Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, the Director-General/CEO of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) possesses extensive expertise in various areas such as policy formulation, administration, growth management, talent development, solutions architecture, resource mobilization, and strategy implementation, making him a transformational expert.
Born on 21st February 1980, Abdullahi attended Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi where he graduated as a BSc degree holder in Computer Science. Abdullahi obtained executive certificates from esteemed universities including Harvard University, University of Cambridge, London Business School, and Oxford University in the UK.
He is also a graduate of the renowned IMD Business School in Switzerland, and has received training in strategy from the world-famous Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Additionally, Abdullahi has earned several professional certifications in telecommunications, service management, networking, and solution design.
Abdullahi had previous experience as a senior network engineer at Galaxy Backbone Ltd from 2007 to 2013. He then worked as a senior technology solutions architect at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from 2014 to 2017.
In 2017, he joined NITDA as a Technical Assistant to the Director-General and later became the Director-General in 2019, appointed by former President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.
While working as a Technical Assistant at NITDA, Abdullahi played a significant role in NITDA’s strategic goals by actively participating in the design, planning, coordination, and execution of various thematic areas such as IT Regulation, Local Content Development, and Digital Inclusion. In 2017, he was instrumental in coordinating local content initiatives that led to an increase in ICT local production.
Abdullahi identified opportunities for cost reduction in NITDA’s procurement processes and successfully oversaw a reduction of over 5% in the budgets of major projects.
Abdullahi holds a Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE Certification) and is recognized as a Fellow of the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS). Additionally, he was honoured with an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Business Administration (Leadership and Management) from California Metropolitan University in London during the Leaders Without Borders Annual Business Summit.
Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi assumed the office of the Director General of NITDA on 20 August 2019 after being appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari, the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Since he assumed office, he has implemented various strategic initiatives and projects aimed at promoting digital inclusion, speeding up innovation, generating employment opportunities, and enhancing access to essential IT infrastructure throughout Nigeria.
He has also trained over 1.5 million Nigerians from various career fields and developed important policy frameworks for the government’s IT initiatives.
In 2019, he facilitated the issuance of endorsement certificates for over 1,000 indigenous IT companies and approved licenses for 12 local OEMs and 100+ data protection companies. He initiated the transformation of the agency into a smart and efficient organization through the implementation of the “Systemic Reform and Development of NITDA” project.
He also called for the development of a strategic roadmap and action plan to consolidate the gains of the digital economy and create job opportunities for Nigerian youths.
He has played a key role in Nigeria’s transition to a digital economy through the implementation of developmental regulations. This includes the development of the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) Implementation Framework, which led to the creation of a new industry with thousands of jobs and a market valued at ₦1.2 billion.
He also successfully launched the National Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) to enhance cybersecurity and protect online activities.
Additionally, Abdullahi prioritized capacity building and human resource development, including the implementation of the National Adopted Village for Smart Agriculture (NAVSA) and the Nigeria Digital Agriculture Strategy (NDAS-2020-2030).
With his strategic roadmap and action plan, Abdullahi is paving the way for Nigeria to become a leading player in the global digital economy.
By: Alexander Bombande & Goodness Eniola – Public Sector Global
