NITDA committed to expanding digital literacy frontiers via effective collaborations: Inuwa

*The National Information Technology Development Agency reaffirms its commitment to effective collaborations with relevant development partners to attain 95 percent digital literacy coverage in Nigeria by the end of 2030

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its dedication to collaborating with relevant development partners to achieve 95 percent digital literacy coverage in Nigeria by the end of 2030.

ConsumerConnect reports Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of NITDA, noted this commitment during discussions with e-health Africa, a development partner, during the organisation’s working visit to the Agency’s Corporate Headquarters, in Abuja, FCT.

The Information Technology sector regulatory agency asserted this is in consonance with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to accelerate economic diversification through industrialisation and digitisation in the country.

Inuwa equally emphasised the need to work as team in the implementation of digital initiatives that could have a far-reaching impact on Nigerians.

He informed the visiting team that seven out of the nine strategic plans which the Ministry of Communications Innovation, and Digital Economy unveiled, NITDA is championing their implementation through its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2024-2027.

The Director-General of NITDA stressed the importance of collaboration with relevant bodies and experts to ensure successful policy implementation and expedite results for the overall development of Nigeria.

“The 70 percent national digital literacy coverage by 2027 would be a litmus test for the ambitious 95 percent digital literacy coverage by 2030.”

The agency further highlighted the Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan as the foundation for building a resilient tech ecosystem that will strengthen the West African country’s pursuit of sustainable economic development.

Inuwa also disclosed that NITDA is actively working with development partners like GIZ, the UK Government, and the Federal Ministry of Education to revise its curriculum for learning digital skills, facilitating Nigeria’s digital transformation.

In terms of the shift in policy, Inuwa stressed the importance of focusing on skills in demand to build a viable tech ecosystem. This approach, according to him, aims to address Nigeria’s digital illiteracy issues and promote digital innovations for a robust and sustainable economy.

He analysed the Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy’s strategic blueprint, tasking NITDA with the implementation of various programmes, including ArtificiaI Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, Internet of Things (IoT), the Nigerian Start-up Act, Data Strategy, and the Digital Economy Bill.

Seeking collaboration with the visiting organisation, Inuwa expressed the need to implement these programmes for the betterment of the country.

The Director-General of NITDA as well acknowledged the under-utilisation of NITDA’s digital literacy centres while assuring further investment in research and capacity building, fostering collaborations with academia, startups, and non-governmental organisations.

According to him, NITDA’s collaboration with the Ministry to implement the 3 Million Tech Talents (3MTT) initiative, addressing the IT gap through interventions like learning centres.

The agency affirmed that it is simultaneously, working to strengthen cybersecurity and digital trust in Nigeria.

To overcome fears associated with IT and digital services, Inuwa outlined internal reforms, ensuring a psychologically safe environment, organisational excellence, cultural reorientation, automation of government processes, and changing citizens’ mindset for swift adoption of digital innovations.

Speaking earlier, Abdulhamid Yahaya, who led the e-health Africa visiting team to NITDA, had disclosed their visit was to formally intimate their activities and other engagements across the country with the agency.

He stated these align with NITDA’s mandate, being the country’s apex IT regulator, and to seek robust collaboration in the implementation of the National e-health policy with their digital empire.

Yahaya also assured that e-Health Africa is ready and committed to working with NITDA, and any other relevant organisation to actualise the dreams of the entire Nigerian citizenry.

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