NITDA, ACEPHAP to leverage digital technology to improve healthcare sector – Nigerian CommunicationWeek

This became clear when an ACEPHAP delegation led by its Director, Professor Hadiza Shehu Galadanci, visited the agency’s headquarters, DG NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa CCIE, to discuss possible areas of cooperation.

Inuwa outlined a comprehensive plan to leverage technology as an enabler across all key sectors in Nigeria, with special emphasis on healthcare, while emphasizing that technology is not a standalone sector but an essential tool to enhance productivity and innovation across all sectors.

Listing the pillars of the Agency’s Strategic Roadmap and Action Plan (SRAP 2.0) in creating a thriving digital ecosystem that benefits all sectors, he said the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR has prioritized healthcare, leveraging technology to achieve significant development in this sector.

“Healthcare is key to us and the President is also vocal and vocal about it, which is why we have developed our strategic action plan and action plan, which consists of 8 pillars to achieve significant milestones in the sector,” he noted.

Commenting on the first pillar of fostering digital skills and cultivating talents, he said the agency has set an ambitious target of achieving 95% digital skills by 2030, with a medium-term target of 70% by 2027, and in this regard has implemented the Digital Skills for All Programme, which aims to integrate digital skills into the national academic curriculum in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

He also added that there are plans to train 3 million Nigerians in the most in-demand IT skills through various initiatives, including partnerships with platforms such as Coursera.

“We want to increase the digital fluency of our citizens. Everyone should be able to use digital devices safely and responsibly, and build their fluency so that we can build our digital offering in the country,” he added.

Inuwa provided valuable information on various strategic initiatives being implemented by the agency that visitors can leverage to create a vibrant healthcare sector in line with the other pillars of SRAP which are building a robust technology research ecosystem, strengthening policy implementation and regulatory framework, promoting integration Access to infrastructure and digital services, strengthening cybersecurity and increasing digital trust, nurturing an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem, creating strategic partnerships and collaborations, and finally, cultivating a vibrant organizational culture and an agile workforce at NITDA.

Noting that the agency is investing in research on 6 emerging technologies; AI, IoT, Robotics, UAV, Blockchain and Additive Manufacturing he mentioned that the aim is to set up centres of excellence in geopolitical zones to foster innovation and collaboration.

“Based on that, we will conduct an assessment of the facility’s readiness to use the equipment needed, and you can do the same for any or all of the identified new technologies, focusing on healthcare,” he said.

Stressing the importance of ensuring the privacy of patient data, Inuwa assured that “cybersecurity is crucial in everything you do because even patients need to be confident in the integrity, availability and confidentiality of their information, because as you digitize you need to be sure that their data is secured.”

He also revealed that through the Nigeria Startup Act, NITDA supports startups with incentives and resources to support innovation. He added that the Agency encourages startups to register and take advantage of these initiatives to enhance their growth and scalability.

Talking about creating strategic partnerships and collaborations, he suggested that the Agency collaborates with academia, corporate organisations, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and government entities to build a cohesive innovation ecosystem.

The NITDA boss added that the multi-stakeholder approach ensures diverse perspectives and resources that contribute to Nigeria’s digital transformation.

While Inuwa noted that the collaboration between the two is a groundbreaking step in the right direction, he also assured that the implementation of AI tools to enhance medical research and diagnostics is an innovative approach to transforming healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

Inuwa cited recent collaborations, such as with E-Health Africa, which uses AI tools like ChatGPT to improve medical research and diagnostics. This innovative approach is part of a broader strategy to develop local AI-based solutions that could transform healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

In his earlier speech, prof. Galadanci expressed optimism about the future, while anticipating a long-term partnership with NITDA that will drive transformational change in the healthcare sector.

Highlighting the centre’s focus on healthcare entrepreneurship and innovation, she shared success stories from the healthcare entrepreneurship boot camp and pitching event held in 2023, where young innovators were identified in Kano and supported with seed funding to further develop their ideas.

The director of the center emphasized that this cooperation will translate into effective political strategies and will support the development of a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among students, lecturers and health care workers.

“We sincerely hope that this will be the beginning of a long-term collaboration and partnership that will translate into the true meaning of the Quadruple Helix in the quest to solve health care rights issues through technology, innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria and Africa,” she noted.