As part of efforts to deepen international collaboration on data governance and digital trust, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to building a secure, inclusive and trusted digital ecosystem.
Inuwa made this known while delivering an address at the Nigeria Data Privacy Capacity Building Workshop, organised by the United States Department of State, in Abuja.
He said Nigeria’s digital transformation drive aligns with President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s priority of Strengthening National Security for Peace and Prosperity, noting that data protection and cybersecurity are critical pillars of national stability and economic growth.
The NITDA Director General highlighted the expanding U.S.–Nigeria digital partnership, tracing its progress from the 2024 Binational Commission and the jointly hosted Artificial Intelligence Conference to ongoing engagements with U.S. cybersecurity firms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s technical and digital capacity.
According to him, data privacy, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and sound policy frameworks all converge on a single objective — building trust in the digital economy.
“When trust is strengthened, innovation accelerates and costs reduce, creating a solid foundation for sustainable prosperity,” he said.
Inuwa emphasised that artificial intelligence thrives on data, data requires privacy, and privacy depends on robust security, stressing that these elements must be addressed collectively rather than in isolation.
He further reaffirmed NITDA’s commitment to developing enabling policies that support innovation while safeguarding citizens, positioning Nigeria and Africa as the next frontier of the global digital economy, driven by a youthful, digital-native population and a growing pool of local tech talent.
Looking ahead, the NITDA boss announced plans to elevate Nigeria’s National Cybersecurity Conference into an international platform later this year, with active participation from the U.S. Mission and global technology companies. He said the move would create opportunities for deeper partnerships, capacity building and digital self-determination.
He concluded by expressing appreciation for the continued collaboration with the United States and optimism for stronger cooperation in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and data protection.