By 
The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has inaugurated a Joint Management-Union Committee to provide a formal platform for addressing staff welfare, training, productivity and workplace concerns across the Agency.
RELATED: NITDA launches National Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2026, calls for collective action
The committee, comprising representatives of NITDA management and the staff union, is expected to provide a more structured approach to employee concerns and promote consultation, transparency and timely resolution of workplace issues.
NITDA Moves to Institutionalise Staff Engagement
Abdullahi said the initiative was driven by the need to ensure that employees’ concerns are properly heard and addressed through an institutional mechanism rather than on an ad hoc basis.
Speaking at the closing ceremony of NITDA’s Human Resources Sensitisation Week 2026, the DG commended the Human Resources Department for its efforts but stressed that effective management must go beyond enforcing rules and administrative procedures.
He said employees remain central to NITDA’s ability to deliver on its mandate, urging the HR function and management to focus increasingly on unlocking the potential of staff.
“People are the operating system of the Agency. We want to unlock your potential. We want to make you innovative so that the Agency will achieve its mandate.”
Abdullahi added that NITDA should progressively move from simply managing its workforce to creating the conditions that enable employees to develop their capabilities and contribute more effectively.
Committee to Address Training and Welfare Concerns
The DG said the Joint Management-Union Committee would not be restricted to training issues but would serve as a broader platform for addressing matters affecting employees.
He subsequently declared the committee inaugurated and urged members to commence work with urgency.
The initiative followed concerns raised by staff regarding the allocation of training opportunities and other employee benefits. Abdullahi agreed that capacity-development opportunities should take employees’ performance and contributions into consideration rather than being determined solely by rank.
Staff also raised concerns about gaps in working tools and the need for faster institutional intervention when employees experience medical emergencies or workplace accidents.
Responding to the concerns, Abdullahi said NITDA had procured digital tools and was working towards ensuring that employees have the equipment required to perform their duties effectively.
He also noted that the Agency had expanded training and capacity-development opportunities in recent years, including access to international programmes.
Abdullahi Links Staff Welfare to Productivity
The DG described the sensitisation programme and feedback session as an opportunity for NITDA’s Human Resources Department to identify areas where it was performing well and those requiring improvement.
He characterised the relationship between management and employees as a “social contract”, stressing that both sides have responsibilities within the relationship.
While calling for sustained attention to staff welfare, Abdullahi also challenged employees to reciprocate improved working conditions with greater commitment, productivity and punctuality.
According to him, improved staff welfare should be accompanied by stronger performance because NITDA stands to benefit when employees are provided with the right environment to develop their capabilities and contribute fully to the Agency’s mandate.
The Joint Management-Union Committee comprises management representatives including the Director of Finance, Director of Human Resources, a representative of the DG and auditors, while the staff union will nominate four representatives.
NITDA HR Department Embraces Strategic Workforce Management
Earlier, the Director of Human Resource Management, Sarafa Lawal, said the role of human resources had evolved beyond recruitment, personnel administration and staff welfare to become a strategic function for organisational performance and innovation.
Lawal said modern HR practices must contribute to organisational capability, culture, performance and sustainability by ensuring that employees understand the Agency’s strategic direction, their responsibilities and the opportunities available for professional growth.
He described employees as a strategic institutional asset rather than merely a cost to be managed.
According to him, investment in training, professional development, coaching and career advancement should be regarded as investment in institutional capacity.
Human Capital Development as Shared Responsibility
The NITDA HRM Director said human capital development was a shared responsibility involving the HR department, directors, heads of departments and individual employees.
He explained that while HR must provide the necessary policies, systems, tools and support, managers are responsible for leadership, coaching and feedback, while employees must take ownership of their responsibilities and performance.
The three-day Human Resources Sensitisation Week combined professional development activities with programmes designed to promote interaction and recognise employee contributions.
Activities included a football competition, a workshop for administrative staff introducing the new HR T-Model, and an HR Clinic that provided employees with an opportunity to engage directly on human-resource-related issues.
NITDA Recognises Staff Performance
The closing ceremony was attended by members of the Agency’s top management, heads of departments and unit heads.
It also featured awards recognising employees for excellent performance, attendance and punctuality, alongside gifts for best-dressed staff members.
The recognition extended beyond professional and administrative cadres, with cleaners, security personnel and other support staff also recognised for their contributions.
The establishment of the Joint Management-Union Committee signals NITDA’s effort to create a more formal employee-engagement framework while linking staff welfare, professional development and workplace support to productivity and the Agency’s broader digital-development mandate.
