The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has announced plans to partner with Future Map Foundation to transform Northern Nigeria’s creative and digital industry through the establishment of a world-class film studio and specialized training in emerging technologies.
Director-General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, made the announcement during a high-level roundtable with tech innovators and Kannywood stakeholders at the PRNigeria Centre for Research and Development in Kano. He stated that the intervention is part of an ongoing effort to accelerate Northern Nigeria’s digital transformation, following discussions at the Future Map Foundation roundtable in Kano.
According to Inuwa, the initiative aims to align the creative industry in the region with global best practices by leveraging the digital economy to support national development. Addressing Kannywood filmmakers, he said that filmmakers hold great influence in shaping public perception and encouraging positive change. “Filmmakers have more power in influencing public behavior than political actors,” he said. “We must move beyond creating content for profit alone and focus on inspiring the next generation of tech builders.”
The NITDA boss added that the agency will support the industry through modern infrastructure, including a state-of-the-art studio, incubation centers for emerging technologies, and training programs to improve content quality and technical capacity.
Reacting to the development, President of the Professional Film Directors Association of Nigeria, Nasiru B. Muhammad, described the initiative as timely, noting that the industry has long faced challenges. “We have been operating in an unfriendly environment,” he said. “We look forward to NITDA’s support, especially in developing AI-driven translation and subtitling software that will enable Kannywood films to reach global audiences.”
The event also highlighted local innovation, as digital creators presented software solutions developed in Northern Nigeria. Among the notable presentations were PRev, a human-augmented media intelligence software designed for news monitoring by Shuaib S. Agaka, and SchoolTra, an educational technology platform created by Abdullahi Sani Mahuta for managing student records.
Inuwa praised both developers for their creativity and urged them to collaborate with other innovators to enhance the visibility and scalability of their products. He emphasized that this initiative is part of a wider strategy to grow the digital economy by integrating technology into creative industries.
The roundtable also reflected the long-standing partnership between NITDA and the PRNigeria Centre. Chief Executive Officer of Image Merchants Promotion Limited (IMPR), Malam Yushau A. Shuaib, said the centre has trained over 2,500 people in digital skills since 2021, including journalists and students from universities, polytechnics, and secondary schools across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
Shuaib further announced that as part of the 2026 roadmap, the centre will expand its training programs to include Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications, enabling participants to apply advanced technology in creative and media industries.
Meanwhile, at the previous Future Map Foundation event, stakeholders agreed on steps to boost innovation ecosystems, expand digital skills, support startups, and promote stronger partnerships between government, academia, and industry. The meeting concluded with a shared goal to position Northern Nigeria as a competitive hub for technology, creativity, and future-ready talent.
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