Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, the Director-General and CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), joined top global leaders and development champions at a high-level summit focused on advancing sustainable and inclusive development. Co-moderated by YY Foundation Managing Director Dominique V. Dauster and WHO Goodwill Ambassador James Chau, the opening session featured prominent world figures, including UN General Assembly President Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Nobel Peace Laureates José Ramos-Horta and Professor Muhammad Yunus, Bhutan Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay, and other international ministers.
Delivering a compelling keynote address, Abdullahi urged the global tech community to move beyond basic artificial intelligence availability and prioritize representation, access, and agency. He asserted that genuinely inclusive AI systems must incorporate local languages, cultures, data, and social contexts so that communities are empowered to actively build, shape, and generate value from these tools rather than remaining passive consumers.
To illustrate AI’s practical potential, the DG described how an AI-powered agronomist could serve a Nigerian farmer with limited access to traditional experts, offering real-time insights on soil conditions, weather patterns, crop health, and market connections. He emphasized that the true measure of AI’s success lies in better decision-making, higher agricultural productivity, and improved family livelihoods, remarking that the technology should put specialized expertise within reach of every citizen.
Abdullahi outlined Nigeria’s strategic digital roadmap, which rests on four critical pillars: CONNECT, SKILL, COMPUTE, and CREATE. He referenced ongoing national initiatives such as Project BRIDGE to expand digital connectivity, alongside skill-building programs like DL4ALL, 3MTT, and TVET designed to prepare the local workforce for the evolving digital economy.
Addressing the issue of digital sovereignty, the NITDA chief clarified that Nigeria seeks strategic self-reliance rather than technological isolation. The goal is to ensure AI models operating within the country respect local laws, reflect national nuances, and process indigenous datasets, all while maintaining active global partnerships and attracting foreign technology investments.
Abdullahi also outlined a model of shared global responsibility, calling on multinational tech corporations to move beyond transactional relationships and genuinely “build with Africa.” He urged global firms to invest directly in local compute infrastructure, support African language datasets, and partner with local researchers, while stressing that ethical oversight must remain paramount because human accountability cannot be delegated to machines.
Concluding his address, the DG challenged developers and policymakers to evaluate whether their systems truly represent diverse populations and offer equitable agency. He reaffirmed Nigeria’s vision to cultivate an ecosystem where technological progress directly unlocks human potential, ensuring citizens act as active creators and leaders in the global AI economy.
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