News Highlights:
- NITDA Reaffirms Commitment to Gender-Inclusive AI Strategy
- Nigeria to Host Landmark AI Leadership Summit in 2025
Amid the growing global momentum for inclusivity in the digital age, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is reaffirming its commitment to empowering women as vital drivers of Nigeria’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital economy.
Digital TimesNG reports that this renewed pledge took centre stage at the “Innovate Her 25” conference, the 10th National Conference and 11th Annual Meeting of Nigerian Women in Information Technology (NIWIT), where the agency outlined sweeping initiatives to mainstream gender inclusion in tech innovation.
Representing the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, at the event, Dr. Aristotle Onumo, Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, underscored that NITDA’s operational philosophy is built on collaboration and inclusive innovation. “True innovation blossoms not in isolation, but through synergistic partnerships and collective endeavour,” he said.
Themed “Women in AI: Unlocking Resilience, Fostering Innovation and Leadership,” the conference provided a platform for NITDA to unveil strategies embedded within Nigeria’s National Artificial Intelligence (AI) Strategy.
Inuwa, through Dr. Onumo, stressed that inclusivity is a cornerstone of that vision. “Our strategic roadmap mandates that at least 40% of our programmes directly benefit women and underserved groups. We have also developed a Gender Inclusion Strategy to guide interventions in areas such as training and infrastructure,” he noted.
Beyond rhetoric, concrete plans are already in motion. Inuwa announced that NITDA will host a continental Leadership Summit on AI in September 2025, marking a significant moment in Nigeria’s efforts to steer Africa’s digital transformation. The summit aims to bring together stakeholders from across the continent to co-create a unified AI vision for Africa.
In alignment with the broader theme of female empowerment in tech, the Director General highlighted several of NITDA’s ongoing initiatives aimed at upskilling Nigerian women. These include training programmes in AI, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
“We work with partners such as the Renewed Hope Initiative to train thousands of women across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones,” Inuwa said, pointing to the agency’s widespread outreach.
NITDA is also seeking more partnerships with organisations like NIWIT, inviting proposals for customised training programmes tailored to specific communities. “We focus on targeted training with measurable outcomes, rather than generic approaches,” he added, making it clear that the agency’s approach is both intentional and results-driven.
A key component of NITDA’s inclusive digital vision is its “Digital Literacy for All Initiative,” which aims to digitally empower 70% of Nigerians by 2027. This involves a combination of grassroots partnerships, such as with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and systemic integration of digital skills into school curricula. The ultimate goal: over 30 million digitally literate Nigerians, with underserved communities and public servants receiving special attention.
As Nigeria forges ahead in building ethical AI systems, Inuwa addressed a critical dimension of technological development: data ethics and sovereignty. “We are working closely with stakeholders to build local datasets that safeguard Nigerians’ digital rights and ensure ethical AI use,” he said. These efforts include the development of indigenous datasets and large language models tailored to Nigeria’s cultural and linguistic realities.
To further ensure that women are not just beneficiaries but also leaders in this digital shift, NITDA is backing mentorship programmes like Women Innovate.
The agency expressed a readiness to formalise partnerships through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs), encouraging groups such as NIWIT to co-develop structured mentoring frameworks. “NITDA is committed to fostering inclusive economic growth through innovation. Partnership and collaboration remain the way forward,” Inuwa affirmed.
As the conference drew to a close, NITDA issued a clear call to action, urging women-led and women-focused organisations to take full advantage of its open-door policy and become active collaborators in driving Nigeria’s digital transformation. In the evolving narrative of Nigeria’s tech future, women are not just participants, they are central protagonists.