By Gami Tadanyigbe
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening research collaboration with Nigerian universities to develop technology-driven solutions that address local challenges and accelerate the country’s digital economy.
Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, stated this when he received the University of Abuja management led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, in Abuja.
Inuwa said partnerships between NITDA and tertiary institutions are essential for nurturing innovation, developing digital talent and positioning Nigeria as a leading technology-driven economy.
He stressed the need for increased investment in research, describing it as the foundation for harnessing emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, cybersecurity and cloud computing to improve lives and stimulate economic growth.
“We need to invest more in in-depth research with universities to build a robust research ecosystem that will help us develop practical solutions. Research should focus on emerging technologies that can improve lives and grow Nigeria’s digital economy,” he said.
According to him, NITDA cannot achieve its vision of building a digitally empowered nation without the active participation of universities, which he described as the country’s “talent factories.”
He added that the agency is exploring ways of introducing AI as a General Studies course across tertiary institutions, while integrating elements of AI into all academic disciplines to equip graduates with practical skills for the modern workplace.
The NITDA boss 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 to embed digital literacy into curricula at all levels of education.
He said the initiative is aimed at producing graduates with industry-relevant digital competencies capable of driving national development.
Responding, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, said the university’s management visited NITDA to seek collaboration in strengthening the institution’s digital infrastructure and expanding technology-based education.
He commended the agency for its support towards the university’s Digital Geoscience Centre and expressed the institution’s readiness to partner with NITDA on joint research, innovation and capacity-building initiatives.
Fawehinmi said the university was prepared to support NITDA’s digital transformation agenda through collaborative research, staff exchanges, data sharing and the establishment of joint research hubs.
He added that the partnership would help produce highly skilled human resources and provide the academic expertise required to advance Nigeria’s Digital Economy.