In a bid to fortify Nigeria’s cyber infrastructure and bolster digital trust, as outlined in the National Information Technology Development Agency’s (NITDA) Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2.0, the Agency has expressed its readiness to join forces with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). This partnership aims to elevate digital identity, enhance the payment ecosystem, and ensure the secure exchange of data across the nation.
Kashifu Inuwa, the Director General of NITDA, CCIE, conveyed this collaboration during a productive visit to his counterpart, Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote, the Director General of NIMC. The discussions centered on initiatives focused on developing DPI stacks for secure and seamless data exchange, as well as forming alliances to revolutionize the national identity system.
Highlighting the significance of this collaboration, Inuwa emphasized that leveraging Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) will play a pivotal role in advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda. He underscored NITDA’s commitment to continual evolution, citing the recent refinement of the Agency’s vision and mission to align with current industry dynamics.
Inuwa further elaborated on NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2024-2027) 2.0, built on eight pillars aimed at fostering digital literacy, cultivating talent, strengthening policy frameworks, promoting inclusive access to digital services, enhancing cybersecurity, nurturing innovation, forging partnerships, and fostering a vibrant organizational culture.
In her response, the Director General of NIMC expressed the Commission’s eagerness to collaborate with NITDA in advancing the digital economy sector. She stressed the importance of interagency cooperation in achieving shared objectives and informed the gathering about President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s endorsement of a circular on data integration and harmonization among Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as on PKI for national growth and development.
The highlight of the meeting was the inauguration of a 12-member committee tasked with kick-starting and harmonizing the initiatives. The committee is expected to deliver a comprehensive implementation report in the coming weeks, marking a significant step towards realizing the collaborative vision of NITDA and NIMC in fortifying Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and fostering digital trust.
