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.

The partnership between the DBI and SBTS is essentially to address the nation’s digital divide and drive Job creation

Described as a milestone for Nigeria’s digital future, the groundbreaking collaboration would leverage the SBTS Group’s Intelligent Capacity Building Model (ICBM), and the DBI’s reputation as Nigeria’s premier ICT capacity-building institute to provide training, infrastructure upgrades, and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) hubs across DBI campuses.

These initiatives will empower thousands of Nigerians with globally competitive skills and enhance the country’s participation in the global digital economy.

According to the International Finance Corporation (IFC), over 230 million jobs in Sub-Saharan Africa will require digital skills by 2030, thus creating nearly 650 million training opportunities.

This summarizes the importance of this initiative and the urgency required to bridging Africa’s digital skills gap.

The partnership would focuse on skill development and employment, which would involve training of thousands of Nigerians in advanced digital and technical skills; providing job placements locally and internationally for trained individuals; and develop a robust pipeline of skilled professionals to bridge Nigeria’s digital skills gap.

It would also focused on infrastructure upgrades and resource centers, with establishment of BPO hubs and tech resource centers in Lagos, Enugu, Kano, and other DBI campuses.

According to Daser David, the president/CEO of DBI, the partnership would boost Nigeria’s role in the global outsourcing market by creating high-value job opportunities.

The DBI President emphasized that the initiative aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, prioritizing human capital development, job creation, and socio-economic transformation, adding that the efforts would definitely accelerate the Renewed Hope Agenda.

Besides, he said the partnership would support the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) initiative to position Nigeria as a leading exporter of digital talent.

While highlighting the DBI’s dedication to bridging Nigeria’s digital divide, David said: “Our partnership with SBTS aligns with our mission to foster digital skills and transform lives. By integrating Nigeria’s youth into the global technological workforce, we are laying the foundation for a thriving digital economy.”

The CEO of SBTS Group, Evelyn Lewis, also emphasized the partnership’s urgency in launching Nigeria to the global digital space for the millions of Nigerian youth to take advantage.

He said;

“Africa’s digital skills gap is a barrier to growth. By collaborating with DBI, we aim to close this gap, create jobs, and accelerate technology adoption, boosting productivity across sectors.”

As Africa’s largest economy with a burgeoning youth population, Nigeria is positioned to take a leading role in this digital transformation of the continent.

David explained further that many of these opportunities will require intermediate and advanced technical skills, beyond basic digital literacy; adding that the DBI-SBTS collaboration directly addresses these challenges by creating a sustainable framework for skill development.

Already, the renovation and upgrades have commenced at DBI campuses, beginning with Enugu and Kano, with plans to extend nationwide.

These improvements will create state-of-the-art facilities for delivering cutting-edge training programs.

The partnership will also implement the ICBM framework, enabling DBI to offer advanced digital skills training, support the establishment of BPO centers, and create an ecosystem for innovation and growth.

David hinted that the initiative is basically to empowering Nigeria’s Youth and the Economy.

He said:

“This collaboration is a game-changer for Nigeria’s economy. By equipping job seekers with digital skills, the initiative enhances their employability and contributes to national development. The integration of digital talent into various sectors is expected to spur innovation, attract investments, and position Nigeria as a global hub for skilled digital professionals.”