The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, CCIE, has charged Corps members and Interns serving in the agency to convert their innovative ideas into viable technology startups, assured them of NITDA’s full support in transforming their innovations into market-ready products and services.
Inuwa made the call at the grand finale of the NITDA Innovation Challenge 1.0, held at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja. The event featured presentations by Corps members and Interns who showcased technology-driven projects developed under NITDA’s internal innovation programme aimed at solving real-life problems and improving service delivery.
Recounting his personal experience, the NITDA boss said his career in technology began during his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year over two decades ago.
“I had an opportunity to build a website for the place I served, and that opened doors for me. Before I finished my service, a company offered me a ₦1.5 million contract to develop another website,” he recalled. “Since then, I have remained committed to creating value through technology.”
Inuwa revealed that the agency currently host over 550 Corps members, many of whom face employment challenges after completing their service year. To address this, he said NITDA is providing digital platforms and mentorship opportunities that enable Corps members to refine their ideas and build startups before completing their service year.
“We know it’s not easy to get jobs after NYSC,” he noted. “So, we are creating opportunities for you to build your own startups while you are here. You can start testing your ideas right now.”
He commended participants for developing solutions such as performance tracking systems, digital branding tools, knowledge management platforms, job placement systems, and certificate verification solutions, describing them as essential tools for Nigeria’s digital future.
Speaking earlier, Dr. Ayodeji Eniola, Director in the DG’s Office, described the Innovation Challenge as more than a competition, calling it a “movement” that will redefine innovation within NITDA and across the public service.
He said the initiative was driven by the DG’s vision to institutionalise innovation through a structured approach, which led to the creation of the NITDA Innovation Framework (NIF) a blueprint for harnessing creativity and improving public sector efficiency.
The maiden edition of the Challenge attracted 35 submissions from various departments, out of which 24 teams were formed to work on identified challenges. Twenty-three teams successfully completed their projects addressing 10 key internal issues within the agency, with 10 finalists presenting before the NITDA Innovation Council.
Six teams emerged winners, with Team X (COPA) taking first place, followed by Team Sentinel (Smart ID) in second, and Smart Track Innovators in third. Others include Team Trivergent, Team TechLogs (SafeCheck), and Team Big Tech (Digital Brainbox) tied with Team SRAPture in sixth place.
The NITDA Innovation Challenge is part of the agency’s broader strategy to foster creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving in the public sector, in alignment with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).
