Dream Big, Build Small Africa’s Digital Growth must start locally – DG NITDA

By Busola Bamidele

At the Hyperscalers Convergence Africa Panel Session themed “Shaping Africa’s Digital Future: Policy and Regulatory Frameworks for Accelerated Growth,” the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, urged African innovators to “dream big, but build small.”

Inuwa emphasized that Africa’s digital transformation should begin with practical, locally tailored solutions capable of scaling across regions and the continent just as many global tech giants started as small, community-driven innovations.

He called for stronger collaboration among policymakers, innovators, and the private sector to co-create adaptive policies that mirror Africa’s realities, foster innovation, and ensure technology remains a tool for human progress.

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Highlighting NITDA’s Intelligent Regulatory Framework, Inuwa said the Federal Government is now developing dynamic, data-driven regulations that evolve with new insights while safeguarding public interest and promoting inclusive innovation.

The DG of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, shared this today on the agency’s official X handle, reaffirming the government’s commitment to building a resilient and inclusive digital economy across Africa.