Google Partners NITDA To Ignite Digital Revolution, Set To Make Nigeria Africa’s AI & Digital Hub
Tech giant, Google, is partnering with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to ignite a digital revolution in Nigeria as a leading Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital hub in West and Central Africa.
According to NITDA, the move followed the recent historic meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Sundar Pichai, Google’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), in Paris, France.
The country’s Information Technology (IT) sector regulatory agency also noted that the effort was further solidified during a two-day dynamic workshop held recently. It explained that the initiative was designed to establish Nigeria as a leading AI and digital hub across the West and Central African regions.
NITDA stated, “This collaboration is built on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision to drive economic prosperity through diversification and inclusivity: leveraging technology to fuel Nigeria’s long-term economic growth.
“To achieve this, the partnership is structured around five key pillars: Building scalable digital infrastructure; Empowering the workforce with digital skills; Driving AI innovation and research; Promoting cloud adoption for digital government; and Strengthening investment frameworks for digital growth.”
According to the agency in a post via its verified social media platform, under the President’s directive, NITDA is spearheading the execution of this ambitious partnership and has been working closely with Google to gather information and develop practical business use cases across these pillars.
It further stated that the two-day workshop served as a crucial platform to validate this information and socialise the draft partnership framework with key stakeholders in the Nigerian tech ecosystem.
The agency also disclosed that Malam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, Director-General of NITDA, has led a series of high-level engagements with key Federal Government officials, including Malam Nuhu Ribadu, National Security Adviser (NSA); Mr. Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS); and Dr. Tunji Alausa, Honourable Minister for Education, among other champions of the President’s vision for a Digital Nigeria.
Highlighting further objectives of the partnership with Google, NITDA also explained that the strategic engagements are designed to align stakeholders across government sectors, fostering a unified approach to adopting digital technologies that will enhance service delivery, improve governance, and stimulate economic growth.
It stated that Google showcased successful digital interventions from around the globe, demonstrating their potential “to boost economic stability, improve institutional efficiency, and empower citizens across Nigeria.”
The agency also asserted, “With this strategic partnership, NITDA is positioning Nigeria to harness the transformative power of technology across sectors, such as education, healthcare, agriculture and security.
“This collaborative effort is laying the foundation for a more inclusive, innovative, and prosperous future for Nigeria.”