*Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, collaborates with Digital Transformation Centre Nigeria, and Deutsche Gesellschaft f眉r Internationale Zusammenarbeit, to formalise a participatory policy implementation framework for application in the digital ecosystem, education, agriculture and healthcare sectors of the Nigerian economy

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

In its continued bid to foster inclusivity between the Federal Government and Nigerians, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), in collaboration with the Digital Transformation Centre (DTC) Nigeria and the implementing organisation Deutsche Gesellschaft f眉r Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) has organised a two-day event, titled: 鈥淒igital Policy Dialogue: Cooperate. Innovate鈥�.

绿帽献妻 reports NITDA disclosed the initiative is aimed at engaging stakeholders on the Participatory Policy Implementation Framework (PPIF).

Speaking during the event, Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of NITDA, noted that the framework focuses on involving citizens in policy development and implementation, thereby promoting ownership and accountability.

Essence of collaborative approach to developing Nigeria鈥檚 digital ecosystem, by Inuwa

In his address on the occasion, Inuwa stated: 鈥淭oday marks a remarkable milestone in our journey to reimagine the position of NITDA in the Nigerian tech ecosystem.

鈥淔ive years ago, NITDA faced a significant trust deficit with the tech community due to top-down policy impositions.

鈥淭o address this, NITDA shifted to a collaborative approach, emphasising co-design and co-creation.鈥�

The Director-General of NITDA commended GIZ for support, which he noted began with the Nigerian Startup Act created through a collaborative process in the country.

According to Inuwa, following this success, GIZ and DTC assisted in developing the National Digital Literacy Framework (NDLF) through a similar participatory process.

He also said that the initiative has witnessed significant citizen engagement, with the creative sector recently volunteering to champion digital literacy in Nigeria.

NITDA is collaborating with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to train citizens across 774 Local Governments and the Ministry of Education to integrate digital skills into the national curriculum by next year, stated he.

Inuwa further said the training programme was part of effort at achieving the Ministry of Federal Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy鈥檚 long-term target of achieving 95 percent digital literacy by 2030 and midterm target of 70 percent by 2027 in the West African country.

Commendations for stakeholders on commitment to participatory policy implementation framework

The NITDA Chief Executive equally emphasised the engagement aligns with NITDA鈥檚 Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0), which has one of its eight pillars as 鈥淪trengthening Policy Implementation and Legal Framework.

He asserted: “To ensure sustainability, GIZ and DTC are formalising a participatory policy implementation framework that can be adapted beyond the digital sector, benefiting areas such as education, agriculture, and healthcare.鈥�

He applauded聽all stakeholders for their past contributions, and urged for continued collaboration to solidify the legal framework聽policy implementation in Nigeria.

Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE), in his keynote address at the event, highlighted the expectations of the PPIF.

Yabo stated: 鈥淭he proposed framework introduces several key initiatives: establishing multi-channel stakeholder engagement, promoting collaborative decision-making through digital platforms, ensuring transparency and accountability, investing in capacity building, and implementing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.鈥�

The Permanent Secretary of FMCIDE stressed that the approach is designed to foster a participatory policy-making process and ensure that the benefits of technological advancements are equitably distributed.

He disclosed聽that the initiative is supported by partners including the European Union and the German Government, which marks the beginning of a commitment to inclusivity and transparency in Nigeria鈥檚 digital policy development.

Earlier in his opening speech, Dr. Markus Wauschkuhn, Coordinator of Sustainable Economic Development Cluster (SEDEC) GIZ Nigeria, had welcomed the participants to the public presentation of the draft Participatory Policy Implementation Framework (PPIF) for the ICT and digital economy sectors in the country.

Dr. Wauschkuhn聽pointed out the vital contributions of NITDA, GIZ, and all stakeholders involved in creating the PPIF, noting the importance of a participatory policy-making process that includes diverse voices from individuals, communities, businesses, and institutions.

He accentuated that the approach aims to ensure transparency, accountability, and trust in governance while addressing the rapid advancements in the digital age.

Likewise, in her opening statement, Dr.聽Thwueba Dwani,聽Head of Digital Transformation Center (DTC) Nigeria, stated that involving stakeholders in policy implementation enhances sustainability and relevance, as evidenced by numerous studies.

Dr. Dwani introduced the Participatory Policy Implementation Framework (PPIF) as a crucial tool for Nigeria’s digital innovation ecosystem, developed through extensive stakeholder engagement and participatory formats.

NITDA noted the other agencies represented at the event were the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the National Office for Technology Acquisition聽and Promotion (NOTAP), the Civil Society Organisation, the private sector, and other relevant stakeholders in the country鈥檚 digital ecosystem.

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