The National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA and the Research, Technology and Innovation division of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC are set to strengthen collaboration in achieving a sustainable digital economy in the country.
The Director-General, NITDA, Mr Kashifu Inuwa stated this when he led members of the management team of NITDA to the NNPC headquarters in Abuja where he met with the Research Technology & Innovations team headed by the Chief Information Officer, Mrs Betty Ugona.
Inuwa who proposed strategic initiatives to strengthen the collaboration said the aim of the visit was to also review collaborative initiatives the two agencies are working on and to further deepen their relationship by harnessing thoughts and creative ideas.
The NITDA boss further said the collaboration is to identify their different mandates and seek solutions collectively to achieve these mandates.
Inuwa stated that for any innovative tech company to thrive, it needs to be actively involved in the technological ecosystem and have a good relationship with the relevant stakeholders.
The DG explained that Universities are grooming ground for human capital development thereafter absolved by Corporate bodies like NITDA and NNPC to develop the ideas, “The Entrepreneurs who process the ideas and evolve it, the Risk Capitals who basically fund the conceptualization of these ideas and lastly, the Government who come as an intervention in terms of policies, infrastructure and enabling environment to actualize these ideas,” he stated.
The Director-General said there is a need to collaborate with stakeholders to improve digital technology which was why the agency engaged the Mass Challenge, a global, zero equity startup accelerator in the United States of America that will collaborate and strengthen innovations from the technological ecosystem.
He noted that although the agency is collaborating with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, the Central Bank of Nigeria among many others who have grants for startup innovations, their engagement with the Mass Challenge is also an avenue to gain support through startup innovation funding.
The DG mentioned that collaboration with the Research Technology and Innovations unit of the NNPC will align them with “All the advantageous strategic innovations the agency is working on and all other services the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics will be offering. which will, in turn, help them diversify their revenue streams,“ Inuwa noted
He reiterated that the collaboration between the two organizations coupled with the engagement with the Mass Challenge “Will institutionalize a platform in which Nigerian technology experts all over the world can come together to share innovative ideas to help build an enviable and globally recognized digital nation,“ the DG added.
The Chief Information Officer, Research Technology & Innovations, NNPC, Mrs Betty Ugona thanked the management of NITDA for the visit also explained that the Research Technology and Innovations unit of the NNPC which was created June 16, 2020, is saddled with the mandate of championing research technology, so as to touch lives of every citizen and also shift the organization’s perspective from Research and Development into a wider innovative perspective.
She added that the unit has been having challenges within the system and from stakeholders and they have been working on ideas to identify solutions.
Mrs Ugona, however, stated that she is highly optimistic that with the extensive strategic collaboration with NITDA, their mandates will be achieved efficiently.
PIAK
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