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By Jeremiah Abu
Zamfara State and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) are exploring a strategic partnership to accelerate the state’s transition to a knowledge-based economy allowing it to create jobs, and improve the quality of life for its citizens through inclusive digital access and innovation-led growth.
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This was revealed during a recent meeting in Abuja between the Director General NITDA, Kachifu Inuwa Abdullahi and the newly appointed Executive Secretary, Zamfara Innovation, Technology and Digital Economy Development Agency (ZITDA), Prof Abubakar Habibu Gajam.
Zamfara State has 14 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and has implemented series of initiatives to build digital capacity in citizens, and digitalise government processes including the launch of the electronic tax clearance.
The initiatives include Incubation2030 programme to uplift the digital productivity capacity of young people; the Information and Communication Technology-Youth Empowerment Programme, ICT-YEP; and establishment of the Zamfara ICT Hub and Digital Center.
A collaborating with the NITDA presents a valuable opportunity for Zamfara State to bolster its digital economy initiatives and foster inclusive growth.
Zamfara eyes Capacity Building, others
Areas the state is hoping to leverage a strategic relationship with NITDA include:
Capacity Building allowing NITDA to provide technical assistance and training programs aimed at enhancing digital literacy and skill development among the youth and workforce in Zamfara State; and Infrastructure Development so the federal government agency could support the state in developing robust ICT infrastructure, including broadband connectivity, data centers, and digital hubs.
Others are e-Government Services, startup incubation and support and cybersecurity and data protection.
The state is seeking for NITDA’s assistance in digitizing government services and implementing e-governance solutions. This includes developing online portals for citizen engagement, digitalizing administrative processes, and deploying digital platforms for service delivery in areas such as healthcare, education, and agriculture.
NITDA’s expertise in fostering startup ecosystems should also benefit Zamfara State by establishing incubation centers and providing support programs for aspiring entrepreneurs and tech startups, said a senior government official to IT Edge News in Abuja,
Adding that on cybersecurity and data protection, Zamfara State to needs NITDA’s guidance to strengthen cybersecurity measures and ensure data protection compliance.
Digital agriculture and smart farming
But the state is particularly keen on leveraging NITDA’s vast experience in smart farming to implement digital agriculture to improve farmers; output. With initiatives such as the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA), the digital platform for faster, more effective government agriculture policies, NITDA has been able to provide robust support for hundreds of farmers across the country. Zamfara hopes to tap into this opportunity for “improving productivity, efficiency, and resilience” in the agricultural sector. NAVSA and similar initiatives by NITDA allows beneficiaries to leverage technologies such as IoT, data analytics, and remote sensing for precision farming, market access, and value chain optimization.
GITEX Business Briefing
Prof Gajam was also at the GITEX Breakfast Briefing to explore offshore collaboration with the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), organisers of GITEX AFRICA, Morocco and GITEX GLOBAL, Dubai.
