The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has engaged with senior executives of NEC Corporation, one of Japan’s leading technology multinationals, to explore opportunities for deploying advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) solutions in Nigeria.
At the high-level meeting, which included Yosuke Koide, Director of NEC West Africa; Carel Coetze, CEO; Miho Hara of International Development Aid; and Kentaro Maekawa of the Senior Relations Department, discussions centred on expanding AI applications in agriculture, enhancing digital infrastructure, promoting smart governance, and advancing sustainable technology solutions.
The dialogue underscored Nigeria’s inclusive digital growth agenda as outlined in NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0), while also spotlighting the country’s strong comparative advantages and vast opportunities for global investors in its startup and innovation ecosystem.
NITDA also featured at the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-led Project NINJA session, where Inuwa joined a distinguished panel alongside Satoshi Shimoda, Senior Writer at Nikkei, and Christopher Chijiutomi, Managing Director and Head of Africa at British International Investment.
The panel explored how government and public–private partnerships can strengthen Africa’s startup ecosystem. Inuwa reaffirmed Nigeria’s position as the continent’s leading destination for innovation, investment, and partnerships, stressing the country’s commitment to building a resilient, technology-driven economy.
About The Author
