The director-general of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi unveiled the NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2.0 (SRAP 2.0) during the Omniverse Summit held at the Landmark Event Centre, Lagos.
Abdullahi emphasised the pivotal role of collaboration with stakeholders in the technology ecosystem to achieve a resilient and prosperous digital transformation for Nigeria. He underscored the necessity of shared goals, resources and knowledge to make a lasting impact on Nigeria’s digital future.
“Our vision for Nigeria is to digitally empower the nation by thriving on innovation and fostering inclusive economic growth through technology,” stated Abdullahi.
The SRAP 2.0 focuses on eight strategic pillars, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to accelerate the digital transformation of critical sectors of the economy. Abdullahi stressed the importance of collaboration among stakeholders and highlighted the significance of each pillar.
The first pillar aims to foster digital literacy and cultivate talent, with the ambitious goal of achieving 70 per cent digital literacy by 2027. Abdullahi mentioned the implementation of the National Digital Literacy Framework and the “3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT)” initiative to address the global talent deficit.
The second pillar focuses on building a robust technology research system, aiming to position Nigeria at the 25th percentile in global rankings in key research areas like AI, IoT, robotics, additive manufacturing, blockchain and UAVs.
Abdullahi emphasised the third pillar’s commitment to strengthening policy implementation and the legal framework, with all ecosystem stakeholders contributing to achieving national goals.
The fourth pillar highlights promoting inclusive access to digital infrastructure and services, connecting the unconnected through investments in learning centres and innovation hubs.
Strengthening cybersecurity and enhancing digital trust constitute the fifth pillar, instilling confidence in digital platforms for users.
The sixth pillar focuses on nurturing an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem, promoting industry synergy and providing an enabling platform for digital transformation.
Forging strategic partnerships and collaborations is the seventh pillar, showcasing NITDA’s active partnership with the Omniverse platform.
The eighth and last pillar directs efforts to cultivate a vibrant organisational culture and agile workforce within NITDA.
Abdullahi invited stakeholders to download the SRAP 2.0 and provide feedback for refinement. He assured the commitment of the government to create enabling policies for citizens to thrive, aiming to position Nigeria among the top 25 in various technological fields.
The Omniverse Summit, a platform driving the digital economy on the continent, aims to reshape narratives about Africa and Africans. The event brings together diverse segments of the ecosystem, fostering collaboration and understanding across academia, tech, startups, gaming, music, film, television, arts and culture.
The US Consul General, Mr. Will Stevens, highlighted the dynamic digital innovation ecosystem in Nigeria and emphasised the need for a paradigm shift in collaboration, moving from discussing what can be done for Africa to what can be achieved together. He stressed the importance of Africa having a significant voice in global policy discussions and called for permanent African representation in the UN Security Council. Stevens underscored the need for protecting intellectual property locally and creating laws to support startups, fostering collaboration beyond geographical boundaries to tackle shared global challenges.
