The National Information Technology Development Agency has called on the Kano government to undertake initiatives that would leverage innovation to reshape the state’s economic future, according to a statement on Monday.

The director-general of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa, said this during a speech at the Kano Startup Weekend. Mr Inuwa urged stakeholders to embrace innovation, technology and collaboration as key drivers of growth in the 21st century.

He acknowledged Kano’s long-standing reputation as the commercial hub of northern Nigeria and the wider Sahel region. He noted that its rich history of trade, enterprise and human capital provided a strong foundation for future growth.

The NITDA chief said while these strengths had powered Kano’s success for centuries, the modern economy now presented even greater opportunities through innovation and technology.

“Innovation is the process of transforming ideas into impactful solutions through commercialisation. When ideas are effectively deployed, they create value, solve societal challenges and generate sustainable economic growth.

“Kano’s large market, strategic location and vibrant entrepreneurial culture place it in a strong position to take advantage of innovation-driven opportunities. Innovation is the process of taking an idea from inception to impact. On the other hand, when you commercialise an idea and turn it into a product or service that solves a real problem, it drives economic growth and inclusion,” he said.

He said, though, that the state was home to many degree-awarding institutions, many of which operated in isolation from industry realities, with research outputs rarely translating into commercial or industrial applications.

Mr Inuwa said the agency was committed to strengthening national innovation capacity through targeted human capital development programmes.

He cited the Digital Literacy for All initiative, which aims to equip Nigerians with basic digital skills, and the 3 Million Technical Talents programme, designed to produce globally competitive technical professionals.

“Through DL4ALL, we are ensuring that Nigerians at all levels have the basic digital skills needed to participate in the digital economy. The 3MTT is deliberately building a pipeline of globally competitive technical talents who can drive innovation, create jobs and attract investment,” he said.

(NAN)