To propel Nigeria’s digital transformation, Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has urged for increased industry collaboration, highlighting innovation and policy as crucial facilitators of sustainable progress.
Represented by Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, Dr Aristotle Onumo, at The Omniverse Summit 2025, which took place in Lagos, Inuwa said Nigeria has the potential to become a global digital powerhouse through coordinated efforts among stakeholders.
With more than 55% of people using the internet and the digital economy expected to account for more than 20% of GDP by 2030, Nigeria’s tech sector is expanding at a rate never seen before, according to Inuwa, who cites domestic fintech behemoths like Flutterwave, Paystack, and Moniepoint as examples of how innovation is drawing billions of dollars in investment and transforming financial service.
Beyond finance, Inuwa noted, new technologies like blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and and the Internet of Things (IoT) are influencing important industries including education, healthcare, agriculture, and governance.
He stated that NITDA is dedicated to promoting innovation through investments in R&D, talent development, and startup support systems in order to close the digital divide and improve digital literacy in order to maintain this momentum.
Acknowledging that no digital economy can thrive without adaptive policies, the DG emphasised the importance of regulatory frameworks such as the Nigeria Startup Act, which provides a structured approach to nurturing innovation.
He highlighted NITDA’s Regulatory Intelligence Framework, which anchors its policies on dynamism, intelligence, and awareness, ensuring a regulatory environment that protects consumers while enabling businesses to scale.
The DG also stressed the need for stronger data protection laws, enhanced cybersecurity frameworks, and AI governance strategies that promote responsible technology deployment.
Collaboration, he stated, is the glue that binds innovation and policy into tangible progress. Public-private partnerships have already played a vital role in Nigeria’s digital transformation, with recent collaborations between the Federal Government and global tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, and Meta underscoring the importance of synergy.
He stated that the recent agreement between the federal government and Google is set to transform Nigeria into a global tech hub, noting that the partnership focuses on infrastructure development, citizen upskilling, AI innovation, cloud adoption, and investment framework enhancement. This collaborative approach ensures that digital policies and initiatives align with global best practices while addressing local needs.
Inuwa also mentioned NITDA’s ongoing initiatives such as the Digital Literacy for All programme in partnership with the NYSC, which aims to achieve 70% digital literacy by 2027. According to him, strengthening industry-academic linkages will further bridge the gap between theoretical learning and practical applications, ensuring a digitally skilled workforce.
He added that, Nigeria’s active participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents significant opportunities to position the country as a regional hub for digital trade and services – through harmonising digital trade policies and leveraging strategic partnerships, Nigeria can unlock new markets and attract more foreign investments.
The DG reiterated that Nigeria’s digital transformation requires bold decisions, innovative thinking, and strategic alliances, urging all stakeholders to work together to ensure that digital transformation is not just a vision but a reality driving sustainable economic development.
“As the theme of this summit states, we are truly ‘Unified by Vision and Empowered by Collaboration’. Let us seize this moment to build a Nigeria where technology serves as an equaliser, empowering every citizen, every business, and every sector,” he stated.
