By Emmanuella Oghenetega
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has detailed the agency’s wide-ranging initiatives aimed at enhancing digital literacy and public sector capacity.
According to the DG, these initiatives include, the National Digital Literacy Framework, aimed at ensuring every Nigerian acquires digital skills from early education to adulthood, a collaboration with the Ministry of Education, to integrate digital literacy into school curricula by next year; a partnership with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to train all public servants, with over 24,000 already enrolled, and; nationwide campaigns to extend digital skills training to market traders, transport workers, senior citizens, and faith-based groups.
Speaking at the 18th edition of the International Conference on Theory and Practice of Electronic Governance (ICEGOV) 2025 held at the Shehu Musa Yara’dua Centre in Abuja, the DG reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to leading Africa’s digital governance transformation, emphasising research, collaboration, and digital literacy as key drivers of inclusive national development.
The DG described the event which was themed “Shaping the Future of Digital Governance through Cooperation, Innovation, and Inclusion”, as a remarkable milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward digital leadership.
Inuwa said, “Tonight marks a remarkable milestone in our journey to making Nigeria a leader in digital governance. Our participation in previous ICEGOV events inspired us to take on the challenge of hosting the 2025 edition, the first ever in West Africa.”
ICEGOV was conceived in 2007 as an annual gathering to bring together academia, governments, international organisations, civil society, and industry to share the latest insights and experiences in the theory and practice of Electronic Governance.
Inuwa recalled that Nigeria’s increased involvement in ICEGOV was driven by the vision of the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani, who insisted that Nigeria must not only attend but also contribute through research and capacity building.
According to him, hosting ICEGOV 2025 aligns perfectly with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises economic diversification through digitalisation, industrialisation, creative arts, manufacturing and innovation.
The 18th edition, was chaired by the Rector of the United Nations University and Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Prof Tschilidzi Marwala and the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijani.
In his presentation, Prof Marwala called for the responsible and inclusive development of artificial intelligence (AI), stressing that the technology must work for all people, including Africans, if it is to achieve its full potential as a tool for global progress.
He said that AI is rapidly transforming every aspect of human life but warned that its design and governance must prioritise equality, ethics, and the common good.
“Artificial intelligence is shaping many areas of our lives, but it must be designed so that it does not leave anyone behind. AI will remain suboptimal until it works equally for all people, including the people of Nigeria and, by extension, the African continent,” he said.
Prof. Marwala underscored the “balancing act” required in managing AI, which is between transparency and security, opportunity and risk, innovation and accountability. He pointed out that while transparency is critical to ensuring fairness, excessive openness can compromise data security, creating new vulnerabilities.
He also emphasised the need to democratize AI by giving people not only access to the technology but also collective power in deciding how it should be used.
“Democratisation of AI means not only that people can freely use AI but also that they can collectively decide how it is to be used. Collective decision-making is necessary to address the negative externalities of AI, from job losses to the degradation of our digital commons,” he noted.
He concluded by urging policymakers, researchers, and technologists to view AI not merely as a tool of progress but as a moral responsibility, one that demands cooperation across nations and sectors to ensure that technological advancement strengthens humanity rather than divides it.
Dr Tijani, in his keynote address, emphasised the need for balance between innovation, research, and regulation, stressing that digital technologies must serve the public good and strengthen social inclusion.
“Nigeria stands at the intersection of innovation, youth, and digital transformation. The state of a society reflects the ideas that dominate it. When good ideas strike, nations prosper; when bad ideas prevail, nations decay,” he said.
He introduced the “Source Balance Ratio”, a conceptual model explaining how ideas from various stakeholders, government, civil society, academia, private sector, and development partners shape public policy.
According to him, nations must ensure that policymaking is guided by research and ethics, not short-term politics or commercial interests.
While noting that platforms like the ICEGOV help strike a balance to ensure innovation serves humanity, the Minister warned that, “If our ideas are driven solely by profit or short-term politics, we end up with regulations that react to innovation rather than guide it.”
Dr Tijani also highlighted the correlation between research and economic growth, urging developing countries to strengthen ties between academia and government for evidence-based policymaking.
He commended ICEGOV as a global platform that supports collaboration, knowledge exchange, and ethical digital governance, noting that these principles align with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Digital technologies are no longer just economic tools; they reshape our societies and our citizenship. Our responsibility is to ensure that innovation is guided by ethics, inclusivity, and the public interest,” the Minister concluded.
The event was attended by notable dignitaries and distinguished guests who delivered goodwill messages.
