The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has challenged Jigawa State to rethink its economic development strategy by harnessing its youthful population, land and other abundant resources to build a sustainable, technology-driven economy capable of reducing its dependence on federal allocations.
Inuwa made the call at the Galaxy Information Technology and Telecommunications (Galaxy ITT) Repositioning Retreat held in Abuja on Thursday, where he said Jigawa and other parts of Northern Nigeria could no longer afford to rely excessively on federal revenue despite the vast human and natural resources available to them.
He said Jigawa must rethink its development strategy by identifying and harnessing its youthful population, land and other resources to build a sustainable economy capable of thriving without excessive dependence on federal revenue.
The NITDA DG identified the absence of clear development plans and excessive focus on politics as some of the major challenges holding back development in Northern Nigeria.
He stressed that sustainable development, whether at the individual, state or national level, requires clear objectives, strategic planning and measurable targets.
He challenged Jigawa to define what it intends to achieve within the next two to three years and develop practical strategies for attaining those goals, stressing that having resources without a clearly defined development pathway would not translate into meaningful economic progress.
Inuwa also recalled the pioneering role played by former Jigawa State Governor, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, in establishing Galaxy ITT and championing the adoption of information and communication technology as a tool for development in the state.
According to him, Turaki’s initiatives demonstrated foresight, but the lack of continuity in subsequent administrations prevented Jigawa from fully capitalising on the foundation that had been laid.
He noted that Jigawa was among the early states to embrace technology-driven development through initiatives such as Galaxy ITT, but had since lost ground as technology became a dominant force in the global economy.
The NITDA boss emphasised that technology had become central to economic growth, pointing out that most of the world’s leading companies are technology-based businesses.
Against this backdrop, he urged the management of Galaxy ITT to develop a clear strategic direction for the company’s repositioning, leveraging its experience and understanding of Nigeria’s information technology landscape to become a major driver of digital transformation in Jigawa State.
He, however, stressed that Galaxy ITT could not achieve the desired transformation alone, noting the need for appropriate legal, policy and institutional frameworks to support its operations.
He also called for closer collaboration between Galaxy ITT and the Jigawa State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency, particularly in the areas of policy implementation and digital economy development.
The NITDA DG further used the occasion to explain the evolution of the agency and its changing role in Nigeria’s digital transformation.
He said NITDA was established in 2001 to promote the adoption and use of information and communication technology in Nigeria, at a time when fewer than 500,000 Nigerians had access to computers and ICT contributed less than 0.5 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product.
According to him, the agency’s mandate has evolved from simply promoting technology adoption to developing policies, regulations and legal instruments capable of positioning technology as a key enabler of economic activities.
He explained that the adoption of Nigeria’s digital economy policy in 2019 marked a major shift in the country’s approach to technology, with the sector increasingly regarded as a horizontal enabler of virtually every aspect of the economy rather than a standalone sector.
He said NITDA subsequently repositioned itself, developed a strategic roadmap and action plan, and began focusing its regulatory and policy interventions on creating markets, generating employment and promoting inclusive economic growth through technology.
Inuwa said the agency’s vision was to build a digitally empowered Nigeria capable of achieving inclusive economic growth through technological innovation.
The retreat was also attended by Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, former Governor of Jigawa State and pioneer of the state’s ICT development drive. Turaki established Galaxy ITT, which later metamorphosed into Galaxy Backbone.
Turaki commended NITDA under Abdullahi’s leadership for its efforts towards advancing Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.
The retreat ultimately underscored the importance of strategic planning, policy continuity, institutional collaboration and sustained investment in technology in repositioning Galaxy ITT and strengthening Jigawa State’s capacity to participate meaningfully in Nigeria’s emerging digital economy.