SHALOM OLALEYE
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has reiterated the Agency’s commitment to boost Northern Nigeria’s tech innovation.
Inuwa reaffirmed this commitment while delivering a keynote address at a ‘Stakeholders’ Engagement on the State of the Northern Innovation Ecosystem’ in Abuja.
He aligned NITDA’s efforts with the Federal Government’s agenda on diversification and industrialization, emphasizing the role of innovation in economic growth.
The NITDA DG further emphasized the potential of the region’s innovation ecosystem in addressing various societal challenges.
“In the North and Nigeria in general, our biggest opportunity is the large market and expansion we have, because we have a young population where more than 60% is under 25, which means they are digitally natives,” Inuwa added.
He urged collaboration between the government and the ecosystem to drive innovation and announced plans for Technology Development Zones and innovation hubs across Nigeria to support talent development and infrastructure growth.
Stakeholders, including UNDP representatives, stressed the importance of collaboration and action to accelerate the Northern innovation ecosystem. They highlighted the need to address challenges such as funding and resource mobilization. The Northern Ecosystem Working Group (NEW-G) is recognized as a key player in nurturing and advancing the region’s innovation landscape.