The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, has challenged Jigawa State and Galaxy Information Technology and Telecommunications (Galaxy ITT) to adopt a strategic approach to digital transformation and economic development.
Inuwa made the call at the Galaxy ITT Repositioning Retreat held in Abuja on Thursday, where he expressed concern over the continued dependence of Jigawa State and other parts of Northern Nigeria on federal allocations despite their abundant human and natural resources.
He urged Jigawa State to rethink its development strategy by identifying and harnessing its youthful population, land and other resources to build a sustainable economy capable of reducing dependence on federal revenue.
According to him, the absence of clear development plans and excessive focus on politics remain major obstacles to sustainable development in the region.
The NITDA boss stressed that sustainable development at the individual, state and national levels required clear objectives, strategic planning and measurable targets.
He challenged Jigawa to determine what it intend to achieve within the next two to three years and develop practical strategies to accomplish those objectives.
Inuwa also recalled the pioneering role of former Jigawa State Governor, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, in establishing Galaxy ITT and promoting information and communication technology in the state.
He said Turaki’s initiatives demonstrated considerable foresight, but regretted that the lack of continuity in subsequent administrations prevented the state from fully capitalising on the foundation laid.
According to him, Jigawa was among the early states to embrace technology-driven development through initiatives such as Galaxy ITT but has since lost ground as technology became increasingly central to the global economy.
He noted that most of the world’s leading companies are now technology-driven, stressing that technology has become a critical catalyst for economic growth and development.
Inuwa therefore urged the management of Galaxy ITT to develop a clear strategic direction for the company’s repositioning and leverage its experience and understanding of Nigeria’s technology landscape to become a major driver of digital transformation in Jigawa.
He, however, emphasised that Galaxy ITT could not achieve the desired transformation alone, stressing the need for appropriate legal, policy and institutional frameworks to support its operations.
He also called for closer collaboration between Galaxy ITT and the Jigawa State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency, particularly in policy implementation and digital economy development.
The NITDA DG used the occasion to explain the evolution of the agency and its role in Nigeria’s digital transformation.
He said NITDA was established in 2001 to promote the adoption and use of ICT in Nigeria, at a time when fewer than 500,000 Nigerians had access to computers and ICT contributed less than 0.5 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
He explained that the agency’s mandate had evolved from promoting technology adoption to developing policies, regulations and legal instruments aimed at positioning technology as a key enabler of economic activities.
Inuwa said the adoption of Nigeria’s digital economy policy in 2019 marked a major shift in the country’s approach to technology, with the sector increasingly recognised as a horizontal enabler of virtually every aspect of the economy rather than a standalone sector.
He said NITDA subsequently repositioned itself, developed a strategic roadmap and action plan, and focused its regulatory and policy interventions on creating markets, generating employment and promoting inclusive economic growth through technology.
He added that the agency’s vision was to build a digitally empowered Nigeria capable of achieving inclusive economic growth through technological innovation.
The retreat was attended by Turaki, former Governor of Jigawa State and pioneer of the state’s ICT development drive. He established Galaxy ITT, which later metamorphosed into Galaxy Backbone.
Turaki commended NITDA under Inuwa’s leadership for its efforts towards advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
The retreat underscored the importance of strategic planning, policy continuity, institutional collaboration and sustained investment in technology in repositioning Galaxy ITT and strengthening Jigawa State’s capacity to participate meaningfully in Nigeria’s emerging digital economy.
