The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Benin Republic’s Agence des Systèmes d’Information et du Numérique (ASIN) have strengthened bilateral cooperation on digital transformation, digital public infrastructure, and innovation-led governance.
The renewed commitment was made during a courtesy visit by the Beninese delegation to NITDA headquarters in Abuja, where both agencies discussed strategies for deepening collaboration, sharing best practices, and accelerating digital development across the region.
Speaking during the meeting, NITDA Director General, Kashifu Inuwa, represented by the Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, Dr. Aristotle Onumo, said regional partnerships are essential to advancing Africa’s digital economy and building resilient digital ecosystems capable of driving sustainable growth.
He said NITDA remains focused on Nigeria’s digital transformation through policies, standards, and strategic frameworks aimed at modernising governance and improving public service delivery.
According to him, the agency has developed key frameworks—including the Enterprise Governance Framework, Digital Transformation Framework, and Software Quality Assurance Framework—to support Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in their digital transformation efforts.
“Our goal is to move government institutions beyond basic digitalisation to full digital transformation and ultimately build an intelligent, data-driven government powered by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence,” he said.
Inuwa disclosed that since 2018, NITDA has reviewed government IT projects worth over ₦1.5 trillion to ensure compliance, technical alignment, and value for money.
He said the intervention has helped the Federal Government save more than ₦300 billion by reducing duplication, promoting shared services, and improving the delivery of digital projects across MDAs.
On digital public infrastructure, he noted that Nigeria has shifted from fragmented agency-to-agency data exchange to a more integrated and citizen-focused ecosystem through the Nigerian Data Exchange (NGDX) platform.
He explained that the platform enables seamless data sharing among government institutions through a federated framework while preserving the independence of individual systems.
He added that the proposed e-Government and Digital Economy Bill is expected to provide the legal framework needed to strengthen the platform and institutionalise digital collaboration across government.
The NITDA Director General also highlighted the agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) 2024–2027, which aligns with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda and prioritises digital literacy, research and development, cybersecurity, innovation, inclusive access, and strategic partnerships.
Earlier, Head of International Partnerships at ASIN, Tildy Erlong, said the visit followed a recent Smart Africa workshop held in Abuja and was aimed at strengthening institutional ties while learning from Nigeria’s digital transformation experience.
She described ASIN as the operational agency under Benin Republic’s digital ministry, responsible for implementing national digital development projects in collaboration with key institutions, including the national identity agency, ANIP, and the cybersecurity agency, CENIN.
Erlong highlighted Benin’s progress in digital public infrastructure, revealing that nearly 98 per cent of the country’s population—about 13.6 million people—has been enrolled on its digital identity platform.
She added that more than 60 government institutions and service agencies are connected through Benin’s XROAD interoperability platform, which currently supports the delivery of over 250 digital services.
According to her, Benin is also advancing digital inclusion, open-source technology adoption, and the use of artificial intelligence to improve public service delivery in sectors such as healthcare, education, and justice.
