divide and enhance digital literacy across the nation.
The NITDA DG underscored the importance of adaptive regulatory frameworks, such as the Nigeria Startup Act, in nurturing innovation. He also highlighted NITDA’s Regulatory Intelligence Framework, which ensures a dynamic, intelligent, and consumer-friendly regulatory environment that enables businesses to scale. Inuwa called for stronger data protection laws, enhanced cybersecurity frameworks, and AI governance strategies to promote responsible technology deployment.
Collaboration, Inuwa stressed, is the cornerstone of progress. He pointed to the vital role of public-private partnerships in Nigeria’s digital transformation, citing recent collaborations between the Federal Government and global tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Meta. Notably, the partnership with Google is set to transform Nigeria into a global tech hub, focusing on infrastructure development, citizen upskilling, AI innovation, cloud adoption, and investment framework enhancement.
Inuwa also highlighted NITDA’s ongoing initiatives, including the Digital Literacy for All programme in partnership with the NYSC, which aims to achieve 70% digital literacy by 2027. He emphasized the need to strengthen industry-academic linkages to bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical applications, ensuring a digitally skilled workforce.
As Nigeria continues its journey toward becoming a global digital leader, Inuwa’s call for collaboration, innovation, and adaptive policies serves as a rallying cry for stakeholders to unite in driving the nation’s digital future.
