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The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has issued a compelling call for Kano State to fundamentally reinvent its economic model for the 21st century.
Speaking at the Kano Startup Weekend, Abdullahi urged stakeholders to harness innovation, technology, and collaboration as the new engines of growth, building upon the state’s historic legacy as a commercial centre.
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Abdullahi acknowledged Kano’s strong foundation—its large market, strategic location, and entrepreneurial culture—but emphasized that past success must be powered by future-focused strategies.
From Invention to Impact: Commercializing Ideas for Growth
Abdullahi framed innovation as the critical process of turning ideas into commercial solutions that create value and solve problems.
“Innovation is the process of taking an idea from inception to impact. Invention on its own is a cost centre, but when you commercialise an idea… that is when you begin to drive economic growth and inclusion,” he stated.
He challenged the prevailing silos within Kano’s ecosystem, where academia, industry, and entrepreneurs often operate independently. He stressed the urgent need for a strong, interconnected ecosystem where university research addresses industry needs, industries adopt these innovations, and startups act as the bridge to market.
A Global Mindset for Kano’s Entrepreneurs
The NITDA DG directly addressed the state’s entrepreneurs, encouraging them to leverage technology to build globally scalable businesses from day one.
“You can start your business here in Kano, but your thinking must be global from day one. Technology has removed barriers… a startup in Kano can build solutions that serve not just Nigeria, but the world,” he advised.
He explained that such innovation-driven enterprises are key to rapid job creation and positioning Kano competitively on national and global stages.
NITDA’s Role: Building National Capacity for a Digital Future
Abdullahi outlined NITDA’s foundational programmes designed to build the human capital required for this transition. He highlighted two key initiatives:
- Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL): Aims to equip every Nigerian with essential digital skills for participation in the digital economy.
- 3 Million Technical Talents (3MTT) Programme: Focused on creating a pipeline of globally competitive professionals in software development, data analysis, and emerging technologies.
He positioned these efforts as core to implementing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritizes skills, innovation, and inclusive economic growth.
“At NITDA, we are using digital skills and innovation as tools to translate that vision into real economic impact for Nigerians,” Abdullahi affirmed.
A Collective Call to Action
In his closing remarks, Abdullahi expressed confidence in Kano’s vast potential. He issued a rallying call for all stakeholders—government, academia, industry, and the startup community—to collaborate in building a functional innovation ecosystem. With the right mindset and sustained investment, he believes Kano can reclaim its historic leadership role by emerging as a major innovation and entrepreneurship hub for Nigeria and beyond.
