The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called for stronger partnerships with Nigerian universities to deepen research, develop digital talent and accelerate the country’s digital transformation agenda.
The Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, made the call when the management of Yakubu Gowon University (UniAbuja), led by its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, paid a familiarisation visit to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Abdullahi said closer collaboration between NITDA and tertiary institutions was essential to building the talent and research capacity required to sustain Nigeria’s digital economy.
He stressed the need for greater investment in university-based research, particularly in emerging technologies capable of addressing local challenges and driving inclusive economic growth.
“We need to invest more in in-depth research with universities to build a robust research ecosystem that will help us develop solutions,” Abdullahi said.
He identified Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, cybersecurity and cloud technology among the areas where deeper research collaboration could generate practical solutions and strengthen Nigeria’s digital economy.
The NITDA chief described universities as the country’s “talent factory,” stressing that the agency’s vision of a digitally empowered Nigeria could not be achieved without a steady pipeline of highly skilled professionals.
“NITDA has a vision to make Nigeria a digitally empowered nation. You (UniAbuja) are the talent factory, and we cannot achieve our vision without talented Nigerians,” he said.
Abdullahi further advocated the integration of AI education across disciplines in tertiary institutions, saying students should acquire practical digital competencies irrespective of their fields of study.
He disclosed that NITDA was already working with the Federal Ministry of Education, National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Commission for Colleges of Education to promote digital literacy across the education system.
According to him, the partnerships are aimed at ensuring that graduates are better equipped with the skills required to meet the evolving demands of industry and the wider digital economy.
Earlier, the Vice-Chancellor of Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Hakeem Fawehinmi, said the institution was seeking NITDA’s partnership and support to strengthen its digital infrastructure and technology-focused educational training.
Fawehinmi expressed appreciation for NITDA’s contribution to the university’s Digital Geoscience Centre and pledged the institution’s commitment to joint research, capacity-building and innovation programmes.
He said the university was willing to support NITDA through data sharing, staff exchanges, collaborative engagements and joint research hubs aimed at producing high-level human resources for Nigeria’s digital transformation.
“We could go into partnership with you to provide data, collaborative engagements, staff exchanges, joint research hubs, so that we can produce high-level human resources,” Fawehinmi said.
He added that UniAbuja was prepared to serve as a strategic academic partner to NITDA by providing the expertise needed to advance the agency’s national digital transformation initiatives.
