The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) have entered into a strategic partnership to accelerate Nigeria’s digital transformation and promote technology-driven growth across the private sector.
The partnership, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on the sidelines of GITEX Nigeria, is aimed at strengthening digital adoption among businesses, particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), while fostering innovation and building a more competitive digital economy.
The MoU was signed by the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, and his NACCIMA counterpart, Engr. Olusola Obadimu.
Speaking after the signing ceremony, Obadimu described the agreement as a timely intervention, noting that digital transformation had become critical to the survival and competitiveness of businesses in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.
“It is an excellent arrangement to have this type of protocol on digitisation and digital transformation, especially for the private sector,” he said.
“NACCIMA is the umbrella body of the organised private sector in Nigeria, and digital transformation is a necessity. There is no better partner to work with than NITDA, and we are happy to sign this MoU and move the partnership forward.”
Under the agreement, the two organisations will collaborate on the development of a digital ecosystem platform, enterprise digital transformation for MSMEs, promotion of digital innovation and technology adoption, as well as capacity-building programmes for Nigerian businesses.
The partnership will also support the development and institutionalisation of the Digital Nigeria International Conference (DNICE) 2026 and subsequent editions.
The organisations are expected to facilitate stronger collaboration among government agencies, private-sector groups, technology companies, academic institutions, investors and development partners to create an enabling environment for innovation and sustainable economic growth.
Obadimu said implementation of the agreement would commence immediately, stressing that the partnership was designed to deliver tangible outcomes rather than remain at the level of policy commitments.
“We are going to hit the ground running as soon as we return to our offices for the implementation of this agreement. Nigerians will begin to see things happen almost instantaneously,” he said.
The NACCIMA DG further highlighted the potential impact of the partnership on Nigeria’s young population, particularly those engaged in technology, innovation and digital entrepreneurship.
He said the country’s youthful demographic represented a major asset that could be leveraged to strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global digital economy.
“Digitalisation is the way to go. As you can see, we have a youthful population, and they are the ones driving this process. We should encourage them and give them all the necessary support to go beyond Nigeria and compete on the global stage,” he said.
The collaboration is expected to complement NITDA’s mandate of promoting the development of Nigeria’s digital economy through technology innovation, digital literacy and digital transformation.
It will also leverage NACCIMA’s extensive network within the organised private sector to expand the reach of digital initiatives and facilitate greater technology adoption among businesses across the country.
The partnership comes amid growing efforts by the federal government and private sector to deepen digitalisation as a catalyst for productivity, enterprise development and economic diversification.
