The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has advocated the need for Africa to invest in research in other techno-oriented initiatives in order to position the continent’s economies on the path of sustainable growth.
Inuwa gave the charge to African leaders and ICT stakeholders during the recent working visit by a delegation from Lancaster University, United Kingdom, led by Professor Kirk Semple, Director of International Research, to agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
The visit was made to explore avenues for strategic collaboration under the Research and Innovation Partnership for Entrepreneurship (RIPE) programme, an initiative aimed at leveraging academic research and innovation to spur entrepreneurial development and economic transformation.
Speaking during his meeting with the university’s team, Inuwa explained that Nigeria and Africa had been facing research investment gap that continued to undermine African countries’ drive toward building knowledge-based economies.
He maintained that for the economies to build a robust and sustainable economy, the governments and other stakeholders need to invest in research, stressing that “that is where we have a huge gap in Nigeria and Africa at large, we don’t invest in research.”
Citing the agriculture sector to justify his argument, the NITDA’s boss explained that many Nigerian farmers lacked access to critical data and digital tools that could revolutionise the sector’s productivity and resource efficiency.
According to him, research and development (R&D) are crucial to solving such sector-specific challenges and to informing policies and regulations that can accelerate digital transformation.
Inuwa gave the insight into NITDA’s focus on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), blockchain, robotics, and additive manufacturing, adding that these technologies hold vast potential for solving local problems and creating new economic opportunities.
He pointed out that the goal of the initiative was to create a vibrant technology-research ecosystem that unites academia, industry, government, entrepreneurs, and risk capital, harping on the need to align university curricula with real world industry demands, encouraging institutions to develop talent capable of addressing practical challenges through innovation.
Inuwa also spoke on the eight strategic pillars identified by the Federal Government as drivers of national development.
He listed the pillars as including reforming the economy for inclusive and sustainable growth, strengthening national security for peace and prosperity, boosting agriculture to achieve food security, unlocking energy and natural resources, enhancing infrastructure and transportation, focusing on education, health, and social investment, accelerating diversification through industrialisation and innovation, Improving governance and service delivery.
To support these priorities, the agency’s Director-General highlighted the NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2.0 (SRAP 2024–2027), which is structured around eight complementary pillars. These include Foster Digital Literacy and Cultivate Talents, build a Robust Technology Research Ecosystem, Strengthen Policy Implementation and Legal Framework, Promote Inclusive Access to Digital Infrastructure and Services, Strengthen Cybersecurity and Enhance Digital Trust, Nurture an Innovative and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem, Forge Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration, and Cultivate a Vibrant Organisational Culture and an Agile Workforce in NITDA.
He stressed: “We place a strong emphasis on research because without it, you cannot develop effective policies or regulations that drive real change in the ecosystem.”
Earlier in his remarks, the Lancaster University’s don spoke on the institution’s global research reputation and its commitment to strategic collaborations that deliver societal value, describing the (RIPE) programme as a vehicle for knowledge mobilisation moving beyond academic theory to practical application.
He said: “Universities today are under pressure to demonstrate value beyond knowledge creation. Strategic partnerships like this with NITDA helps ensure research informed policy, supports innovation, and drives meaningful change in communities.”
The scholar also underscored the role of innovation in bridging the gap between academia and society, noting that universities serve as critical hubs for organisations, especially those lacking Research and Development (R&D) capabilities to access expertise and resources necessary for solving global issues like climate change, public health, and technological inequality.
Semple also reiterated the importance of creating diverse, long-term networks that foster cooperation across sectors, noting that the true measure of success lies in sustained impact rather than accolades.
