NITDA Tasks South-South States on Policy Implementation, Digital Inclusion

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, has stressed the need for stronger collaboration with state governments, saying sub-national alignment remains critical to achieving Nigeria’s digital economy goals.

Inuwa spoke virtually at the South-South Regional ICT Stakeholders Forum, which convened policymakers, technology leaders, civil society groups and other ecosystem players to develop strategies for accelerating digital development across the region.

The NITDA boss said while notable progress had been made at the federal level, the true measure of success lies in how effectively national policies are domesticated and implemented by states.

According to him, digital transformation can only be sustained when state governments translate national frameworks into actionable programmes backed by clear governance structures.

He cited key policy instruments such as the Nigerian Startup Act and the National Digital Literacy Framework, noting that although several states have established ICT-focused ministries and agencies, some are yet to enact comprehensive enabling laws and structured implementation mechanisms.

He assured that NITDA stands ready to provide technical support to states seeking to strengthen their digital ecosystems.

On digital literacy, Inuwa described skills development as central to inclusive economic growth.

He reiterated the agency’s target of achieving 95 per cent digital literacy nationwide by 2030 under the National Digital Literacy Framework.

He disclosed that, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, digital skills had been integrated into school curricula, with teachers across the country undergoing capacity-building programmes to support technology-driven learning.

He urged South-South states to ensure full participation of educators in both public and private schools to deepen the impact of the initiative.

The Director-General also highlighted efforts to enhance digital capacity within the public sector.

He said that in partnership with the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, more than 54,000 federal civil servants had enrolled in structured digital skills training.