NITDA DG Emphasises Digital Infrastructure, Human Capital as Pillars of Nigeria’s Future Economy
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi CCIE, has stressed the central role of digital infrastructure and human capital development in building a sustainable digital economy for Nigeria.
The DG made the remarks when he received the Managing Director of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), Dr. Cyril Tsenyil, during a courtesy visit to NITDA’s corporate headquarters in Abuja.
Responding to the NCDC’s thematic areas of intervention, the NITDA boss said he was particularly encouraged by the Commission’s plans for infrastructure and human capital development, noting that both components are critical to national progress in the digital era.
“When you listed the areas in which you are working on, I picked interest in the area of infrastructure and human capital development, because for us when you talk about infrastructure, you are not just talking about the conventional infrastructure like roads, railways and so on,” Inuwa said.
He explained that while physical infrastructure remains important, the world has shifted to a knowledge-driven economy where data mobility is paramount.
“Digital infrastructure is key because we are in the digital era. We build the conventional infrastructure because of the need to move goods from one place to another but today we need to move data, we need to connect everyone. That is the only way we can create and own our own digital economy,” he stated.
Inuwa added that digital development must go hand-in-hand with investment in human capital, describing Nigeria’s youthful population as both a great opportunity and a potential challenge if not properly harnessed.
“This connects with human capital because Nigeria is a nation of over 230 million people with an average age of 18. That means our human capital could be our biggest dividend and the most urgent disaster for us,” he noted.
The NITDA DG reaffirmed the agency’s readiness to collaborate with the NCDC in areas that will accelerate digital inclusion, build skills, and expand infrastructure across the North Central region and the country at large.
On his part, the Managing Director of the North Central Development Commission (NCDC), Dr. Cyril Tsenyil, said the purpose of the visit was to explore a deeper level of collaboration with NITDA, noting that ICT and digital literacy remain critical thematic areas requiring urgent attention in the North-Central region. He noted that about 49, 000 indigenes of the North Central have benefitted from the NITDA’s Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) initiative so far.
Both organisations are expected to deepen engagements in the coming weeks, with a view to designing programmes that will not only boost digital literacy but also unlock the vast potential of the country’s youthful population.
