Abuja: The Federal Government has issued a call for the rapid advancement of broadband, fibre-optic networks, and rural connectivity initiatives in regions of the country that remain underserved. The appeal was made by the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, during his keynote address at the 2025 ITGOV Conference held in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Inuwa, who was represented by his Technical Assistant, Dr. Femi Adeluyi, emphasized the ongoing digital revolution transforming government operations worldwide. The theme of the conference, ‘Advancing Government Operations Through Digital Transformation’, highlighted the Nigerian government’s commitment to leveraging digital advancements for development and growth.
In his address, Inuwa stressed that digital transformation is essential for modern governance, rather than a luxury. He cited a 2023 report by the United Nations e-government Survey, which found that over 70 percent of countries have enhanced their digital government development index, with leading examples from Estonia, South Korea, and the United Arab Emirates. These nations are setting benchmarks by building citizen-centric platforms and using data to inform policy decisions, ensuring services are inclusive and resilient.
Inuwa outlined the efforts of the ministry and NITDA to align with the president’s vision through the Digital Transformation Working Group (DTWG). This group collaborates with various sectors to develop plans focused on automation, service delivery, cloud adoption, and data-driven governance. He asserted that digital transformation is about reimagining government operations to be more responsive to citizens’ needs.
Dr. Dasuki Arabi, Director-General of the Bureau of Public Service Reforms (BPSR), called for federal and state governments to align their priorities and systems to provide seamless services nationwide. Arabi, represented by Sulola Johnson, Director of Strategy Innovation Research, emphasized the importance of data sharing and coordination among government bodies.
He also announced BPSR’s commitment to training 500,000 public servants in digital literacy and emerging technologies. Arabi stressed that IT automation is crucial for eliminating bureaucratic hurdles and enhancing service delivery and accountability, urging collaboration to achieve these goals.
Melanie Ayoola, Executive Director of the Tranter Group of Companies, underlined the role of digital solutions in enhancing government operations. Ayoola noted that ManageEngine, a global IT automation solution, has been widely adopted in Nigeria to enhance productivity and reduce downtime.
Stranivasan Rajasekar, Regional Head for West Africa at ManageEngine, described the comprehensive solutions offered by the company for both public and private sector organizations. These solutions are designed to secure, simplify, and optimize IT infrastructure, including various management and analytics services.