The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) announced they are deepening collaboration to accelerate digital transformation in the energy sector.

The collaboration is being championed through the research, technology and innovation (RTI) unit of the NNPC.

The partnership was the focus of the engagement between the two organisations, where they explored strategies to leverage emerging technologies to reposition the nation’s energy industry on Friday in Abuja.

Kashifu Inuwa, director-general of NITDA, said this during a courtesy visit in Abuja on Friday by Olatomiwa Olaniyi, director, RTI unit of the NNPC.

He stressed the need for the NNPC to shift from its traditional dependence on oil and gas exploitation to a more innovative model.

According to Mr Inuwa, the innovative model will be anchored in the exploration of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and robotics, among other emerging technologies.

Mr Inuwa said information technology had become a critical enabler across sectors, adding that innovation would play a key role in shaping the future of energy production, efficiency and sustainability in Nigeria.

He outlined NITDA’s strategic priorities, which include promoting digital literacy, nurturing local talent, strengthening research ecosystems, and advancing indigenous technology solutions.

According to him, reducing reliance on foreign technologies while encouraging homegrown innovation is vital to achieving digital sovereignty and sustainable economic growth.

The NITDA boss also said the agency would support NNPC in developing a robust innovation pipeline to connect the company with Nigeria’s growing startup ecosystem.

He said startups would be engaged through incubation programmes and innovation challenges to develop practical solutions tailored to the oil and gas industry.

Mr Inuwa further stated that NITDA’s initiatives aimed at fostering innovation among young Nigerians, including members of the National Youth Service Corps.

“Many of our corps members are already creating solutions to real-world challenges through the agency’s programmes,” he said.

Mr Inuwa also said that the effective implementation of the Nigerian Startup Act would be crucial in supporting emerging technology ventures and scaling ideas into commercially viable solutions.

Mr Olaniyi said the engagement was aimed at co-creating solutions and building a strong partnership framework to accelerate innovation across the energy value chain.

He emphasised that collaboration among government agencies, industry players and the technology ecosystem remained critical to achieving sustainable innovation.

Presenting the mandate of the RTI unit, he said its focus was on driving excellence through innovation.

According to him, this will lead to improved operational efficiency, enhanced revenue generation and support sustainable growth across NNPC’s businesses, including upstream, gas, power and new energy. 

(NAN)