The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has urged Nigerians to stop pointing fingers and start working together to fix the country. According to him, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda can only succeed if both the government and civil society organisations (CSOs) join forces.
Inuwa gave this charge while speaking at the first-ever Civil Society Summit on Civil Democracy and National Development, held at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Abuja. He described the country’s current journey as one that “requires shared responsibility, not blame.”
“There are things the government can do that civil society cannot, and there are things civil society can do that government cannot,” he said. “But together, we can achieve greater things.”
The NITDA boss highlighted the eight key areas of President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. These include economic reform, national security, agricultural transformation, natural resource development, infrastructure expansion, improvement in the social sector, industrial diversification, and better governance. But he warned that none of these can work unless Nigerians, regardless of political affiliations, agree to work together with a common vision.
“If we all agree on the direction Nigeria should go, it won’t matter who is in power. What matters is that the vision remains consistent, and we all help to push it forward,” he said.
Inuwa also called for the use of modern technology, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), to solve major problems in agriculture, health, and education. He explained that NITDA is already working with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development on a digital platform that will use AI to help young people share their ideas directly with the government.
“Technology gives us tools to scale ideas and boost productivity tenfold. Nigeria does not lack ideas; what we lack are the tools and the will to implement them on time,” he stated.
Addressing the issue of public mistrust in government, Inuwa said, “Trust doesn’t happen overnight. It comes through constant engagement and communication.” He urged both CSOs and public servants to work harder to bridge the gap between citizens and leaders.
“Mr. President has a vision for Nigeria. We must all support him to achieve it. When we agree on the vision and trust each other, we can win today’s battles and build a better Nigeria,” he concluded.
The summit served as a platform for CSOs, policymakers, and development experts to discuss how to strengthen democracy, promote good governance, and make sure the voices of everyday Nigerians are heard in decision-making.
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