By Chimezie Godfrey
The National Information Technology Development Agency and Agence des Systèmes d’Information et du Numérique have moved to strengthen bilateral cooperation on digital transformation, digital public infrastructure and innovation-driven governance.
The commitment was reaffirmed during a courtesy visit by the Beninese delegation to NITDA’s corporate headquarters in Abuja, where discussions focused on deepening bilateral cooperation, sharing best practices and advancing digital development across the region.
Speaking during the engagement, the Director-General of National Information Technology Development Agency, Kashifu Inuwa, represented by the Director of Stakeholder Management and Partnerships, Aristotle Onumo, said regional collaboration remains critical to advancing Africa’s digital economy and building resilient digital ecosystems capable of supporting sustainable growth.
He noted that NITDA remains committed to driving Nigeria’s digital transformation through the development of policies, standards and strategic frameworks designed to modernise governance and improve service delivery across the public sector.
According to him, the agency has developed several foundational frameworks, including the Enterprise Governance Framework, Digital Transformation Framework and Software Quality Assurance Framework, to guide Ministries, Departments and Agencies in their digital transformation journeys.
“Our goal is to move government institutions beyond basic digitalisation to full digital transformation, and ultimately, to build an intelligent, data-driven government powered by emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence,” he stated.
Inuwa further disclosed that since 2018, NITDA has reviewed over ₦1.5 trillion worth of government IT projects to ensure compliance, technical alignment and value for money.
He said the intervention has helped the Federal Government save more than ₦300 billion through the elimination of duplication, promotion of shared services and improved implementation of digital projects across government institutions.
On digital public infrastructure, the NITDA DG revealed that Nigeria has transitioned from fragmented agency-to-agency data exchanges to a more integrated and citizen-centred ecosystem through the Nigerian Data Exchange platform.
He explained that the platform provides a federated and centralised framework for seamless data exchange among government institutions while preserving the autonomy of individual information systems.
According to him, the proposed e-Government and Digital Economy Bill would provide the legal framework required to strengthen the platform and institutionalise digital collaboration across government.
He also highlighted NITDA’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan 2024–2027, which aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of Bola Ahmed Tinubu and focuses on digital literacy, cybersecurity, innovation, research and inclusive digital access.
Earlier, the Head of International Partnerships at Agence des Systèmes d’Information et du Numérique, Tildy Erlong, said the visit followed a recent Smart Africa workshop in Abuja and was aimed at strengthening institutional ties and learning from Nigeria’s digital transformation experience.
She explained that ASIN serves as the operational agency under Benin Republic’s digital ministry and is responsible for implementing strategic digital development projects in collaboration with institutions such as the national identity agency, ANIP, and the cybersecurity agency, CENIN.
Erlong disclosed that about 98 per cent of Benin Republic’s population, estimated at 13.6 million citizens, has been enrolled on the country’s digital identity platform.
She added that more than 60 government agencies and service institutions are connected through Benin’s XROAD interoperability platform, enabling the delivery of over 250 digital services to citizens.
According to her, Benin Republic is also prioritising digital inclusion, open-source systems and the deployment of artificial intelligence to improve service delivery in healthcare, education and justice sectors.
NITDA, Benin Digital Agency Deepen Partnership On Digital Transformation
