GITEX AFRICA: Nigeria advocates for Pan-Africanism in harnessing digital economy 

Nigeria has identified collaboration and cooperation among African nations in leveraging technology as key to inclusive growth and sustainable development of the continent.

This, Nigeria says will propel Africa into the forefront of the global digital revolution.

The Director General of the Nigeria’s Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, who was represented by Dr Aristotle Onumo, said this while contributing to the discussion at the first meeting of Council of African Information and Technology Agencies (CAITA), one of the advisory arms of the Smart Africa Initiative at GITEX Africa in Morocco.

The event which afforded representatives from various countries came together to discuss key issues pertaining digital transformation and technology development on the continent.

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Inuwa stressed the importance of alliance in addressing the challenges faced by African nations and reaffirmed his belief that one digital market for Africa is achievable within the time frame based on the commitment and collaboration shown by members of the alliance.

He reiterated NITDA’s commitment to driving digital innovation and transformation in Nigeria, while also acknowledging the pivotal role played by the Smart Africa Initiative in fostering Pan-African cooperation in the digital space.

The NITDA boss also said that Nigeria is investing heavily in digital skills development, with a number of initiatives aimed at training young people in the latest digital technologies.

He listed various initiatives undertaken by NITDA, such as National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture, National Adopted School for Smart Education (NASSE), Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support (TIES) Scheme and Digital Literacy Programmes among others, to promote digital economy in Nigeria.

He added that these efforts have been instrumental in driving innovation, job creation and inclusive growth across the country’s digital economy sector.

“The government’s efforts to build a strong digital economy, promote digital entrepreneurship and improve digital skills are having a positive impact on Nigeria. The digital economy is growing rapidly and there is a growing number of successful digital entrepreneurs in our country,” he said.

The meeting, which was held on Thursday, 1st June, 2023, was attended by representatives from 36 African countries, with an objective to update members with the progress of Africa Smart Alliance, and elect the Chairperson and Vice Chairperson for the CAITA Bureau who will administer the affairs for the next two years.

The gathering also provided an opportunity for the Alliance Secretariat to share the vision, ideas and best practices on how to build a more inclusive and prosperous digital Africa.

Delegates are optimistic that the discussions held at the CAITA meeting will pave the way for collaborative efforts among African nations, leading to a more connected, innovative and prosperous Africa in the digital age.