The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s determination to become a major player in shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI), saying the country’s efforts are firmly rooted in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
By Chimezie Godfrey
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s determination to become a major player in shaping the future of Artificial Intelligence (AI), saying the country’s efforts are firmly rooted in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking during a plenary session on “Technology, Migration & Trade Representation” at the Stakeholders’ Interactive Engagement with the BRICS Women’s Business Alliance, held at the State House in Abuja, Inuwa outlined Nigeria’s strategic roadmap for harnessing emerging technologies to drive inclusive national development.
According to him, President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda places strong emphasis on economic diversification and inclusivity, with its seventh pillar focusing on accelerating industrialization, digitalization, creative industries, manufacturing, and innovation.
He explained that this vision has shaped the Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy’s policy roadmap, which in turn guides NITDA’s efforts to position Nigeria as a digital powerhouse on the continent.
Inuwa highlighted Nigeria’s National AI Strategy as a central element of this ambition, describing it as “a clear pathway for the country’s technological future.” He noted that the first priority under the strategy is the development of foundational infrastructure that will enable Nigeria to play a meaningful role in the global AI ecosystem — including expanding connectivity, developing sovereign cloud platforms, and building representative national datasets.
He recalled the recent launch of the National Multilingual Large Language Model in New York as a major milestone, saying:
> “For us, it is important that our languages, our culture, and our people are represented in the AI of the future. That is why we built Nigeria’s own multilingual large language model — to ensure that technology reflects our identity and diversity.”
The NITDA boss also underscored the importance of strengthening Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem by empowering startups and innovators through supportive policies and legislation.
“Innovation does not happen in isolation. You need an ecosystem that connects government, innovators, investors, and global partners. Through our startup policies, we are not just encouraging entrepreneurship; we are deliberately prioritizing inclusivity and giving women founders the space to thrive,” he said.
Inuwa further noted that Artificial Intelligence is already being integrated into critical sectors such as healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, and education, to drive efficiency and growth.
“With AI, we can achieve ten times the productivity we are seeing today. Imagine what it means when our doctors can diagnose faster, our farmers can predict yields better, and our manufacturers can cut inefficiencies. That is the kind of leap Nigeria is preparing for,” he explained.
He cautioned, however, that technology must be designed with inclusivity at its core to avoid marginalizing vulnerable groups.
“If you are digitally invisible, AI will not consider you in its decision-making. That is why inclusivity is not optional — it is central. In every one of our initiatives, we insist on at least 40 percent women representation, because we cannot build a future that excludes half of our population,” he stated.
Inuwa concluded by emphasizing the need for responsible governance and regulation, revealing that Nigeria is co-creating its AI governance framework with stakeholders to ensure innovation thrives sustainably.
“We cannot build this future in silos. We are working hand in hand with innovators, industry leaders, and the global community to create policies that safeguard innovation while protecting citizens. This is how Nigeria will lead responsibly.”
With this bold vision, he said, Nigeria is sending a strong signal to the global community that it is not waiting to be carried along in the AI revolution, but actively shaping it.
“Our journey is not just about technology — it is about people, prosperity, and positioning Nigeria as a global leader in shaping the future of artificial intelligence,” he affirmed.