The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is making bold moves to revolutionize Nigeria’s tech landscape, and its Director General, Kashifu Inuwa CCOE, is leading the charge.
During a high-level meeting with Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, Vice Chancellor of Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), Inuwa reaffirmed NITDA’s commitment to bringing together researchers, tech experts, and academics to solve pressing national challenges.
Collaboration Is Key to Innovation
Inuwa stressed that bridging the gap between academia, engineers, and entrepreneurs is essential for tackling major issues like public health, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure.
This mission aligns with NITDA’s broader vision, building a strong technology research ecosystem focused on Digital Literacy, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Research & Development (R&D).
It also directly supports President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes digital transformation and future-ready skills for students.
To cement this collaboration, NITDA and NSUK are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a strategic move to foster long-term innovation and ensure that research-driven solutions translate into real-world impact.
AI’s Potential to Revolutionize Key Sectors
Inuwa painted a compelling picture of AI’s potential, especially in healthcare and agriculture.
“Imagine developing a bot that can provide quality health services to our remote areas. One of the challenges we are facing in our healthcare system is the lack of professionals. It’s difficult to get specialist doctors everywhere, but AI can help fill this gap,” he explained.
He pointed to a recent Nigerian research study where AI-powered chatbots like ChatGPT were tested against human doctors in providing medical prescriptions. The findings?
“AI-generated prescriptions were often comparable to, and in some cases even better than, those provided by human doctors,” he revealed.
This highlights AI’s game-changing role in telemedicine, making healthcare more accessible and efficient for underserved communities.
But AI’s potential doesn’t stop there. NITDA believes it can drive breakthroughs in agriculture, education, and other critical sectors.
NSUK’s Commitment to Digital Innovation
On her part, Professor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman expressed gratitude for NITDA’s continuous support in advancing technology research and digital literacy.
She proudly noted that NSUK is a trailblazer in NITDA’s digital transformation program, a model now being expanded by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to institutions across Nigeria.
“NSUK has established a Digital Literacy Center at the Faculty of Engineering, where students are developing tech gadgets to sharpen their skills and stay globally competitive,” she shared.
Her vision is to ensure NSUK students aren’t just equipped for Nigeria’s job market but are globally competitive wherever they go.
The Road Ahead
With NITDA and NSUK joining forces, Nigeria’s technology and innovation ecosystem is set for an exciting transformation.
As AI-driven solutions gain momentum, the future of healthcare, education, and digital literacy in Nigeria looks brighter than ever.
One thing is clear; the journey to a tech-driven future has only just begun.
