Nigeria’s Future Is Digital, Not Oil, Says NITDA Boss

…Tips AI as Driver of Nigeria’s Digital Future

By Our Reporter
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital innovation will drive Nigeria’s next phase of prosperity, according to Kashifu Inuwa, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).

Speaking at the 3rd Annual Economic Confidential Public Lecture in Abuja, where three new books by PRNigeria staff were unveiled, Inuwa described AI as a historic chance for Nigeria to leapfrog development barriers.

He said AI could automate up to 30 percent of tasks and boost GDP growth by 20 percent. To illustrate, he told the story of a Kaduna farmer who, using an AI-powered app, adjusted her planting cycle, applied the right fertiliser, and doubled her yield. “This is the promise of AI: turning uncertainty into opportunity and poverty into prosperity,” he said.

Outlining Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda, Inuwa listed the National AI Strategy, restructuring of the National Centre for AI and Robotics, and support for more than 45 AI startups. He also cited partnerships with Google and Nigerian universities.

Nigeria’s youthful population, over 130 million internet users, and vibrant startup ecosystem, he argued, position the country to lead Africa’s digital revolution. He highlighted programmes such as Digital Literacy for All (DL4All), which has trained 300,000 Nigerians, and the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) scheme, aligned with President Bola Tinubu’s target of two million digital jobs.

For the government, he said, the priority must be enabling innovation through regulatory sandboxes, R&D incentives, and infrastructure investment. He pointed to the Nigeria Startup Act, which has labeled 180 startups, and partnerships with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), including the $11.2m Abuja Startup Hub and a $40m seed fund. “Nigeria is not waiting for the future—we are building it now,” Inuwa declared.

Yushau A. Shuaib, Editor-in-Chief of Economic Confidential and founder of IMPR, noted how AI is reshaping journalism and PR. “At the PRNigeria Centre, AI helps professionals become more agile and data-driven—without replacing the human touch,” he said. IMPR uses AI for media monitoring, content automation, and early crisis detection.

Shuaib recalled that the lecture series began in 2023 with a focus on economic diversification and later addressed food security in 2024. This year’s theme, he said, reflects Nigeria’s stake in the global digital economy. At the lecture, three new books were unveiled, including Renewed Hope in Central Banking by Rahma Oladosu and Healing Nigeria by Maimuna Katuka and Dahiru Mamman.

Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Tope Fasuan, urged Nigeria to adapt quickly, noting that services, not oil, now drive the economy. He highlighted fintech, e-commerce, and Nollywood as resilient sectors but warned of weaknesses such as shrinking manufacturing (16.7% of GDP), a large informal economy (42.5%), and falling per capita income. He called for supportive regulation and investment in human capital.

Also speaking, NIPR President Dr. Ike Neliaku, represented by Dr. Afolabi Olajuwon, warned that nations that ignore digital innovation risk being left behind.

Other dignitaries, including Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade (Rtd) and Dr. Sule Yau Sule, praised IMPR for using the lecture series to strengthen national dialogue on reform, innovation, and development.

The event drew policymakers, academics, PR professionals, and digital experts, reaffirming IMPR’s role as both a media powerhouse and catalyst for Nigeria’s digital future.