The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi has affirmed commitment to effectively collaborate with Ms Salima Bah, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Communications, Technology, and Innovations, to actualize the “Forge Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration” pillar outlined in the Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0 2024-2027).
Director of the Corporate Planning and Strategy Department Dr. Aristotle Onumo spoke on behalf of the DG, highlighting the importance of innovation, stakeholder engagement, and co-creation in advancing NITDA’s regulatory agenda. NITDA is committed to promoting innovation without impeding it.
Inuwa also stressed the importance of cooperation between different stakeholders both inside and outside the public sector, and she went into detail on how each ministry has set up a Digital Transformation Working Group. With this joint effort, federal institutions will be able to guarantee that their policies, frameworks, and standards remain current.
The DG emphasised the significance of stakeholder involvement and comprehended their requirements, issues, and concerns in explaining NITDA’s approach to regulating information technology affairs. He emphasised the need to create rules and regulations that successfully handle these issues.
Inuwa addressed service delivery monitoring and stressed the Agency’s use of IT clearance as a quick way to enforce standards. She also suggested government entities submit IT plans annually to guarantee consistency with Agency goals.
Minister Salima Bah, for her part, emphasised the necessity of cooperation in advancing Africa’s use of cutting-edge technology like blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI) and stressed that the continent must use these tools for mutual gain rather than just as consumers.
In her reflections on the two days of interaction, Bah said she was grateful for the chance to gain knowledge from NITDA’s experience with digital development, policy implementation, and the enforcement of standards and guidelines, especially about technological clearance and compliance.
The minister said that the meeting between NITDA and the Ministry of Communications, Technology, and Innovations of Sierra Leone is a critical step in promoting cross-border cooperation and digital innovation on the continent of Africa.
