NITDA DG Urges Collaboration and Practical Innovation for an AI-Ready Africa

NITDA DG Urges Collaboration and Practical Innovation for an AI-Ready Africa

By Gloria Sarauniya Usman

ABUJA, NIGERIA October, 2025 -

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has called for stronger collaboration, practical innovation, and inclusive policymaking to position Africa as an AI-ready continent. He made this call during panel sessions at the Hyperscalers Convergence Africa 2025 in Lagos, themed “Fostering a Digital Africa: Connectivities, Convergence and Innovation.”

Speaking on the session “From Mobile First to AI-Ready: Will Africa Deliver on Innovation?” Inuwa said Africa’s youthful population remains its most valuable resource, provided it is equipped with the right digital skills. He cited the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme as a key government initiative aimed at developing Africa’s largest pool of digital professionals, capable of driving innovation and powering the continent’s digital economy.

On infrastructure, Inuwa highlighted new government-led funding mechanisms, including the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Policy on Mediation and the Project Bridge initiative, designed to mobilize both public and private investments for digital infrastructure. He also disclosed ongoing efforts to establish a robust Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) framework that connects identity, payment, and data systems — the foundation for future AI-driven services.

The NITDA DG cautioned against Africa’s dependence on imported AI models, emphasizing the need to develop homegrown solutions that reflect the continent’s diversity and context. “During past industrial revolutions, Africa provided raw materials but gained little technological value. This time, we must collaborate and lead,” he said.

Inuwa further advocated for an “intelligent regulatory framework” to ensure inclusive and adaptive policymaking, citing NITDA’s development of the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy as an example. “Effective policies must be co-created with all stakeholders — government, private sector, academia, and civil society,” he said. “If Africa embraces collaboration and practical innovation, it can turn its demographic strength into a digital dividend and lead the next wave of global transformation.”