NITDA reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to inclusive AI for social transformation

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has reiterated the Federal Government’s determination to foster inclusive and impactful artificial intelligence (AI) solutions as part of Nigeria’s larger digital transformation agenda.

Inuwa shared these remarks during the Visioning Workshop of the Nigeria AI Scaling Hub, held at Lagos Business School with critical support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The high-level workshop convened prominent stakeholders from government, academia, private sector, and development organisations to collaboratively craft a strategic roadmap aimed at leveraging AI to tackle Nigeria’s pressing social and institutional challenges.

In his address, Inuwa emphasised that “AI is no longer a futuristic concept but a present-day force transforming industries globally.”

Stressing the need to democratise access to AI, he added, “Innovation must move beyond research labs into communities, addressing local problems and improving livelihoods.”

Unveiling NITDA’s AI Transformation Roadmap, Inuwa outlined a strategic framework that focuses on smarter governance through adaptive regulations, dynamic policy formulation, and enhanced decision-making using AI-powered tools.

He explained how AI can be trained on existing legal frameworks to help policymakers “avoid duplication, streamline regulatory efforts, and increase accuracy.”

“AI should serve as a thought partner to our leaders, helping them research, plan, and execute faster and more effectively across all sectors,” Inuwa stated.

He further urged all stakeholders to collaborate in building inclusive, AI-driven solutions in critical areas such as health, agriculture, and education, with a special emphasis on underserved communities.

This vision resonates with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the goal of establishing a $1 trillion digital economy.