Kashifu Inuwa, Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to using digital technology as a tool for empowering citizens and fostering national integration.
Speaking at a 2-day Interactive Session on Government–Citizens Engagement held at Arewa House, Kaduna, Inuwa emphasised that the digital economy plays a central role in achieving inclusive development across Nigeria. The event, organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, was themed “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government Engagement for National Unity” and brought together government officials, civil society leaders, academics, and policymakers.
Inuwa highlighted that digital transformation is not only key to the success of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda but also vital to bridging regional divides by providing equal access to opportunities.
To drive this agenda, NITDA is partnering with the Federal Ministry of Education to integrate digital skills into Nigeria’s formal education system—from kindergarten to tertiary levels. It is also working with the National Universities Commission (NUC) to include digital literacy as part of the general studies curriculum in universities.
In addition, NITDA is collaborating with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to train corps members as digital literacy ambassadors, who will extend tech knowledge to rural and underserved communities.
On infrastructure, Inuwa announced the Federal Government’s approval for the rollout of 90,000 kilometres of fibre optic cables nationwide to boost broadband access. He also revealed that three digital centres are being established in every state to ensure wider participation in the digital economy, particularly from underserved areas in the North.
In the past two years, NITDA has set up 13 IT Community Centres, 101 Digital Economy e-Learning Centres, and one Cybersecurity Research Centre to expand access to technology and digital learning.
Inuwa further noted that reforms introduced by President Tinubu have created a more attractive investment climate, sparking renewed interest from global tech giants like Google and Microsoft, which are now bringing significant investments into Nigeria.
To crown these efforts, Nigeria will host two major global tech events: GITEX Nigeria in September and the UN ICT for Governance (ICEGOV) Summit in November. Both events are expected to draw international investors and innovators to the country.
According to Inuwa, these initiatives demonstrate the government’s determination to leverage technology for inclusive growth, citizen engagement, and national unity.
