The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has called on enterprise leaders in Nigeria to embrace purpose-driven, principle-led, and performance-focused approaches in order to thrive in a rapidly changing global landscape.
Speaking in Lagos at the 3rd Biennial Corporate Governance and Enterprise Development Conference themed “Redefining Enterprise Leadership in a Changing Nigeria: AI, Protectionism, and Governance in Focus,” Inuwa said Nigeria stands at a defining moment where disruptive technologies, shifting economic realities, and evolving governance structures are reshaping enterprises.
While commending Nigeria’s entrepreneurial resilience, he cautioned that informal, organic growth was no longer enough to remain competitive in today’s fast-paced environment. Drawing from NITDA’s transformation journey, he outlined five guiding principles for leadership creating clarity, unleashing energy, building trust, winning today, and shaping tomorrow. He emphasised the importance of cultural reorientation, aligning strategies with performance, and fostering innovation to sustain relevance.
On artificial intelligence, the NITDA boss described AI as a transformative “thought partner” capable of shaping strategies and solutions. He, however, warned of associated risks, particularly misinformation, and urged enterprises to adopt responsible usage, invest in reskilling, and leverage co-intelligence models that combine human and machine capabilities.
Turning to protectionism, Inuwa argued that tariffs and trade restrictions alone cannot insulate businesses in an interconnected world. Instead, he advocated for digital sovereignty through stronger data protection, talent development, and governance reforms.
He concluded with a call for balance between innovation, security, and trust, noting that Nigeria must responsibly embrace technology, safeguard its digital assets, and reform governance structures to convert challenges into opportunities and secure long-term competitiveness for its enterprises.
