AI is a Thought Partner, Not a Threat – NITDA DG Urges Business Leaders at CEO Forum

The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa, has called on Nigerian business leaders to adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a strategic partner for innovation and productivity rather than viewing it as a threat to human employment.

Speaking at the BusinessDay CEO Forum Nigeria in Lagos during a panel titled “Builders of the New Nigeria – Stories of Scale, Grit, and Innovation,” Inuwa challenged conventional perceptions of AI, urging CEOs to view the technology as a “thought partner” that can generate new ideas, unlock business models, and enhance competitiveness in a fast-changing global economy.

Inuwa said he sees artificial intelligence not just as a tool, but as a thought partner. He explained that while AI can outperform humans in certain tasks, it is not intended to replace people. Rather, it will displace specific skills and processes currently relied on in performing various tasks. He advised business leaders to collaborate with AI by assigning it clear roles such as virtual assistants, legal advisors, or business analysts, to drive more effective and purposeful integration.

However, he cautioned that while AI holds immense potential, it must be used with vigilance. Business leaders, he warned, should not assume AI is always accurate or ethical. Instead, AI should be treated as the worst version of itself until proven otherwise. Inuwa highlighted the need for strong regulatory oversight and explained that NITDA’s approach involves collaborating with the private sector to test and co-create solutions through “policy labs” before rolling out frameworks or regulations.

This progressive approach, according to him, enables NITDA to develop evidence-based policies that promote innovation while ensuring public safety. Rather than imposing blanket restrictions out of fear, the agency encourages experimentation with emerging technologies in safe, controlled environments, gaining insights that inform future regulatory frameworks.

The CEO Forum brought together influential business executives, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and thought leaders to discuss strategies for resilience, growth, and innovation in Nigeria’s economic landscape. Throughout the event, panelists shared personal stories of perseverance and examined how digital technologies like AI, mobile payments, and data analytics are reshaping business in Nigeria.

In another session of the forum, Inuwa delivered a presentation titled “Nigeria’s Journey to a Digital Economy,” where he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to digital literacy as the foundation for economic growth, social inclusion, and national prosperity.

He stressed that digital literacy goes beyond just knowing how to use devices and apps. It is about empowering individuals to access opportunities, create jobs, and contribute meaningfully to the economy. He highlighted the Digital Literacy for All (DL4ALL) Initiative, a national programme that aims to achieve 70 percent digital literacy by 2027 across all sectors of the population.

The DL4ALL Initiative, he explained, targets Nigerians from all walks of life—including students, civil servants, traders, and people in underserved communities—through mobile literacy campaigns, training hubs, and digital learning platforms. The goal is to equip every Nigerian with the skills required to succeed in a modern, tech-driven economy. A digitally literate nation, he said, is a prosperous nation.

Reflecting on the country’s digital evolution, Inuwa traced Nigeria’s journey from the early 2000s when less than 500,000 people had access to computers and the ICT sector contributed less than 0.5 percent to GDP. Today, over 130 million Nigerians have internet access, and the ICT sector contributes more than 17 percent to the nation’s GDP. He cited milestones such as the introduction of the National IT Policy in 2001, the NITDA Act in 2007, and a strategic shift in 2012 toward integrating ICT into public and private life. By 2019, Nigeria had progressed beyond basic ICT usage to deploying digital technologies for national economic growth.

Inuwa also aligned these achievements with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which positions digital innovation at the heart of Nigeria’s economic diversification and reform efforts. He said the agenda identifies digital transformation as essential in accelerating development across sectors such as education, healthcare, agriculture, manufacturing, governance, and creative industries.

According to Inuwa, technology is not just an enabler but a catalyst for change. It helps simplify processes, increase efficiency, and drive transformation across critical sectors. He noted that Tinubu’s reforms offer a timely opportunity for Nigeria to harness the full potential of digital tools in building a more inclusive and resilient economy.

He reminded business leaders and policymakers that economic reform must not be viewed as a fixed destination, but as an ongoing journey of adaptation and innovation. Reforming the economy, he said, requires continuous improvement, a willingness to embrace new tools, and strategic partnerships that promote inclusive growth.

In outlining the agency’s roadmap for digital transformation, Inuwa identified key pillars that guide NITDA’s efforts. These include promoting digital literacy and talent development, expanding access to digital infrastructure and services, strengthening legal and policy frameworks, enhancing cybersecurity and digital trust, supporting research and innovation, fostering entrepreneurship, building public-private partnerships, and cultivating an agile and forward-thinking workforce within the agency.

He emphasized that these pillars are not abstract ideas but actionable strategies designed to ensure inclusive development and digital competitiveness. He concluded by stating that Nigeria’s future success depends largely on how well it prepares its people to thrive in a digital world.

If properly executed, Inuwa said, the country’s digital strategy will not only create jobs and boost innovation but also secure Nigeria’s place as a global leader in the digital economy. Equipping citizens with digital skills, he noted, is no longer optional—it is imperative for sustainable national development.

The BusinessDay CEO Forum provided a critical platform for thought-provoking discussions on how Nigeria can scale up its digital transformation efforts, leveraging public-private cooperation to drive inclusive innovation. With government champions like Inuwa leading the charge, Nigeria appears poised to balance rapid technological advancement with responsible governance for the benefit of all citizens.