NITDA Rallies Stakeholders To Harness Emerging Technologies For Inclusive Growth
By Angeline Mgbele, Bureau Chief, Northern Nigeria
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has renewed its call for stronger collaboration among government, industry, academia and technology professionals to accelerate digital innovation and position Nigeria for inclusive economic growth.
A press statement e-signed by the Director of Corporate Communications and Media Relations at NITDA, Hajia Hadiza Umar, says the Agency made the call at the 20th edition of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) International Conference 2026 in Jos, Plateau State, north central, Nigeria, where it emphasized the need to translate emerging technologies into practical solutions capable of transforming governance, creating jobs and strengthening national competitiveness.
Speaking on behalf of the Director-General of NITDA, Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Agency’s Director of Stakeholders Management and Partnerships, Dr. Aristotle Onumo, said Nigeria’s digital future depended on sustained investments in innovation, digital skills, research and strategic partnerships that delivered measurable socio-economic impact.
Mallam Abdullahi noted that NITDA remained committed to implementing its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan through initiatives that promoted digital literacy, research and development, emerging technologies, cyber sovereignty and innovation-driven ecosystems designed to accelerate the country’s digital economy.
According to Abdullahi, the Agency was also expanding opportunities for innovators, entrepreneurs and technology startups through platforms that encouraged collaboration and investment across the digital ecosystem.
“We are transforming Digital Nigeria into the nation’s foremost innovation platform where policymakers, investors, startups, researchers and technology companies can collaborate to accelerate economic growth and digital transformation,” he said.
Abdullahi urged participants, particularly innovators and startup founders, to take advantage of the forthcoming Builders Summit to showcase indigenous solutions capable of addressing Nigeria’s development priorities.
Declaring the conference open, Plateau State Governor, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, described digital technology as an indispensable tool for modern governance and economic development, saying his administration had leveraged digital solutions to improve public service delivery, enhance internally generated revenue and modernise government processes.
Governor Caleb said technology would also play a decisive role in transforming agriculture, improving productivity and strengthening food security, urging participants to ensure that deliberations at the conference produced practical outcomes that would benefit the country.
Earlier, President of the Nigeria Computer Society, Prof. Muhammad Sirajo Aliyu, FNCS, said the conference was designed to foster collaboration among policymakers, researchers, regulators and industry leaders on strategies for deploying emerging technologies to drive national development.
Speaking on the conference theme, Harnessing Digital Innovation and Emerging Technologies for Inclusive Growth and Economic Renaissance (RISE 2026), Aliyu identified artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, cybersecurity and robotics as key technologies shaping the future of global economies.
He stressed that Nigeria’s youthful population and expanding digital ecosystem provided a unique opportunity to build a globally competitive economy, provided investments in innovation, digital infrastructure and skills development remained a national priority.
The conference attracted government officials, regulators, technology professionals, academics, development partners and private-sector leaders to deliberate on policies and innovations expected to accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation and inclusive economic renaissance.
