By Naeemah Junaid,

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has inaugurated a Multi-stakeholder Coordination Group as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration and sustain Nigeria’s growing reputation in digital governance.

Speaking at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja, the Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, described Nigeria’s recent global recognition in digital governance as both an honour and a call to greater responsibility.

He cautioned against complacency, noting that the country must intensify efforts to maintain and improve its standing.

“Recognition comes with responsibility. If the global community recognises what we are doing, it means we must do more to sustain that progress,” he said.

Inuwa attributed Nigeria’s strides in digital transformation to deliberate investments in policy frameworks and regulations, including the National E-Governance and Digital Economy Bill, the Nigeria Data Protection Act, as well as instruments such as the Interoperability Framework and the Nigerian Government Enterprise Architecture.

He explained that while these frameworks have strengthened the country’s digital foundation, greater coordination and inclusive participation are required to sustain progress—hence the establishment of the Multi-stakeholder Coordination Group.

The NITDA boss also stressed the need for inclusivity, urging stakeholders to ensure that underserved communities, persons with disabilities, children and the elderly are not left behind in Nigeria’s digital transformation drive. He identified improved connectivity and digital literacy as critical enablers.

Highlighting the agency’s regulatory achievements, Inuwa disclosed that NITDA reviewed IT projects valued at over ₦1.5 trillion across federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the past year, saving more than ₦319 billion.

He, however, noted persistent challenges, revealing that over 56 per cent of IT projects have historically failed to meet expectations due to poor planning and inadequate technical oversight. To address this, he said NITDA is introducing stricter guidelines to ensure proper system design, professional certification and quality assurance.

Inuwa further emphasised the need to institutionalize reforms, warning that progress must not be dependent on individuals. He aligned the initiative with the digital transformation agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, calling for accountability in governance.

“We need stakeholders to hold us accountable for what we promise to deliver,” he added.

Also speaking, the National Coordinator of the Open Government Partnership in Nigeria, Gloria Ahmed, commended NITDA for the initiative, describing it as a significant step toward strengthening collaboration across the digital ecosystem.

She noted that the move aligns with the principles of transparency, accountability and citizen participation, adding that technology remains central to building trust in governance.

Ahmed also highlighted Nigeria’s achievements under the Open Government Partnership, particularly its recognition at the 2025 Global Summit in Spain, and called for sustained momentum.

She further pointed to the Fourth National Action Plan, which includes commitments on digital governance and the development of a national Digital Public Infrastructure, including the Nigeria Data Exchange Platform, aimed at improving coordination and service delivery.

According to her, the success of these initiatives will depend on active collaboration among government, civil society and the private sector.

The inauguration of the Multi-stakeholder Coordination Group is expected to enhance cooperation among key stakeholders and reinforce efforts to build a more transparent, inclusive and digitally driven governance system in Nigeria.

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TECH  DIGEST- The Nigerian Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy has announced a comprehensive plan to gather public feedback on the updated National Digital Economy and e-Governance Bill.

Following a media engagement on Tuesday, the Ministry revealed the draft legislation’s content will be available by July 23, 2024. Widespread stakeholder consultations across Nigeria are also planned to ensure the bill effectively addresses the needs of various groups, including public service providers, regulators, innovators, and service providers.

The Ministry will collaborate with Tech Hubs, the Nigerian Computer Society, and other relevant organisations to facilitate nationwide engagement and gather valuable input. Technical workshops will be held to finalise the draft and incorporate expert perspectives on the bill’s content.

Speaking at the media event, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Dr. Bosun Tijani highlighted the transformative potential of Nigeria’s digital economy, which is projected to generate N18.3 billion by 2026. Dr Tijani cited the success of Nigerian unicorn companies like Flutterwave, Jumia, Andela, and Interswitch as evidence of the sector’s strength and its ability to propel the nation’s economic growth.

“Those following Nigeria’s economic trajectory are likely aware that the ICT sector contributes significantly to GDP, ranging from 13% to 18%,” Dr Tijani noted. “In the fourth quarter of 2023 alone, the sector contributed an impressive16.6% of GDP. The digital economy generated approximately N5.49 billion in revenue in 2019, and this figure is projected to reach N18.3 billion by 2026.”

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TECH DIGEST – Nasarawa state government has keyed into e-governance and digital economy as a developmental strategy to boost the state’s economy, with a view to set the state on a global pedestal.

The state governor, Abdullahi Sule, made this disclosure when delegates of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) visited his office to open a workshop on “Priorities and Expectations for the Development of Nasarawa State E-Government Master Plan”, held in Lafia, Thursday.

The workshop was organized to engage the state government, the state Director General, Bureau for Information Communication Technology (ICT), Ministries and Development Agencies, and other relevant stack-holders so as to map out a suitable plan for digital transformation of Nasarawa state.

Governor Sule noted that digital economy is the way forward, according to him “for those who are yet to understand, the GDP contribution of digital economy for last year was even higher than that of the oil and gas in Nigeria.

“I think going forward, this is a huge improvement for Nigeria, so I want to congratulate Mr President for this initiative, he added.

He welcomed the NITDA team to Nasarawa state, noting that indeed the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy will now get a boost from the training.

Earlier, the Director General of NITDA, Mr Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi said that considering the enormous resources in Nasarawa state and location, keying into E-governance will be beneficial to the residents.

“Looking at the strategic location and resources you have, you can use digital technology to unlock more opportunities for your citizens”.

The DG expressed excitement in the partnership with the state government, explaining that the collaboration will help Nasarawa state to benefit from digital economy.

“Looking at the potentials of digital economy, Nasarawa state is on the right track and will benefit from digital economy. This partnership will help Nasarawa state capture and benefit from digital economy,” he said.

In his remark, the state Director General, Bureau for Information Communication Technology, Mr Shehu Ibrahim, welcomed the participants to the workshop.

He explained that the essence of the workshop is to build on the strategy already drafted in order to find a more suitable plan to actualize e-government in the state.

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