WorldStage– The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has called for urgent and coordinated investment in Africa’s digital public infrastructure, describing it as the foundation for sustainable transformation, job creation, and economic growth across the continent.
Inuwa made the call while speaking at the 2nd Annual Sustainability Week Africa, held at The Westin, Cape Town, South Africa.
The event, a premier continental platform, showcases practical approaches for governments, businesses, and communities to embrace green and inclusive growth. The 2025 edition focused on Africa’s pivotal role in driving energy transition, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
During a panel session on Digital Infrastructure for Jobs and Trade in Africa, the NITDA DG underscored the need for Africa to develop its own computing capacity in order to achieve digital independence and competitiveness in the global economy.
He noted that while technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) offer Africa a chance to leapfrog its development, the continent must also build the necessary “compute power” to sustain innovation.
“In the 21st century, compute power is a primary factor of production. We cannot continue exporting our raw data for processing elsewhere
Drawing inspiration from Europe’s collaborative model for developing high-performance supercomputers and AI factories, Inuwa urged African governments to create policy incentives that will attract private sector investment in digital infrastructure.
He explained that Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) operates at two levels — the shared physical and technical infrastructure such as connectivity and cloud capacity, and the functional layer, which includes digital identity, payment systems, and data exchange platforms that allow citizens and businesses to access services seamlessly.
Highlighting Nigeria’s progress, the DG revealed that over 130 million Nigerians have been enrolled in the national digital identity system, with plans underway to establish a National Data Exchange Platform and a DPI Centre of Excellence to promote interoperability and best practices across all levels of government.
“The Honourable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr. Bosun Tijani, is leading efforts to establish a DPI CentreExcellence — a hub where developers can build data exchange systems, APIs, and frameworks that reflect African realities,” he said.
On digital literacy, Inuwa reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to achieving 70% digital literacy by 2027 and 95% by 2030 under the National Digital Literacy Framework. He said the initiative is being implemented through partnerships with global technology companies such as Cisco and local institutions like the NYSC to equip youths, women, and traders with digital and AI-driven skills for greater economic participation.
The NITDA DG also emphasised the importance of robust policy frameworks to guide AI adoption and technology development across the continent, stressing that digital transformation should be viewed not as a standalone sector but as a key enabler of every economic activity.
“Africa must build its own capacity for digidetermination. We cannot rely on others to supply our hardware and software needs. Technology is the pathway to improving lives and building prosperity for our people,” he said.
Inuwa concluded by calling for stronger collaboration between governments, the private sector, and development partners to harmonise digital standards and accelerate innovation across Africa.
