National Information Technology Development Agency
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 18 April 2001 |
| Jurisdiction | Government of Nigeria |
| Headquarters | Abuja, FCT, Nigeria. |
| Minister responsible |
|
| Agency executives |
|
| Website | nitda |
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) is a public service institution established by NITDA Act 2007 as the ICT policy implementing arm of the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is responsible for developing programmes that cater for the running of ICT-related activities in the country.[1] NITDA is also mandated with the implementation of policies guideline for driving ICT in Nigeria.[2] It plays an advisory role in copyright law by verification and revision of applicable laws in tandem with the application of software and technology acquisition. The majority of these activities are achieved through organization of workshops which cater for the training needs of its staff, government functionaries and education sectors.[3]
Programmes and initiatives
[edit]In November 2023, national media reported an ICT training programme for female founders in Abuja and an event recognising top learners in a NITDA–Coursera initiative.[4][5] In January 2023, THISDAY covered calls to align the National Digital Literacy Framework with international standards.[6] In 2025, Vanguard reported an agriculture digitisation pilot involving NITDA, JICA, and Agrovesto, and separate efforts to expand adoption of the .ng country-code domain.[7][8]
In November 2023, The Guardian (Nigeria) reported that the agency presented laptops to top learners in its NITDA–Coursera programme; the presentation was made by the acting director of the Digital Literacy and Capacity Building Department, Amina Sambo-Magaji, on behalf of the director-general.[9] The Massachusetts Institute of Technology lists Amina Sambo-Magaji as the Acting Director for Digital Literacy and Skills (NITDA) on the Abuja team of its Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program (REAP).[10] In February 2018, The Guardian reported a NITDA stakeholders’ meeting on patronage of indigenous software, identifying Amina Sambo-Magaji as National Coordinator of the agency’s Office for ICT Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIIE).[11]
History
[edit]ICT related activities started in 1950. NITDA was commissioned by the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo through the perfection of a bill designed to provide for the establishment of National Information Technology Development in 2007 (NITDA Act).[12] Operations of NITDA started in 2001, six years before the bill was passed into law. The agency's main objective is to provide ICT as a tool in tertiary institution to drive the mechanism of education sector in the country. Its creation has caused establishment of state ICT agencies in other states of Federation such as the Plateau State Information And Communication Technology Development Agency. The agency started its operation in Abuja, FCT with 30 computers. These devices were used for the training of major government functionaries which include the president and his ministers. Within the first three years of establishment, the agency supplied 5700 computers system to over 187 educational institutions in the country which includes: universities, secondary and primary schools.[13][14]
The National Information Technology Development Agency (NIRDA) is known for introduction of professional training programmes across various states in Nigeria. In 2020, NITDA announced it would train 75,000 youths in Kaduna state in information technology.[15] In 2022, they organized a programme called the "Digital Economy Employability Programme", which is aimed at training over 200,000 thousand Nigerians from all over the country.
References
[edit]- ^ Muhammad, Abubakar Sadiq; Kaya, Tuğberk (19 March 2023). "Factors affecting the citizen's intention to adopt e-government in Nigeria". Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society. 21 (3): 271–289. doi:10.1108/JICES-05-2022-0054. ISSN 1477-996X.
- ^ 2006 Information and Communications for Development Global Trends and Policies. World Bank Publications. January 2006. ISBN 9780821363478. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ "NITDA to train 600 youths in software and technology". IT News Africa. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ "NITDA launches female ICT programme to bridge gender tech gap". The Guardian (Nigeria). News Agency of Nigeria. 22 November 2023.
- ^ Ogunseyin, Oluyemi (8 November 2023). "NITDA presents laptops to top ten learners of cohort 2 programme". The Guardian (Nigeria).
- ^ Okonji, Emma (5 January 2023). "Group Calls for Adoption of International Standard to Validate Nigeria's National Digital Literacy Framework". THISDAY.
- ^ Onyegbula, Esther (27 September 2025). "NITDA, JICA, Agrovesto partner to digitize farming communities". Vanguard.
- ^ Umeh, Juliet (19 October 2025). "Senate, BPP, NITDA champion full .ng adoption to strengthen Nigeria's identity". Vanguard.
- ^ Ogunseyin, Oluyemi (8 November 2023). "NITDA presents laptops to top ten learners of cohort 2 programme". The Guardian (Nigeria). Retrieved 1 November 2025.
- ^ "Abuja, Nigeria – Team members". MIT REAP. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
- ^ Onwuegbuchi, Chike (9 February 2018). "Stakeholders seek patronage of indigenous software". The Guardian (Nigeria). Retrieved 3 November 2025.
- ^ Abdulaye Gematie (11 October 2014). Computing in Research and Development in Africa: Benefits, Trends ... Springer Shop. ISBN 9783319082394. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
- ^ Patient Idaresit Akpan-Obong; Peter Lang (2009). Information and Communication Technology in Nigeria. Peter Lang. ISBN 9781433103100.
- ^ "NITDA ACT" (PDF). NITDA. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 March 2015. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ "NITDA to Empower 75,000 Kaduna Youths with Digital Skills". Vanguard News. 17 July 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2020.