Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency, participated in a high-level global dialogue on digital innovation, emerging technologies, and inclusive digital transformation for sustainable development. The opening session brought together international leaders, including Dr Khalliur Rahman, President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly; José Ramos-Horta, President of Timor-Leste; Dasho Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of Bhutan; Wellington Dias, Brazil’s Minister of Development and Social Assistance; and Bilal Bin Saqib, Minister of State and Chairman of Pakistan’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority. The event featured a keynote address by 2006 Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chair of the Global Committee on Social Business for Sustainable Development Goals.
The discussions focused on strategies to ensure digital transformation delivers measurable improvements to quality of life by expanding economic opportunities, strengthening digital inclusion, and addressing persistent social challenges. During the dialogue, the National Information Technology Development Agency highlighted Nigeria’s efforts to cultivate a national technology ecosystem centered on artificial intelligence, digital public infrastructure, technical skilling, innovation, and entrepreneurship to support inclusive economic growth.
Director-General Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi emphasized that the true measure of digital transformation lies not in technological sophistication, but in the number of lives improved, opportunities generated, and citizens empowered to participate in the digital economy. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to advancing global discussions on leveraging technology to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals while widening access to the international digital economy.
