The director-general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi has re-emphasised the need to adopt digital transformation to succeed in accelerating the growth and modernisation of Nigeria’s economy and governance.
He made this known at the closing ceremony of a four-day capacity-building programme on e-government and digital transformation programme for permanent secretaries and directors in Kano State.
The DG, who was represented by the acting director, digital literacy and capacity building department of the agency, Dr. Amina Magaji while underscoring the importance of the training, said the agency as a forward-looking organisation is aware of the relevance of civil servants as the key to delivering government policies and programme.
According to him, digital transformation efforts of the government cannot be completed without actively involving civil servants.
He further affirmed that the Federal Government of Nigeria is keen on digitalising its activities for which ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) are central to the implementation.
“To institutionalise the digitalisation programmes in MDAs, NITDA structured its Strategic Roadmap and Action plan (SRAP 2021-2024) towards the implementation of the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS). We have digital literacy and skills as a strategic pillar to complement the National Digital Literacy Framework in achieving President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s target of 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030.
“We have supported so many state governments with digital tools and training, we are already collaborating and will always be willing to partner with stakeholders to support our e-government transformation, digital economy, diversification and sustainability plan for the country,” he added.
While urging the participants to partake fully and transfer the knowledge gained at the end of the training to their staff who could not make it to the training, Abdullahi pledged the agency’s unflinching determination towards achieving the actualization of 95 per cent digital literacy by 2030.
The Kano State governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, who was represented by his chief of staff and head of service, Alhaji Usman Mohammed, gave an overview of the capacity-building programme, affirming that the participants are staff drawn from MDAs in Kano.
He further explained that the training is timely, considering the world is rapidly going digital.
“Upskilling permanent secretaries will help Kano State to catch up with the rest of the world in digitisation, technology adaptation and digital transformation programmes in the workplace”, he said.
Gov. Ganduje hoped that the batch of 214 participants have learnt a lot and will utilise the knowledge gained to achieve the desired aim of the training
While commending the giant strides by NITDA in changing the narratives of the digital economy in Nigeria and Africa at large, he gave assurances of maximum collaboration between the Kano State government and NITDA in the coming days ahead.
