The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has launched an ambitious training program, targeting 1000 civil servants across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), to revolutionize the public sector’s digital capabilities.
This initiative focuses on mastering Information Technology (IT) Project Clearance processes, a crucial step towards a digitally empowered government workforce.
This intensive training aims to forge a digitally viable public sector, a cornerstone of the current administration’s digital transformation mandate. By equipping civil servants with the necessary skills and knowledge, NITDA is directly addressing the presidential priorities of economic reform and improved governance through effective service delivery.
The program, held at the Public Service Institute of Nigeria (PSIN) in Kubwa, Abuja, is structured in batches to ensure comprehensive learning for ICT, Budget, Finance, and Planning Officers. The curriculum emphasizes collaborative planning, budgeting, and management of ICT systems, fostering a unified, “whole-of-government” approach to digital projects.
In his opening address, themed “Empowering Public Sector ICT Excellence Through Strategic Planning and Effective Funding,” NITDA’s Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa, represented by Mr. Oladejo Olawunmi, Director of IT Infrastructure Solutions, underscored the pivotal role of strategic planning and funding in enhancing public service delivery. He reiterated NITDA’s commitment to digital transformation through its Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP) 2.0, which aligns with national priorities and focuses on talent development, digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, innovation, and policy enablement.
However, Inuwa acknowledged the persistent challenges hindering digital transformation, including inadequate collaboration, short-term planning, poor infrastructure maintenance, software licensing issues, and insufficient capacity building. He highlighted that these obstacles have led to suboptimal outcomes in government-led digital initiatives, with only 12% of Federal Public Institutions (FPIs) fully complying with the IT project clearance process.
To address these issues, NITDA has strengthened its IT project clearance process, ensuring that digital initiatives are well-conceptualized, planned, and executed. The agency emphasizes the need for integrating modern trends like cloud computing and enterprise network services into project planning to avoid stagnation and failure.
Recognizing the critical role of resource allocation, Inuwa urged participants to manage public funds prudently and prioritize projects with measurable outcomes. He emphasized the importance of optimizing budgeting processes, improving financial oversight, and building systems that ensure transparency and accountability.
The training program features sessions led by experts, interactive discussions, and practical case studies, providing participants with actionable knowledge to apply in their respective roles. Inuwa stressed the crucial role of ICT, project, finance, and planning officers in resource management, program implementation, and service delivery, highlighting their contribution to efficient and transparent governance. He encouraged participants to fully utilize the program’s resources to strengthen their expertise in strategic planning, monitoring, evaluation, and financial management, ultimately building a robust digital backbone for the Nigerian public sector.