NITDA DG Urges Extensive ICT Investment to Ensure Inclusive Digital Access
In a proactive move aimed at promoting inclusive access to digital infrastructure and services, Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi, the director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), emphasized the importance of substantial investment in information and communication technology (ICT).
The objective is to strengthen the nation’s economy by integrating digital technologies, thereby paving the way for technological advancement.
Abdullahi conveyed this imperative during a meeting with a delegation from the African Development Bank (AfDB), including Ms. Edosio Uyoyo and Traore Toho Syevie, hosted at NITDA’s corporate headquarters in Abuja. The delegation provided insights into various initiatives implemented by the bank, sparking a discussion on the pivotal role of ICT in a country’s development.
During the meeting, Abdullahi highlighted the instrumental role of ICT in creating opportunities, enhancing service delivery, fostering job creation, improving security, and revolutionizing conventional approaches. He further emphasized NITDA’s commitment to this cause, unveiling plans to construct additional digital public infrastructure (DPI) and develop tailored modalities to swiftly meet the nation’s requirements, ensuring accessible digital services for citizens nationwide.
Providing deeper insights into NITDA’s strategic direction, Abdullahi referenced the agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2024-2027) 2.0. “The objective is to strengthen the nation’s economy by integrating digital technologies, thereby paving the way for technological advancement,” he said.
The plan is structured around eight pillars, including 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 organizational culture with an agile workforce.
He highlighted that the agency’s Strategic Roadmap aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration’s redefined priorities to “Accelerate Diversification through Industrialization, Digitization, and Innovation”.
Related Posts
Ms. Edosio Uyoyo, the principal ICT and innovation expert from the African Development Bank, commended NITDA’s impactful initiatives and programs across the country. “The objective is to strengthen the nation’s economy by integrating digital technologies,” she said.
“We are here for the completion reports to guide us towards planning for the next initiative of a four-year plan from 2025-2029. We want to know and understand key areas you are focusing on, and we need the bank to prioritize support to meet ambitious targets at the end of the project time frame,” she stated.
