The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Abdullahi, has said Nigeria’s digital transformation should go beyond simply adopting new technologies and focus on changing how the country creates value and improves productivity.
Abdullahi made the remarks during a virtual pre-summit dialogue held on Tuesday ahead of the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit (NES#32), themed “Digital Nigeria: The Foundation for Transformation.” The session was organised by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.
He said digital self-determination means having the ability to make strategic decisions about Nigeria’s digital future while developing and deploying technologies that promote the country’s economic growth, national security and prosperity.
According to him, digital literacy and talent development are essential to achieving this goal. He pointed to ongoing efforts to introduce digital skills into formal education, train civil servants and strengthen the pipeline of technology professionals.
The NITDA boss also identified supportive policies, reliable digital infrastructure and access to markets as key factors needed to unlock Nigeria’s technology potential.
With Nigeria’s large young population, entrepreneurial spirit, expanding domestic market and growing technology ecosystem, Abdullahi said the country has the opportunity to move beyond being a major consumer of technology to becoming a producer, developer and exporter of digital solutions.
He therefore called for increased investment in Nigerian talent, infrastructure, technology companies, platforms, research and locally developed algorithms. He also stressed the need to ensure that data generated in Nigeria is converted into economic value within the country.
Speaking on the regulatory environment, Co-Founder of TradePal AI, Femi Adegolu, called for simpler and better-coordinated regulations to encourage innovation and participation in the digital economy.
Adegolu noted the rapid expansion of Nigeria’s fintech sector, which now has more than 400 startups, but said regulatory fragmentation, operational challenges and trust issues remain major obstacles.
He proposed a harmonised licensing process involving the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), as well as tiered capital requirements that would make it easier for smaller startups to enter the regulated market.
He also advocated incentives for data residency to encourage businesses to keep Nigerian data within the country and ensure that its economic value is retained locally.
On digital transformation in the corporate sector, Founder and CEO of Digital Jewels Limited, Adedoyin Odunfa, urged organisations to focus on the business benefits of technology rather than adopting technology simply because it is available.
She said companies should establish a clear business case before investing in digital solutions by identifying the problem to be addressed, the opportunity involved, their capacity to implement the solution and the potential risks.
Odunfa also stressed the need for technology platforms to have proper controls from the beginning, while organisations should strengthen their capabilities in cybersecurity, risk management, compliance and artificial intelligence.
The Managing Director of Co-Creation Hub (CcHUB) Africa, Ojoma Ochai, said the growth and success of startups and innovators depend on a strong and functional ecosystem rather than isolated interventions.
Meanwhile, Ibukunoluwa Owa, representing the National Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Vincent Olatunji, highlighted the commission’s efforts to support innovation while improving compliance with data protection regulations.
She referenced the NDPC’s 2020–2027 Roadmap and Action Plan, as well as its experience working with innovators through an informal regulatory sandbox designed to help startups understand and meet data protection requirements.
The discussions highlighted the need for Nigeria to build a stronger digital ecosystem by investing in people, infrastructure and local innovation while creating policies and regulations that allow technology-driven businesses to thrive.
