Director-General National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi has proposed strategic initiatives in strengthening collaboration with the research, technology and innovation division of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC)
This would help achieve a sustainable digital economy in preparation for the fourth industrial revolution; the DG who led members of NITDA management team to NNPC said.
The DG, who met with NNPC Research Technology & Innovations team headed by chief information officer Mrs Betty A. Ugona said the aim of the visit was to review collaborative initiatives the two agencies are working on and to further deepen their relationship by harnessing thoughts and creative ideas.
He said the purpose of the collaboration between two organizations is to identify their different mandates and seek solutions collectively to achieve these mandates.
Abdullahi stated that for any innovative tech company to thrive, it needs to be actively involved in the technological ecosystem and have a good relationship with the relevant stakeholders.
He noted that it was necessary to join all stakeholders in a connective web to improve digital technology- which was why the agency engaged the Mass Challenge- a global, zero equity start-up accelerators in the United States of America that will collaborate and strengthen innovations from the technological ecosystem.
He noted that although the agency collaborates with Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Central Bank of Nigeria among others who have grants for start-up innovations, their engagement with the Mass Challenge is also an avenue to gain support through start-up innovation funding.
He said collaboration with the research technology and innovations unit of the NNPC will align them with all the strategic innovations the agency is working on and all other services the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics will be offering.
He emphasized that collaborating with them as a stakeholder in the innovation ecosystem will enable an alignment with the NCAIR’s research and development innovations which will help diversify their revenue streams.
According to him, the collaboration between the two organizations coupled with the engagement with Mass Challenge will institutionalize a platform in which Nigerian technology experts all over the world can come together to share innovative ideas and consequently help build an enviable and globally recognized digital nation.
Mrs Betty Ugona thanked the NITDA Director General and the management team for the working visit to the organization.
