Digital Sovereignty: Nigeria rallies African leaders to build ‘digital bridges’ for seamless services

*Dr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, reminds participants in the 2nd Meeting of the West African Digital Governance Forum opines avers the true digital transformation goes beyond technology, and it is about using innovation to deliver quality public services, build trust, and give consumers delightful experiences

Gbenga Kayode | ConsumerConnect

The Federal Government of Nigeria proudly welcomed and hosted delegates from across West Africa to the recent 2nd Meeting of the West African Digital Governance Forum, a platform shaping the region’s collective digital future, held in Abuja, FCT.

ConsumerConnect reports Dr. Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in his welcome remarks at the forum, set the tone for collaborations with industry stakeholders.

Underscoring the strategic importance of innovation in the global digital economy, Inuwa emphasised that “digital today is a lifestyle, and to make our governments digital, we must design it intentionally.”

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NITDA disclosed the Director-General of the agency also reminded participants that true digital transformation goes beyond technology; it’s about using innovation to deliver quality public services, build trust, and give consumers and citizens at large delightful experiences.

The Information Technology (IT) sector regulatory agency said from discussions on cross-border digital services to data sovereignty and human capital development, the NITDA Chief Executive urged African countries to unite in building “digital bridges” that enable seamless exchange of services across the continent.

Inuwa also informed the participants about Nigeria’s own strides in fast-tracking the digital race with enabling policies, initiatives, programmes and projects in the country.

He noted these include NITDA’s National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF), the 3 Million Tech Talent (3MTT) initiative, and digital literacy integration into formal education as some examples of what’s possible through vision, and collaborations with relevant stakeholders in the digital ecosystem.

According to NITDA, an overarching message from the forum rings clear, that “Africa’s digital destiny lies in our hands — and together, we can build the infrastructure, policies, and skills to make it a reality.”