Odimmegwa Johnpeter/Abuja
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has strengthened efforts to accelerate digital transformation in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry, hosting a delegation from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited’s Research, Technology and Innovation (RTI) Division in Abuja.
The high-level engagement, held at NITDA headquarters, underscored growing collaboration between both institutions aimed at leveraging technology, research, and innovation to drive efficiency and sustainability in the energy sector.
During the meeting, the NNPC-RTI team outlined its vision, mission, and strategic direction, highlighting seven key focus areas: research excellence, product development, decarbonisation, strategic partnerships, talent development, innovation culture, and brand impact. The team stressed the importance of aligning innovation with national priorities, integrating emerging technologies, and reducing reliance on imported solutions through strengthened local collaboration.
Responding, Abdullahi commended the initiative, noting that it aligned with NITDA’s mandate to lead Nigeria’s digital transformation across all sectors, including oil and gas. He reiterated the agency’s commitment to fostering a robust innovation ecosystem anchored on its eight strategic pillars, including digital literacy, research and development, policy implementation, inclusive digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, entrepreneurship, and strategic partnerships.
The NITDA boss also expressed readiness to collaborate with NNPC on developing innovation pipelines and co-creating locally relevant, technology-driven energy solutions capable of boosting national productivity and competitiveness.
Both organisations agreed to explore concrete partnership opportunities, particularly in knowledge exchange and the commercialisation of innovative ideas.
The meeting ended on a positive note, with both parties committing to sustained engagement and follow-up actions to ensure impactful and long-term collaboration.
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