The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called for the strategic integration of intelligence, security, and sustainability to accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation and strengthen its global competitiveness.
Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, made the call on Tuesday in Kano during the opening of the 19th International Conference (CONNOVATE 2025) of the Nigerian Computer Society (NCS), themed “Intelligent, Secure, and Sustainable Innovations for a Connected World.”
Represented by Engr. Salisu Kaka, Director of E-Government and Digital Economy Development, Inuwa said these three pillars have become indispensable for national progress. He cited Estonia’s X-Road platform, which powers 99% of the country’s government services online — as a global model, while stressing that in Nigeria’s high-risk digital environment, security is the foundation of trust.
“Security builds and protects trust, while intelligence powers solutions. Innovation without security is unsustainable, like a race car without brakes,” he said, pointing to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and data analytics as tools for addressing Nigeria’s complex challenges.
He urged Nigerian startups to move beyond digitising existing processes and focus on creating new value, citing examples such as AI-powered wealth management and ML-driven remote diagnostics.
Highlighting government efforts to support this vision, Inuwa referenced initiatives under the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), including the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), the Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT), the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023, the national digital identity programme, interoperable payments, and human capital programmes like the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) and Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL).
He also echoed the call of International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) President, Antony Wong, for stronger protection and strategic use of data in the Global South to safeguard indigenous knowledge. Wong commended Nigeria’s role in the recent World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) treaty protecting genetic resources and traditional knowledge.
In his welcome address, NCS President Dr. Muhammad Sirajo said the conference would provide a platform for IT professionals to tackle issues in intelligent systems, fintech, sustainable energy, agriculture, health, education, and national planning.
The week-long event features plenary sessions, a doctoral consortium, a youth and entrepreneurship forum, the Fellows Forum, the Annual General Meeting, an IT quiz for students, and the induction of new members, culminating in the election of new national executives, a dinner, and an awards night celebrating contributions to Nigeria’s ICT sector.
