*Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency stresses the significance of integrating intelligence, security, and sustainability into driving Nigeria鈥檚 digital transformation and global competitiveness

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said that integrating intelligence, security, and sustainability is critical to driving Nigeria鈥檚 digital transformation and global competitiveness.

Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of NITDA, stated this Tuesday, August 13, 2025, in Kano, Northern Nigeria, while delivering a goodwill message at the opening of the 19th International Conference (CONNOVATE 2025) of the Nigerian Computer Society (NCS).

The theme of this year鈥檚 conference was 鈥淚ntelligent, Secure, and Sustainable Innovations for a Connected World鈥�.

Inuwa, represented on the occasion by Engr. Salisu Kaka, Director of E-Government and Digital Economy Development of the agency, the Director-General noted the three elements are now indispensable drivers of national progress.

He also stressed the need for the convergence of these three elements to unlock new opportunities in Nigeria鈥檚 technology sector, citing Estonia鈥檚 X-Road platform 鈥� which enables 99 percent of government services online 鈥� as a global model.

The Director-General further stated: 鈥淚n Nigeria, trust is the ultimate currency in our high-stakes digital environment, where scams and cybercrime are prevalent. Security builds and protects this trust.”

According to him, while security provides the foundation, intelligence builds the structure, pointing to Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and data analytics as tools for addressing Nigeria鈥檚 complex challenges.

The NITDA Chief, however, warned that 鈥渋nnovation without security is unsustainable鈥�, as he compared it to 鈥渁 high-performance race car without brakes.鈥�

The next wave of Nigerian startups to go beyond digitising existing processes to creating new value, stated Inuwa, as he cited AI-powered wealth management and ML-driven remote diagnostics as examples.

He also noted the various initiatives of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy (FMCIDE) supporting this vision, including the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), Computer Emergency Readiness and Response Team (CERRT), the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA) 2023, the national digital identity programme, interoperable payments.

He equally highlighted human capital initiatives, including the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) and Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) programmes.

The NITDA Chief Executive mentioned an example with International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) President, Antony Wong, that called for stronger protection and strategic use of data in the Global South to safeguard indigenous knowledge.

He highlighted the importance of legal clarity on data ownership as Nigeria鈥檚 cultural heritage in medicine, ecology, and art is digitised and incorporated into AI systems.

Wong hailed Nigeria鈥檚 role in the recent World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) treaty protecting genetic resources and traditional knowledge.

Earlier in his welcome address at the event, Dr. Muhammad Sirajo, President of the Nigeria Computer Society, had said the conference would serve as a platform for IT professionals to address critical issues, including intelligent systems, FinTech, sustainable energy, and innovations in agriculture, health, education, and national planning.

Sirajo said: 鈥淭his conference will provide an interdisciplinary platform for researchers, practitioners, and educators to present and discuss recent innovations, trends, and solutions for improving technological systems.”

The week-long event includes plenary sessions, a doctoral consortium, a youth and entrepreneurship forum, the Fellows Forum, the Annual General Meeting, an IT quiz competition for students, and an induction ceremony for new members.

NITDA disclosed it would also conclude with the election of new National Executives, a dinner, and an awards night honouring contributions to the ICT sector of the Nigerian economy.

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