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Mr Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, new Director-General/CEO of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has unfolded plans for the digital transformation of the Nigerian government on his watch at the Federal IT regulatory agency.
Abdullahi, who hopes to leave a legacy of digital transformation on completion of his duty at NITDA disclosed this in a tell-all interview that made the cover of the inaugural issue of eGovernance Nigeria Magazine, that debuts March 2020 from the stables of Technology Times Media Limited.
The Federal IT regulatory chief says the invitation extended him by Dr Isa Pantami, the immediate past DG of NITDA, who was later appointed Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, prepared him for his current position.
“I was very instrumental in implementing the strategy. So the strategy was developed for the agency for 2017-2020 and the strategy was about seven key pillars.”
Mr Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General/CEO of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA)
According to him, since coming into NITDA under Pantami, he played a crucial role in the development of a strategic plan built on seven pillars to turn around the Nigerian IT sector, that also identified ICT as a key enabler for economic diversification.
“I was very instrumental in implementing the strategy. So the strategy was developed for the agency for 2017-2020 and the strategy was about seven key pillars”, Abdullahi says.
“In 2016, my mentor and boss, Dr Isa Pantami, Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, was appointed by the President as Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), and he requested for me to join his team as Technical Assistant. Then I joined NITDA in March 2017, which I worked with him to develop the strategy for the agency on how to transform the Nigerian IT sector. That time was very formative to my career because it exposed me to a lot of challenges in terms of administration and dealing with different stakeholders”, the NITDA chief says.
According to him, “I was the one coordinating mostly the activities while he was the DG. As the Technical Assistant, he delegates a lot of things to me. I think that period was very formative to my career and that helped me to succeed him because my belief is when you work with someone and you make that person shine, if he gets promoted, definitely he would lift you up. I never dreamt of being the DG. I worked with him and I gave him my support 100 per cent. I think that’s why he recommended me to succeed him as the DG/CEO of NITDA.
“eGovernance Nigeria Magazine will be the voice of digital transformation of information exchange and delivery of government services by the Nigerian public sector, and is here to fill a gap as a provider of news, information and analysis of key developments shaping e-government and the broader public technology ecosystem”
Mr Shina Badaru, Founder of Technology Times
The NITDA DG/CEO says the seven pillars include: regulation to level the playing field and removes obstacles to business; capacity building to function in a knowledge-based economy; government digital services to foster an interactive government encouraging contributions by citizens and delivery of service; local content to encourage delivery of tailor-made tech solutions for local needs; digital inclusion to promote infrastructure for citizens to access e-services; digital job creation and cybersecurity to protect Nigeria’s technology assets.
“These are the seven key pillars we have been working on since 2017 and we are going to review it at the end of this year to benchmark what we have achieved and come up with a new strategy for the agency”, the NITDA DG/CEO told eGovernance Nigeria Magazine.
Mr Shina Badaru, Founder/Chairman of Technology Times, the Nigerian technology industry media, events, and business services company says the introduction of eGovernance Nigeria Magazine advances the organisation’s mission to showcase Nigeria’s growing contributions to the global ICT industry.
“eGovernance Nigeria Magazine will be the voice of digital transformation of information exchange and delivery of government services by the Nigerian public sector, and is here to fill a gap as a provider of news, information and analysis of key developments shaping e-government and the broader public technology ecosystem”, he says.
According to Badaru, eGovernance Nigeria Magazine leverages online, video, digital and newsletter delivery platforms to advance the Technology Times founding vision of creating online, print, digital, events, rankings, awards and business platforms trusted by millions across Nigeria, Africa and beyond.
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