Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is at the forefront of empowering citizens through tech innovation hubs by creating the required environment for Nigeria’s innovators and encouraging innovation and indigenization of technologies.
In effect, the indigenization of technologies helps to address the incessant dependence on foreign products and services which has a negative impact on the country’s economy.
The DG stated this today in his address to guests at the Nigeria Innovation Summit (#NIS2022), held in Lagos.
These innovation hubs, he said, are providing a research environment for creativity, idea integration and collaborative environment, and development of ICT policies, processes, and strategies, while also serving as innovation linkage between the government, industry, and academia.
The DG who spoke through Engineer Salisu Kaka, the Director, Digital Economy at NITDA, said, in this regard, the Agency has established over 1,500 IT centres across the country and equipped them with facilities where thousands of Nigerians are gaining basic computer skills to develop analytic perspectives, launch their own businesses across the country and become potential employers of labour, rather than just employees.
He said that to further enhance the IT capacity of citizens, NITDA has established and equipped hundreds of IT Hubs and IT Parks with world-class facilities across the states of the federation.
“In a demonstration of its role as regulator and developer of the IT sector, NITDA has initiated the Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (TIES) Scheme aimed to bridge the skills gap by supporting innovative startups with workspace vouchers and seed funding. Another initiative of the Agency is the HIVE, which was conceptualized to collaborate with the CBN and establish entrepreneurial centres for capacity building in universities and other tertiary institutions.
“The Agency has consistently nurtured and promoted strategic engagement and provided support for techpreneurs, startups, IT hubs, and ecosystem builders through Nigeria’s ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship Vision (NIIEV). We are helping to expose our youth to the vast opportunities for job generation and wealth creation that tech innovation and entrepreneurship have to offer.
“Most importantly our role as a regulator is firmly rooted on a pedestal of strategic and open engagement with stakeholders across the Nigerian tech innovation landscape”.
He also told the gathering at #NIS2022 that NITDA’s regulations are co-created with significant contributions and input from all stakeholders towards providing enabling environment for growth, attraction, and protection of investment in the sector.
“NITDA’s programmes have also created employment for Nigerian youths.
“As a development-focused regulator, we are committed to advancing new technologies and innovations that will have a widespread impact across business, industry, and economic growth in Nigeria through the promotion of strategic partnerships with local and international entities to develop and safeguard the well-being of the indigenous content. We have continued to demonstrate this commitment in every initiative we embark on by ensuring robust and widespread engagement with all players in the Nigerian tech environment.
Nigerian Startup Bill:
“For instance, the Nigerian Startup Bill which became a reality through the collaborative efforts of all relevant private and public players will help institutionalize legal frameworks that will enhance the sustainable growth of startups in the country.
“When eventually signed into law by the President, this piece of transformational legislation will further strengthen the relationship between regulatory bodies and startups for the overall development of the digital economy.
“With the sustained implementation of our various programmes and initiatives, through our subsidiaries, NITDA remains committed to forging stronger collaborations with relevant stakeholders within the tech innovation ecosystem towards entrenching an enabling environment driven by innovation, entrepreneurship, and excellence for our young innovators to thrive.
“We are of the firm belief that consistency in pushing the frontiers of innovation, development of human capital, and strategic engagement between the private and public sectors are crucial for building a Nigeria where innovation drives the way we live and do things. This is a call for us all to reimagine the implications of our actions and inactions on the progress and stability of the tech innovation ecosystem.
“While assuring you of our unwavering resolve to actualize a Digital Nigeria Agenda in all ramifications and to ensure Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global tech innovation and entrepreneurship space, I would like to appreciate the organizers for giving me the opportunity to highlight a few areas where NITDA is impacting the growth of our economy through its successful implementation of its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan.
He also lauded the organisers of #NIS2022 for bringing together under one roof the greatest collection of resourceful individuals from the academic community, government, and industry to brainstorm and proffer new ideas to propel the digital transformation journey.
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