Kashifu Inuwa, the director general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has sent a clear message to sub-national governments: federal policies are only as effective as their implementation at the state level.
Speaking at the South-South Regional ICT Stakeholders Forum, Inuwa emphasized that while Nigeria has made significant strides at the federal level, the real measure of success lies in how states domesticate frameworks like the Nigeria Startup Act and the National Digital Literacy Framework.
The Governance Gap: Beyond Creating ICT Ministries
Inuwa observed that while many states have established ICT-focused ministries, several still lack the comprehensive enabling laws and structured governance mechanisms required to attract investment and scale innovation.
NITDA has offered technical guidance to South-South states to help them transition from mere administrative presence to regulatory readiness.
The Road to 95% Digital Literacy by 2030
A cornerstone of NITDA’s strategy is the National Digital Literacy Framework, which aims to achieve 95% digital literacy across Nigeria by 2030.
Key South-South Implementation Pillars:
- Curriculum Integration: Digital skills are being embedded in school curricula through a partnership with the Federal Ministry of Education.
- Teacher Capacity Building: Educators in both public and private schools are undergoing training to drive technology-led learning.
- Civil Service Upskilling: Building on the success of training 54,000 federal civil servants, NITDA is planning a rollout of digital capacity programs for state-level public servants to enhance governance efficiency.
Grassroots Innovation and Strategic Partnerships
The DG highlighted a community-first approach to digital inclusion, utilizing unusual but effective channels:
Cisco Collaboration: Providing self-paced digital courses to youth.
NYSC Digital Champions: Deploying corps members to markets, worship centers, and motor parks to conduct community-based sensitization.
Cross River as a Hub:
Dr. Justin Atiang Beshel, the Cross River State Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, reaffirmed the state’s priority on broadband expansion and e-government services to position the state as a regional digital hub.
The digital economy is not a “Lagos-Abuja” project; it is a 36-state imperative. The call by NITDA for states to strengthen coordination is a push to move Nigeria away from a fragmented digital landscape toward a unified market.
For investors, the domestication of the Nigeria Startup Act at the state level is the biggest incentive, it provides the legal certainty needed to fund tech hubs in cities like Port Harcourt, Calabar, and Uyo.
If the South-South can successfully bridge its rural connectivity gap, it stands to become the country’s most viable alternative tech ecosystem to Lagos.
