NITDA seeks creation of state-level SITDAs

In an effort to promote nationwide adoption of information communication technology (ICT) for societal development, the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has called upon all state governments in the Federal Republic of Nigeria to establish their own equivalent State Information Technology Development Agencies (SITDAs).

Vincent Olatunji, Deputy Director of Corporate Strategy and Research, made the appeal during his participation at an ICT forum in Enugu, Enugu State. Olatunji expressed that the establishment of SITDAs would propel the implementation and accessibility of ICT throughout the nation, foster economic growth and aid in delivering efficient governance.

Olatunji, who represented the agency’s Director General, Peter Jack, clarified that the creation of SITDAs would not exacerbate the issues linked with the proliferation of agencies in Nigeria. He emphasized that their formation came as a response to international conferences on ICT, where members agreed to develop roadmaps and blueprints encouraging ICT integration in their respective countries.

Olatunji pointed out that policies have no effect unless backed by the execution of well-defined strategies. He praised NITDA’s efforts in areas such as infrastructure provision, manpower development and strategy formation for ICT growth.

Olatunji insisted on the necessity for states to set up SITDAs to enable harmonization of the needs of government agencies, departments and ministries. This strategy would aid in aligning policy implementation for comprehensive national development.

Highlighting the impact on rural communities, Olatunji stated, “Sixty per cent of our population resides in rural areas. The creation of SITDA or a bureau directly under the office of the state governor would ensure ICT inclusion that reaches even these remote areas.”

Olatunji expressed disappointment at the lackluster response from state governors when they were urged to position the country as an ICT-oriented nation. Only Osun, Enugu and Lagos states positively responded, but he noted that the pilot project with these states has been very productive.

The second phase of the project, according to Olatunji, will involve states such as Yobe, Sokoto, Ebonyi and seven others. These states will first identify their ICT needs, which will then be evaluated by NITDA. The agency will then collaborate with them in developing an efficient policy formulation and implementation framework.

In his concluding remarks, Olatunji shared that NITDA, due to its interest in both software and hardware development, has established an ICT local content board with an implementation guideline already in place. He further advocated for a multi-stakeholder approach and highlighted cloud computing, e-strategies, big data among others as areas gaining global attention.

Light edits were made in 2025 to improve clarity and relevance.