By BONIFACE AKARAH

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has challenged Jigawa State to rethink its development strategy and reduce its dependence on federal allocations by turning its youthful population, land and other resources into drivers of a sustainable digital economy.

Inuwa gave the charge at the Galaxy Information Technology and Telecommunications (Galaxy ITT) Repositioning Retreat in Abuja, where he also called for a strategic overhaul of the company and stronger collaboration between Galaxy ITT and the Jigawa State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency.

The NITDA boss expressed concern that Jigawa and other parts of Northern Nigeria had continued to depend heavily on federal revenue despite possessing substantial human and natural resources that could support economic development.

“Jigawa has a youthful population, it has land and it has other resources. The question is: how do we harness these resources to build an economy that can sustain itself rather than continue to depend heavily on federal allocation? We need to rethink our development strategy and determine what we want to achieve within the next two or three years, then develop clear strategies and measurable targets to get there,” Inuwa said.

He identified the absence of clear development plans and excessive concentration on politics as some of the factors slowing development in the region, stressing that sustainable progress required deliberate planning, defined objectives and continuity.

According to him, Jigawa had been among the early states to recognise the potential of technology as a development tool, particularly through the establishment of Galaxy ITT under former Governor Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, but subsequent administrations failed to build sufficiently on the foundation.

Inuwa said Galaxy ITT must now develop a clear strategic direction capable of repositioning the company as a major driver of digital transformation in Jigawa and drawing on its experience of Nigeria's technology landscape.

"Galaxy ITT has a history and it has an understanding of the technology space in Nigeria. That gives it an advantage. What is required now is to define clearly where the organisation wants to go, what it wants to achieve and how it is going to contribute to the digital transformation of Jigawa State. It cannot just exist as an organisation; it must have a clear purpose and measurable outcomes,” he said.

The NITDA DG, however, noted that Galaxy ITT could not drive the transformation alone, stressing the need for supportive legal, policy and institutional frameworks.

He called for closer cooperation between Galaxy ITT and the Jigawa State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency, particularly in implementing digital policies and developing the state's digital economy.

Inuwa also traced the evolution of NITDA since its establishment in 2001, saying the agency's mandate had expanded from promoting the adoption of information and communication technology to developing policies, regulations and legal instruments aimed at making technology a key driver of economic activity.

He said the adoption of Nigeria's National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy in 2019 marked a significant change in the country's approach to technology, as the sector became increasingly viewed as a horizontal enabler cutting across virtually every part of the economy.

“When NITDA was established in 2001, our mandate was largely about promoting the adoption and use of ICT. But the environment has changed. Technology is no longer a standalone sector. It is now an enabler of virtually every sector of the economy. That is why our policies and regulations must focus on creating markets, generating employment and using technology to drive inclusive economic growth,” Inuwa said.

He said NITDA had consequently developed a strategic roadmap and action plan aimed at building a digitally empowered Nigeria capable of achieving inclusive economic growth through technological innovation.

The NITDA DG further stressed that technology had become central to global economic competitiveness, noting that many of the world's leading companies were technology-driven businesses.

He urged Jigawa to take advantage of its human and natural resources and position itself to benefit from the expanding digital economy rather than remain dependent on allocations from the Federal Government.

The retreat was also attended by former Jigawa State Governor Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, who established Galaxy ITT as part of his administration's early push for technology-driven development in the state. The company later metamorphosed into Galaxy Backbone.

Turaki commended NITDA under Inuwa's leadership for its efforts towards advancing Nigeria's digital transformation agenda.

The retreat highlighted strategic planning, policy continuity, institutional collaboration and sustained investment in technology as key requirements for repositioning Galaxy ITT and strengthening Jigawa State's participation in Nigeria's emerging digital economy.