The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has declared that Africa’s economic destiny depends on its ability to build and control its own computing capacity, describing it as the bedrock of sustainable digital transformation, job creation, and intra-African trade, reports ITREALMS.
According to him, “Compute power is now a primary factor of production in the 21st century, and we cannot continue to export our raw data for others to process and then import finished digital products. Africa must own its data and its digital future.”
The NITDA boss emphasised that Africa must make bold investments in digital public infrastructure (DPI) the backbone for economic inclusion, innovation, and governance efficiency. He explained that DPI operates on two levels: the shared physical and technical infrastructure (such as connectivity and cloud capacity), and the functional layer (digital identity, payment systems, and data exchange platforms) that enable seamless access to public and private services.
Inuwa pointed out that Nigeria’s progress offers a model for others on the continent. Over 130 million Nigerians have now been enrolled in the national digital identity system, with ongoing efforts to establish a National Data Exchange Platform and a DPI Centre of Excellence to promote interoperability and global best practices.
“The Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, is championing this vision — establishing a DPI Centre of Excellence where experts can build APIs, data exchanges, and frameworks that strengthen our national digital ecosystem,” he said.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to bridging the digital divide, Inuwa disclosed that the country is targeting 95% digital literacy by 2030 and 70% by 2027 under the National Digital Literacy Framework. Through partnerships with global and local organisations such as Cisco and the NYSC, NITDA is training youths, women, and market traders to acquire skills in digital tools and AI applications for entrepreneurship and employability.
He noted that digital transformation must be seen not as a standalone sector but as an enabler for every aspect of socio-economic development, from agriculture and health to governance and trade.
Drawing lessons from Europe’s collaborative high-performance computing and AI models, Inuwa urged African nations to develop similar frameworks that attract private sector investment in digital infrastructure, while promoting regional cooperation and innovation.
He called for clear policy frameworks to guide AI development, stressing that Africa must pursue digital self-determination to secure its technological future.
“We must build our digital circuits our own hardware, software, and data systems to achieve true independence and resilience. The goal is simple: to use technology to build a better life for our people,” he emphasised.
Concluding, Inuwa underscored the need for synergy between governments, private sector players, and development partners to harmonise digital standards and scale innovation across Africa.
“Africa’s greatest advantage lies in our ability to leapfrog, collaborate, and design technology for inclusion. If we build the digital rails together, our youth will drive the continent straight into the heart of the global digital economy,” he said.
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