The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has urged Kano State to adopt innovation and technology as the foundation for its future economic growth.
Speaking at the Kano Startup Weekend, Inuwa described Kano as a historic commercial powerhouse whose vast market, location and entrepreneurial culture remain critical assets in the modern economy.
He said innovation goes beyond invention, stressing the importance of commercialising ideas to generate economic value.
“Innovation is the process of taking an idea from inception to impact. Invention on its own is a cost centre, but when you commercialise an idea… that is when you begin to drive economic growth and inclusion,” he said.
Inuwa noted that Kano hosts numerous tertiary institutions but lamented the weak link between academic research and industry needs.
He said innovation thrives in interconnected ecosystems involving universities, industry, startups and government, with startups acting as bridges between ideas and the market.
He encouraged entrepreneurs to build scalable, technology-driven businesses capable of competing globally.
“You can start your business here in Kano, but your thinking must be global from day one,” he said.
The NITDA boss outlined the agency’s DL4ALL and 3MTT programmes as part of efforts to build national digital capacity under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
He said empowering Nigerians with digital skills is vital for inclusive growth and job creation.