At the 44th annual GITEX Dubai, a technology conference that attracts leaders from around the world, Nigeria’s representative, Kashifu Abdullahi, stressed the importance of human capital to the country, as a growth driver. Abdullahi, who is the Director-General of Nigeria’s National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), was the sole African voice on a panel tasked with discussing the unique advantages of their respective countries.
“Nigeria’s strength lies not in resources but in human capital,” Abdullahi stated. To a global audience, he highlighted Nigeria’s focus on developing a highly skilled tech workforce—a vision backed by proactive policies to draw foreign investment into the nation’s burgeoning tech sector.
NITDA Aims At Lofty Heights
Nigeria has committed to cultivating digital skills to make its talent base competitive on the global stage. NITDA, which Abdullahi has led for over a decade, aims to elevate the digital literacy rate to 90% by 2030. Through programs like the National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), NITDA is offering specialized training in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and robotics, to engineer a digitally oriented workforce equipped to handle the demands of the future of work.
Abduullahi’s goal is ambitious. He wants to make Nigeria a global tech talent hub by 2030, in time to address the anticipated $8.5 trillion talent shortage worldwide. The training initiatives, run in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, target three million Nigerians for upskilling in tech, particularly in areas with high demand.
In addition to skill development, Nigeria has introduced a regulatory environment designed to support and accelerate business growth. Abdullahi cited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to pro-business reforms, noting the Startup Act 2022, signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari, as a recent step toward promoting productivity through innovation.
Persisting Through Challenges
There are lingering challenges, however, as past policies—like restrictions on motorcycles, strict financial regulations, and a now-reversed cryptocurrency ban—have sometimes disrupted business operations. Currency volatility has also led to the exit of multinationals, a trend the government aims to reverse with by prioritizing policies and reforms aimed at stability and innovation.
Abdullahi urged investors to consider Nigeria’s potential, drawing a parallel with Sudanese-born entrepreneur Mo Ibrahim, who invested in African telecommunications despite initial doubts and built a successful empire. With a focus on building skilled human capital, Nigeria is making a case for itself as a future leader in tech talent.
