.ng Ambassador Programme is a strategic initiative designed to deepen awareness, advocacy, and adoption of Nigeria’s country code top-level domain, .ng.

At Tech Convergence 3.0 in Abuja, NiRA conferred the inaugural National .ng Ambassador Recognition on Senator Shuaib Afolabi Salisu, chairman, Senate Committee on ICT & Cybersecurity, and Honourable Stanley Adedeji Olajide, chairman, House Committee on Information & Technology, in recognition of their contributions to Nigeria’s digital transformation journey, support for innovation, and commitment to advancing indigenous digital infrastructure.

The .ng Ambassador Programme seeks to build a network of distinguished champions who will promote Nigeria’s digital identity and highlight the strategic importance of the .ng namespace across key stakeholder communities.

Conferring the honour on the recipients, Dr. Mrs. Ibukun Odusoke, chairperson, NiRA Board of Trustees, said this milestone reinforces NiRA’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, fostering local content development, and positioning .ng as the preferred digital identity for Nigerians and Nigerian businesses.

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Now in its 2025 edition, NITMA returns “bigger, bolder, and more inspiring”, with a renewed mission to recognize individuals and organizations driving transformation, mentorship, and leadership within Nigeria’s digital economy.

According to the NCS, nominations are open to members of the tech community and the general public who wish to spotlight trailblazers, innovators, and institutions contributing to the nation’s ICT development.

The award categories for this year’s edition include:

1. Digital Governor of the Year
2. IT Personality of the Year
3. Tech Mentor of the Year
4. Cybersecurity Advocate of the Year
5. Youth Innovation Award
6. IT Company of the Year

Interested participants are encouraged to submit nominations for deserving professionals and institutions through the official portal: here.

The deadline for submission is October 31, 2025.

Organizers say the awards aim to celebrate outstanding contributions that have advanced technology adoption, strengthened digital governance, and fostered innovation in Nigeria’s tech space.

“NITMA is not just an award, it’s a platform to honor those who continue to shape Nigeria’s technological destiny,” the NCS said in a statement.

The ceremony is expected to attract policymakers, industry leaders, innovators, and ICT professionals from across the country.

Now recognised among Nigeria’s Top 50 Public Relations Professionals in the prestigious GLG Communications Power List 2025, in partnership with The Guardian Newspaper, and previously honoured in Techeconomy’s IWD2025: 100 Women Shaping the Future, Umar’s rising profile is no accident, it is the result of a career defined by vision, discipline, and excellence.

As the Director of Corporate Communications and External Relations at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Hadiza Umar has emerged as a critical voice in shaping how Nigeria’s digital transformation story is told, not just to citizens, but to the world.

A Strategic Storyteller in a Digital Era

In a world increasingly influenced by perception, misinformation, and digital velocity, effective communication is more than a PR tool, it’s national infrastructure.

Hadiza Umar understands this deeply. She has strategically positioned NITDA as not just a government agency, but a policy shaper, innovation driver, and development catalyst.

Through her leadership, NITDA’s communications strategy has evolved into a coherent, multi-stakeholder engagement system that resonates with Nigeria’s youth, private sector, development partners, and the international community. She has successfully led campaigns that demystify technology policies, promote data protection, digital skills, and indigenous tech innovation — amplifying both NITDA’s mandate and Nigeria’s global voice.

The Power List Recognition: A Career Milestone

Her inclusion in the GLG Top 50 PR Power List 2025 places her alongside Nigeria’s most accomplished communicators, professionals shaping public opinion, building brands, and steering national narratives.

This recognition underscores her role in positioning public institutions as modern, responsive, and aligned with Nigeria’s digital aspirations.

“She embodies what it means to be a communications leader in today’s Nigeria,” noted GLG’s editorial team. “She doesn’t just represent a government agency; she represents a movement towards greater transparency, digital inclusion, and public accountability.”

A Trailblazer Among Women in Tech and Policy

Earlier in the year, Hadiza was also listed among Techeconomy’s “100 Women Shaping the Future”, a powerful compilation of women leaders redefining the tech and innovation landscape in Africa. Her dual recognitions in both public relations and technology spheres reflect a unique ability to bridge sectors, a rare and valuable asset in the modern communications space.

Being one of the few women leading communications at the highest level of Nigeria’s digital governance structure, she continues to serve as a role model for young women aspiring to careers in ICT, media, and policy.

Leadership Rooted in Purpose

What makes Hadiza Umar stand out is not just her professionalism, but her deep-rooted belief in the power of communication to enable change. Whether she’s managing a crisis, promoting a national initiative like the Nigeria Data Protection Act, or guiding NITDA’s media engagements, she does so with calm confidence and strategic foresight.

Beyond her role at NITDA, she is actively involved in inter-agency coordination, public sector reform discussions, and capacity development initiatives, especially around women’s leadership in ICT and governance.

Looking Ahead: A New Generation of Public Communicators

Hadiza’s influence signals a broader shift in Nigeria’s public communication landscape, one that prioritises engagement over propaganda, clarity over obfuscation, and digital reach over bureaucracy. She represents the new face of strategic communication in government, where storytelling, technology, and trust converge.

As she continues to elevate public discourse and connect citizens with policies that matter, Hadiza Umar is not just managing communications. She is reshaping national perception and lighting a path for the next generation of communicators.

In a time when trust in institutions is fragile and attention spans fleeting, professionals like Hadiza Umar remind us that effective communication remains a cornerstone of progress. And for Nigeria’s digital future, hers is a voice we’ll be hearing, and learning from, for years to come.