The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering collaboration among researchers, technology experts, and academics to tackle national challenges through innovation and emerging technologies.

The Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, made this known during a visit by the management of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), led by Vice Chancellor Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, to the agency’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.

Inuwa emphasized the importance of stronger collaboration between academics, engineers, and entrepreneurs to address pressing national issues such as environmental sustainability, public health, and infrastructure. He noted that this aligns with NITDA’s mission to build a robust technology research ecosystem focused on Digital Literacy, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Research & Development (R&D). This, he added, also supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes digital transformation and equipping students with future-ready skills.

To institutionalize this collaboration, NITDA and NSUK have agreed to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will drive impactful initiatives and ensure sustainable, long-term engagement between the two organizations. The partnership is expected to accelerate innovation in Nigeria’s tech sector, empower students with digital skills, and contribute to national development through research-driven solutions.

Speaking on the transformative potential of AI, Inuwa highlighted its impact beyond office automation, particularly in healthcare and agriculture.

“Imagine developing a bot that can provide quality health services to our remote areas. One of the challenges we are facing in our healthcare system is the lack of professionals. It’s difficult to get specialist doctors everywhere, but AI can help fill this gap,” he stated.

He referenced a recent research study in Nigeria where AI-powered chatbots, such as ChatGPT, were tested against human doctors in providing medical prescriptions. The results showed that AI-generated prescriptions were often comparable to, and in some cases, even better than those provided by human doctors.

“This underscores the potential of AI in telemedicine, offering accessible and efficient healthcare services to underserved communities. Beyond healthcare, NITDA believes AI can drive innovations in agriculture, education, and other critical sectors, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to leveraging technology for national development,” Inuwa added.

In her remarks, Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman expressed appreciation to NITDA for its continued support in strengthening technology research, digital literacy, and innovation at NSUK. She highlighted the university’s role as a pioneer participant in NITDA’s digital transformation program, a model that the National Universities Commission (NUC) is now working to extend to other universities across Nigeria.

“The university believes the initiative will be a huge success, aligning with its vision of equipping students with digital skills to meet global workforce demands,” she stated.

As part of its commitment to advancing technology education, NSUK has established a Digital Literacy Center at its Faculty of Engineering, where students are working on developing tech gadgets to enhance their skills and competitiveness globally.

“Our goal is to ensure that our students are not only well-prepared for Nigeria but also globally competitive wherever they go,” Professor Liman emphasized.

She further noted that the collaboration between NITDA and NSUK continues to strengthen Nigeria’s technology and innovation ecosystem, ensuring that students are adequately prepared for the digital economy and future workforce.

The partnership is expected to pave the way for groundbreaking research, digital innovation, and a new era of technology-driven national development.

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The Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE has reiterated the critical role of innovation in driving Nigeria’s sustainable development, economic diversification, and global competitiveness.

Inuwa made this remark while delivering a keynote address at the 8th Annual Research Fair and Exhibition of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), where he called on academia, industry leaders, and policymakers to embrace disruptive transformational innovation as a tool for addressing the nation’s challenges and unlocking its immense potential.

Speaking on the theme, “Disruptive Transformational Innovation; Shaping the Future,” Inuwa commended NSUK for organising an event that aligns with Nigeria’s pursuit of growth through knowledge-driven solutions. Inuwa who was represented by the Deputy Director, eGovernment and Digital Economy Development Department, Engr Ya’u Garba, applauded the university’s increasing focus on transformation, noting that such initiatives reflect an understanding of the need for impactful innovations to address real-world issues.

Inuwa emphasised that while inventions remain a cornerstone of academic inquiry, their significance lies in their ability to move beyond theoretical exploration to become practical innovations. These innovations, he explained, have the power to reshape industries, tackle societal challenges, and accelerate national progress.

He urged institutions to prioritise creativity and bold thinking, ensuring that research outputs translate into tangible benefits for society.

Explaining the concept of disruptive transformational innovation, Inuwa described it as a profound force capable of altering established systems, processes, and products in ways that redefine societal functions. Unlike incremental innovations, which focus on improving existing frameworks, disruptive innovations introduce entirely new paradigms, addressing challenges in groundbreaking and previously unimaginable ways.

He cited historical examples such as the Printing Press, the Steam Engine, and Electricity, which have significantly transformed human existence and set the foundation for modern development.

Inuwa pointed out that Nigeria’s abundant human and natural resources present a unique opportunity to harness innovation for sustainable development. He called for a collaborative approach involving academia, industries, and government to build an environment that nurtures creativity, supports bold investments, and encourages inclusive growth. Such an ecosystem, he said, is vital for fostering homegrown innovations that can propel Nigeria to the forefront of global technological and economic advancements.

He further highlighted NITDA’s dedication to fostering innovation through various initiatives, including the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) to digitally transform the agricultural sector, the National Blockchain Adoption Strategy to enhance digital trust and transparency, and the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy aimed at building a robust AI ecosystem in the country, among other impactful projects, which are part of the Federal Government broader strategy to position Nigeria as a leader in the global knowledge economy.

Inuwa also urged NSUK to deepen its commitment to innovation by establishing hubs that support facility-led startups, fostering collaborations with industry stakeholders, and equipping students with essential technological skills. He noted that such efforts would not only empower the university community but also contribute significantly to national development.

Inuwa expressed confidence in Nigeria’s ability to not only adopt global innovations but also create groundbreaking solutions that could influence the trajectory of Africa and the world.

He called on all stakeholders in the country to embrace the transformative power of innovation in order to drive sustainable development, economic diversification, and global relevance

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As part of its continued efforts at reforming the economy for sustained inclusive economic growth and actualising the presidential target of equipping 70% of Nigerian citizens with digital literacy and skills by the year 2027, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), through its National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF), has launched the Digital Literacy For All Initiative(DL4ALL) at the Nassarawa State University, Keffi towards incorporating digital literacy into the institution’s curriculum

This initiative, launched in collaboration with CISCO and Nasarawa State University Keffi (NSUK), aims to ensure that students at every educational level achieve digital literacy before graduation and to support the presidential target of 70% digital literacy amongst its citizenry by 2027.

Giving his special address at the launching ceremony, the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, expressed his excitement at the remarkable milestone achievement, that the ecosystem collaboratively made in ensuring inclusive access to digital literacy for all.

“It is a pivotal moment for our relationship of building the ecosystem in terms of bringing the industry, the academia and the government to work together,” he noted.

He stated that with Cisco’s support and government-backed frameworks, digitally proficient graduates who will plug seamlessly into the workforce would be produced rather than mere degree holders.

Citing projections from the World Economic Forum which estimates a global talent shortage of 85 million people by 2030, potentially resulting in 8.5 trillion dollars in unrealised annual revenue, Inuwa averred that Africa and Nigeria in particular, have a tremendous opportunity to fill the gap.

While emphasising the President’s directive of driving economic transformation through technology and skills development, Inuwa stated that it was essential to build a digitally skilled workforce that would accelerate the country’s economic growth and development.

“In a world we live in today where digital is a lifestyle, digital literacy is no longer optional, but it is a necessity because we need it to be included in everything we do. Today, to be digitally included economically, and financially, you need to be digitally literate, so you need to have the fluency to navigate the digital world,” he mentioned.

Speaking on the NDLF that was developed which birthed the DL4ALL initiative, the NITDA DG mentioned that the initiative would help build a digitally savvy population that cuts across all sectors because Information Technology is pervasive.

Enumerating the core competencies of the framework which are; device and software operation, information and data literacy, collaboration and communication, digital content creation, safety, and lastly, problem management, Inuwa asserted that the competencies will allow students to safely and effectively use technology in creating content, managing data, solving problems and collaborations with students in other universities.

He explained that the launch of the DL4ALL at NSUK aligns with Nigeria’s mission of achieving digital sovereignty and would empower students not just to secure jobs but to create them, particularly through entrepreneurship programs that encourage students to start businesses before graduation.

While urging the students to embrace technology as a limitless platform that will inspire them to be innovative and fearless, Inuwa said “I believe with technology, your limitation is your imagination because with the ubiquitous data we have today, unlimited connective and massive processing power, you all can achieve whatsoever you imagine.”

Earlier in her welcome address, the NSUK Vice Chancellor, Prof Sadaatu Hassan Liman described the partnership between the university and NITDA as a transformative one that will allow students at the university to leverage the DL4ALL programme in acquiring digital skills that will enable them to thrive in the 21st-century global landscape.

She noted that the programme is not only empowering the students but positioning the university as a regional leader in Information and Communications Technology and emerging technologies.

“This strategic integration of cutting edge technologies into our academic offerings will open up a lot of opportunities to our students and staff as well, allowing them to develop critical thinking, problem-solving and innovative mindsets required to navigate the rapidly evolving digital world,” she said.

The highlight of the ceremony was the unveiling of the DL4ALL in NSUK emblem which was done by the dignitaries at the event.

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