The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with Nigerian universities to strengthen research, innovation and digital skills development as part of efforts to accelerate Nigeria’s digital economy.
Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, made this known when the management of Yakubu Gowon University (formerly the University of Abuja), led by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, paid a familiarisation visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Abdullahi said collaboration between NITDA and tertiary institutions is essential for building a thriving innovation ecosystem, developing homegrown technological solutions and equipping students with practical skills required in today’s digital economy.
He stressed the need for increased investment in research, particularly in emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, cybersecurity and cloud computing, to address local challenges and drive inclusive economic growth.
“We need to invest more in in-depth research with universities to build a robust research ecosystem that will help us develop solutions. Research will focus on harnessing AI, IoT, blockchain, cybersecurity and cloud technology, among other emerging technologies, to improve our lives and grow our digital economy,” he said.
According to him, NITDA’s vision of building a digitally empowered nation cannot be achieved without producing highly skilled talents through strategic partnerships with higher institutions.
“You are the talent factory, and we cannot achieve our vision without talented Nigerians. The only way to achieve that is by working with institutions like yours. So, we need to build talent,” Abdullahi added.
The NITDA boss also advocated the integration of AI education across all academic disciplines, proposing that Artificial Intelligence be introduced as a General Studies (GST) course in tertiary institutions to prepare students for the demands of the modern workforce.
He disclosed that the agency is already collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to deepen digital literacy across Nigeria’s education system.
Earlier, Vice Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, said the visit was aimed at seeking NITDA’s partnership in expanding the university’s digital infrastructure and enhancing technology-driven learning and research.
He commended NITDA for its support towards the institution’s Digital Geoscience Centre and expressed the university’s readiness to collaborate on joint research, staff exchange programmes, innovation hubs and capacity-building initiatives.
Fawehinmi said the university is prepared to serve as a strategic academic partner to NITDA by providing the expertise needed to advance Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda and produce high-quality human capital for the country’s technology ecosystem.
