Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi

Inuwa Kashifu Abdullahi (born 21 February 1980) is a Nigerian technology expert, skilled technocrat and transformational leader that has left an indelible mark on the Nigerian IT ecosystem and sub-sector. He is a professional strategist and dynamic IT professional with key competencies that cut across growth management, policy formulation, solutions architecture, resource mobilization and strategy implementation. He is the current Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). 
He has amassed nearly two decades of corporate experience in the global private/public IT space and is the first Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) in Nigeria’s public sector. He currently holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science from ATBU Bauchi and is a recipient of multiple executive certifications from top-notch universities, including Harvard University, London Business School, Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, Oxford University, IMD Business School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His professional certifications include but are not limited to Innovation and entrepreneurship, transformational leadership, strategic transformation, service management, networking and solutions design.
Education.
Inuwa holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Computer Science from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi State, Nigeria. He is also a recipient of multiple executive certifications in leadership, innovation, telecommunications, service management, networking and solutions design from top-notch universities, including Harvard University, University of Cambridge and Oxford University. Inuwa is an MIT-Sloan strategist trained at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Career and Public Service.
Inuwa has almost two decades of experience in Information Technology operations, business transformation and solution architecture, across both private and public sectors. Prior to becoming Director-General of NITDA, Mr Inuwa worked at Galaxy Backbone Ltd as a senior network engineer before joining the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as a senior technology solutions architect. In 2017, he joined NITDA as a Technical Assistant to the then Director-General before being appointed DG in 2019 by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria - Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.
Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency.
Mr Inuwa is the current DG/CEO of NITDA - the apex Information Technology Regulatory Agency for the Nigerian ICT ecosystem. In this position, he has implemented several strategic initiatives and projects designed to foster digital inclusion, accelerate innovation, create jobs and improve access to critical IT infrastructure across the country.  In Q2 of 2021, it is worthy to note that the ICT sector under his watch contributed 17.92%  to the National GDP and led to Nigeria’s exit from recession. Mr Inuwa is also credited  with saving over 35 Billion Naira (84 million USD) of government funds since 2019 through the design and implementation of the IT clearance initiative across federal parastatals, amongst other achievements. 
Key Achievements
T.A to the DG NITDA.
Between 2017 and 2019, Mr. Inuwa worked as the Technical Assistant to then Director-General- Isa Pantami. Inuwa was actively engaged in the design, planning, coordination and execution of NITDA’s strategic goals across various thematic areas including IT Regulation, Capacity Building, Local Content Development, Government Digital Services, Digital Job Creation, Digital Inclusion and Cyber Security. He was responsible for overseeing NITDA’s procurement process and achieved a 7% reduction in the cost of major projects every year. He also managed the execution of over 300 IT interventions across Nigeria and coordinated local content adoption initiatives to encourage the use of indigenous content and solutions
Technology Architect at the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Inuwa created the technology architecture repository that highlighted a 360-degree view of the Central Bank of Nigeria IT infrastructure in real-time. Consequently, this allowed for easier decision making on IT infrastructure and asset investment. Working with relevant departments, he executed a software license rationalization that saved the bank over 5m USD in annual license fees &amp; subscriptions. As a Senior Technology Architect in the Central Bank of Nigeria, he designed, planned and coordinated numerous initiatives that helped in achieving a cashless society in Nigeria.
Senior Solutions Architect at Galaxy Backbone Nigeria.
Mr Inuwa spent 9 years at Galaxy backbone Limited and grew through the ranks. As a Senior Solutions Architect, he was responsible for the deployment, administration and management of key technology infrastructure for the company. His verifiable accomplishments at Galaxy Backbone remain relevant to date. He was responsible for:
Contributions to Information and Technology Development in Nigeria.
Mr Inuwa is a dynamic IT professional and innovation strategist with key competencies that cut across Solutions Architecture, Resource Mobilization and Strategy Implementation. He has amassed nearly 2 decades of corporate experience in the global private/public IT space and is also the first Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) in Nigeria’s public sector. Since his appointment as the DG of NITDA, he has upskilled and reskilled over 1.5 million Nigerians from different walks of life, and is credited with the formulation of critical policy frameworks that guides the Nigerian government’s activities and interventions in the IT ecosystem. In 2019, he oversaw the issuance of endorsement certificates for over 1,000 Indigenous IT companies and service providers.  He also approved the issuance of licenses to 12 local OEMs and 100+ data protection companies. He is also a strong advocate safe cyber spaces and championed multiple programs, policies and solutions for cyber safety in Nigeria. He was part of the team that developed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Technology Architecture Repository (TAR). He initiated, designed and executed a software license rationalization programme that helped save the Federal Government $5 million on annual licensing &amp; subscriptions for Nigeria’s apex bank.
Awards and recognition.
Inuwa is the recipient of multiple awards and recognition for his achievements in governance, technology and leadership. He remains a role model to several young Nigerians. See an overview of some of his most prestigious awards. 
Twitter Suspension.
During Nigeria’s Twitter suspension, Mr Inuwa led the technical team that had a robust engagement that spurred global digital diplomacy and set a new template for the operations of big tech companies in Nigeria and other developing countries.
Membership &amp; Affiliation.
Mr Inuwa is a thoroughbred IT professional and solutions architect who is affiliated with notable associations and societies across the globe. He equally holds many professional certifications in telecommunications, service management, networking and solution design. See an overview of his memberships and affiliations below: