Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the United States on data privacy, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and capacity building, as part of efforts to build a secure and trusted digital ecosystem.
 
He made the reaffirmation while speaking at the Nigeria Data Privacy Capacity Building Workshop organised by the United States Department of State, in collaboration with the Nigerian Mission and key stakeholders in the digital ecosystem.
 
Inuwa explained that the partnership is part of a deliberate and long-standing effort by both countries to jointly address emerging digital challenges and harness opportunities in the fast-evolving technology space.
 
“This is not a new initiative but part of a growing and deliberate effort by both countries to jointly address emerging digital challenges and opportunities,” he said.

The DG recalled that in April 2024, both countries, through the U.S.–Nigeria Binational Commission, agreed to collaborate in critical areas such as data privacy, AI, cybersecurity and broader digital development. 
 
He added that the partnership had already produced tangible outcomes, including the co-hosting of an Artificial Intelligence Conference by the Federal Government and the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, as well as technical engagements with U.S. cybersecurity firms.
 
Inuwa stressed that NITDA’s emphasis on data privacy, AI and cybersecurity is anchored on building trust in the digital ecosystem, describing trust as a key driver of digital transformation.
 
He noted that the absence of trust slows innovation and increases costs, while its presence accelerates progress and reduces barriers to growth. 
 
According to him, building a strong digital economy requires deliberate efforts to safeguard data privacy, strengthen security frameworks and deploy AI responsibly.