BY SEUN DANIELS
The Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Abdullahi, said digital transformation is the next generation for the transportation industry in Nigeria.
The DG stated this yesterday when he received the DG/CEO of the Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT), Dr. Bayero Salih Farah, and his team on a courtesy visit to NITDA Corporate Headquarters in Abuja.
He said it is critical to align transportation with the global digital transformation, adding that the emerging technology creates avenues for digital transformation, while advocating for definite strides to move beyond digitisation to digitiliasation.
According to him, emerging technology is currently disrupting transportation models; cars are transforming from being mechanical to automated vehicles, “we now have auto drones and even auto pilots” he added.
He cited the recent launching of the first locally assembled Hyundai KONA Electric Vehicle by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) as a step towards of embracing the emerging technology trends across the globe.
The DG advised on the need for software upgrade, to be able to compete healthily with the international community, adding that today’s world is driven by data, research, and development.
Abdullahi revealed that in line with the digital transformation agenda, the Agency constituted the Digital Transformation Technical Working Groups (DTTWG) in each MDA and the organization designated one of the DTTWG members as its Data Protection Officer.
He said in line with its mandate, NITDA creating a framework for the planning, research, development, standardization, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation, and regulation of Information Technology practices in Nigeria.
He applauded the NITT proposal to open a transport intelligence center as a good initiative, adding that NITDA also recently commissioned its own National Center for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR).
“The NCAIR Centre is intended to provide facilities that would encourage inquisitive perspectives and opportunities to create and develop initiatives’’, he added.
The Centre is expected to attend to trainings, design and print prototype of Drones, Robots, among others. This would be of immense benefit to NITT.
He added that the collaboration and sharing of theoretical aspects would foster the development of prototype that would help the industry and the country especially in job creation.
The NITDA boss expressed support in product oriented research that will help initiate solutions to encourage the automation of processes and reduce fraud.
He confirms that NITDA would be willing to partner with NITT in the areas of crafting, design, human capital, data analysis and architectural development of their project to enable and enhance professionalism.
Dr. Bayero Salih Farah, the DG/CEO of NITT appreciated the opportunity given by NITDA to intimate the agency on the activities of his institute. He revealed that his institute has been undergoing vigorous trainings in various categories.
However, he said, the institute is working on expansion through the opening of a Transport Intelligence Center (TIC). He applauded the immense contribution of the NITDA DG and his management team on the need for digital transformation.
He expressed confidence that this new alliance would foster greater development in ICT within his institute, and the country as the end users.