Kashifu Inuwa, the director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has said that Nigeria is empowered digitally and thriving on innovation and inclusive economic growth through technology.
Inuwa said that ecosystem collaboration is paramount to propel and build a robust technology research ecosystem that aligns with the present administration’s redefined priorities to accelerate diversification through industrialisation, digitisation, and innovation.
Inuwa made this remark at a workshop themed “Intel AI programme for Africa Deep-Tech startups, Ecosystem stakeholders” which was organised by Afrilabs and Intel in Abuja.
He added:
“For us to succeed as a nation there is need for synergy, and we must strongly believe that the best solution emerges from collaborative efforts, harnessing diverse talents, expertise, and perspectives of the robust ecosystem for the advancement of the country”.
Inuwa noted that our problem in Africa is about implementation processes, he added that, “we need to have strong institutions to implement these policies and strategies for the realisation of our goals and objectives”.
He opined that there is need to work together to build policies and regulations that will be beneficial and flexible to implement through proper coordination attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
Speaking on NITDA’s commitment towards the implementation of diverse initiatives and policies, Inuwa stated that it has attracted 6 African countries and other government institutions to visit and understudy for replication to change the conventional way of doing things.
Providing insights into NITDA’s strategic direction, Inuwa mentioned the agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2024-2027) 2.0, structured around eight pillars which include Fostering Digital Literacy and Cultivating Talents, Building a Robust Technology Research Ecosystem, Strengthening Policy Implementation and Legal Frameworks, Promoting Inclusive Access to Digital Infrastructure and Services, Enhancing Cybersecurity and Digital Trust, Nurturing an Innovative and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, Forging Strategic Partnerships and Collaborations, and Cultivating a Vibrant Organisational Culture with an Agile Workforce.
Speaking earlier, Mr Ajibola Odukoya, the chief operating afficer of Afrilabs, stated that driving innovation economy in Africa by power of our communities will bring about the cultivation of high potential entrepreneurs who will become catalysts for economic growth and social development in Africa.
The workshop is aimed at finding solutions to research carried out on evaluating the deep tech ecosystem in Africa and lacks tailored support for the growth of startups in the sector.
Odukoya added that Artificial intelligence (AI) is a tool that will bridge Africa and the world and need to consider Africa towards building AI frameworks and libraries to showcase African perspectives and zeal in problem-solving.
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