In the heart of Kaduna, within the historic walls of Arewa House, a bold vision for Nigeria’s future echoed with clarity: a united nation powered by digital inclusion.
Speaking at the 2-Day Interactive Session on Government–Citizens Engagement, organised by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), delivered a message of possibility, one where technology becomes the bridge that connects governance, opportunity, and national unity.
Themed “Assessing Electoral Promises: Fostering Government Engagement for National Unity,” the forum brought together a cross-section of voices, from policymakers and civil society to academia and thought leaders, to evaluate the progress of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Digital as a Tool for Equity and Progress
For Inuwa, the conversation was much deeper than infrastructure or policy; it was about building a digitally empowered society where no Nigerian is left behind.
“Digital technology is not just another sector,” he said. “It is foundational. It powers everything, agriculture, healthcare, education, and finance. It’s how we create inclusive growth and national cohesion.”
He emphasised that achieving the eight priority areas of the Renewed Hope Agenda, including economic transformation, security, social services, and governance, rests heavily on digital transformation as an enabler.
From the Classroom to the Grassroots: A People-Centered Approach
Inuwa shared that NITDA’s strategy is rooted in three core pillars:
- Human capital development
- Digital infrastructure expansion
- Innovation-driven entrepreneurship
At the heart of it all is Nigeria’s greatest resource: its people.
“To unlock our potential, we must equip our people, especially the youth, with digital skills,” Inuwa noted.
He highlighted the progress of the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative and the Digital Literacy for All campaign, which have already trained over 350,000 individuals in Northern Nigeria since 2023. The target, he said, is 70% national digital literacy by 2027.
To achieve this, NITDA is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Education to embed digital skills from kindergarten to tertiary levels. Universities, through ongoing partnerships with the National Universities Commission (NUC), are expected to make digital literacy a core part of their general studies curriculum.
In collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), NITDA is also training thousands of corps members each year, positioning them as digital literacy ambassadors who take tech skills into rural communities and informal sectors.
Connecting the Nation: Infrastructure for All
On the infrastructure front, Inuwa announced that the Federal Government has approved the deployment of 90,000 kilometers of fibre optic cables to expand broadband access nationwide.
To ensure even the most remote communities are not excluded, three new digital centres are being built in every state. So far, Northern Nigeria has seen significant impact, with:
- 13 IT Community Centres
- 101 Digital Economy e-Learning Centres
- 1 Cybersecurity Research Centre established in the past two years.
“Access to digital infrastructure must not be a privilege. It must be a right,” Inuwa stressed. “Everyone, from Gwoza to Gusau, Lagos to Lafia, must be able to participate in the digital economy.”
Nigeria on the Global Tech Map
President Tinubu’s reforms, Inuwa added, are already yielding visible results. Improved ease of doing business and a clearer digital policy direction have attracted renewed interest from global tech leaders.
“Today, companies like Google and Microsoft are not just watching Nigeria — they are investing in Nigeria,” he said.
This momentum will continue with two major global tech events Nigeria will host in the coming months:
- GITEX Nigeria (September 2025)
- United Nations’ ICEGOV Summit on ICT for Governance (November 2025)
These events are expected to draw global innovators, investors, and policy shapers, further positioning Nigeria as Africa’s digital hub.
A Digital Future for a United Nigeria
In closing, Inuwa reaffirmed that Nigeria’s digital economy is more than a policy direction, it’s a national imperative.
“Digital is the great equaliser. It is how we empower citizens, bridge divides, and build trust between government and the governed,” he said. “If we invest in our people, connect our communities, and embrace innovation, there is no limit to what we can achieve, together.”
From Arewa House to the grassroots, the message is clear: a digitally literate, inclusive, and united Nigeria is not just possible, it is within reach.
