The National Information Technology Development Agency has urged the Kano State government to pursue initiatives that use innovation to reshape the state’s economic future, according to a statement on Monday. The call was made by the director-general of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, during a speech at the Kano Startup Weekend, where he encouraged government officials, entrepreneurs, academics and investors to embrace innovation, technology and collaboration as key drivers of growth in the 21st century.
Mr Inuwa acknowledged Kano’s reputation as a commercial hub of northern Nigeria and the wider Sahel region. He said its history of trade, enterprise and human capital provides a strong foundation, but the modern economy now offers greater opportunities through innovation and technology.
“Innovation is the process of transforming ideas into impactful solutions through commercialisation. When ideas are effectively deployed, they create value, solve societal challenges and generate sustainable economic growth,” he said.
He added that Kano’s large market, strategic location and vibrant entrepreneurial culture place it in a strong position to benefit from innovation-driven opportunities. “Innovation is the process of taking an idea from inception to impact. On the other hand, when you commercialise an idea and turn it into a product or service that solves a real problem, it drives economic growth and inclusion,” Mr Inuwa said.
The NITDA chief, however, noted challenges within the state’s education and research ecosystem. He said Kano is home to many degree-awarding institutions, but several operate in isolation from industry realities, with research outputs rarely translating into commercial or industrial applications.
Mr Inuwa said NITDA remains committed to strengthening national innovation capacity through focused human capital development programmes. He cited the Digital Literacy for All initiative, which aims to equip Nigerians with basic digital skills, and the 3 Million Technical Talents programme, designed to produce globally competitive technical professionals.
“Through DL4ALL, we are ensuring that Nigerians at all levels have the basic digital skills needed to participate in the digital economy. The 3MTT is deliberately building a pipeline of globally competitive technical talents who can drive innovation, create jobs and attract investment,” he said.
