The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to deepening collaboration with the United States to build a secure, trusted and resilient digital ecosystem, with a strong focus on data privacy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and capacity building.
Inuwa made the remarks while delivering an address at the Nigeria Data Privacy Capacity Building Workshop, organised by the United States Department of State in collaboration with the Nigerian Mission and key stakeholders in the country’s digital ecosystem.
He described the workshop as a reaffirmation of the long-standing partnership between Nigeria and the United States in advancing Nigeria’s digital and technical systems, noting that the engagement builds on existing cooperation rather than introducing a new initiative.
According to Inuwa, both countries agreed in April 2024, through the U.S.–Nigeria Binational Commission, to jointly advance priority areas including data privacy, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, capacity development and broader digital transformation efforts.
He recalled that the partnership had already yielded tangible outcomes, including the successful hosting of an Artificial Intelligence Conference co-organised by the Nigerian government and the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, as well as Nigeria’s engagement with U.S.-based cybersecurity firms to explore technology partnerships.
Inuwa said NITDA’s focus on data privacy, AI and cybersecurity is driven by the need to build trust within Nigeria’s digital ecosystem, stressing that trust is a critical enabler of digital transformation. He noted that without trust, innovation slows and costs rise, while a trusted ecosystem accelerates growth and reduces barriers to adoption.
He further emphasised that artificial intelligence, data privacy and cybersecurity are deeply interconnected, explaining that AI systems rely on data, data requires privacy protections, and privacy can only be assured through strong security frameworks.
The NITDA chief described the workshop as a foundation for deeper collaboration in other strategic areas, as Nigeria positions itself as an important player in the global digital economy.
He disclosed that following the participation of the U.S. Mission in Nigeria’s National Cybersecurity Conference last year, plans are underway to expand the event into an international cybersecurity conference this year. The expanded conference, he said, would allow U.S. cybersecurity companies to showcase their technologies, partner with Nigerian firms, and jointly strengthen Nigeria’s cybersecurity capabilities.
Inuwa also reassured partners and stakeholders of NITDA’s commitment to creating policies and an enabling environment that support innovation, noting that Nigeria and Africa represent the next frontier of the digital economy, driven by a young, digital-native population and a rapidly growing market.
