NITDA DG charges Jigawa govt, Galaxy ITT on digital Transformation

The Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has challenged Jigawa State and Galaxy Information Technology and Telecommunications (Galaxy ITT) to adopt a strategic approach to digital transformation and economic development.

Inuwa made the call at the Galaxy ITT Repositioning Retreat held in Abuja on Thursday, where he expressed concern over the continued dependence of Jigawa State and other parts of Northern Nigeria on federal allocations despite their abundant human and natural resources.

He said Jigawa must rethink its development strategy by identifying and harnessing its youthful population, land and other resources to build a sustainable economy capable of thriving without excessive dependence on federal revenue.

The NITDA Director-General identified the absence of clear development plans and excessive focus on politics as some of the major challenges hindering development in Northern Nigeria.

He stressed that sustainable development at the individual, state and national levels required clear objectives, strategic planning and measurable targets.

Inuwa urged Jigawa State to define what it intends to achieve within the next two to three years and develop practical strategies to accomplish those goals.

He also recalled the pioneering role played by former Jigawa State Governor, Ibrahim Saminu Turaki, in establishing Galaxy ITT and promoting the adoption of information and communication technology in the state.

According to him, Turaki’s initiatives demonstrated considerable foresight, but the lack of continuity in subsequent administrations prevented Jigawa from fully capitalising on the foundation that had been laid.

He noted that Jigawa was among the early states to embrace technology-driven development through initiatives such as Galaxy ITT, but had since lost ground as technology became an increasingly dominant force in the global economy.