By Angeline Mgbele, Correspondent Abuja

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, has commended the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) for the various projects and initiatives the Agency has carried out to boost Nigeria’s Digital Economy.

The Yorubaland Monarch made the commendation yesterday when he received director general of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, in Abuja.

Oba Adeyeye expressed his satisfaction on the approach NITDA is using in engaging Nigerians, particularly in the area of Information Technology.

He said, “I have been following the activities of NITDA over the years, and all I can say is, I am very happy and satisfied with all that you are doing.

“I must also commend the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami), who under his watch, the Ministry and also the Agencies he supervises are doing wonderfully to move this country forward especially in regard to digital economy,” he said.

The Monarch further charged NITDA to do more in the areas of youth development, adding that Nigerians youth are the backbone of the country’s growth.

“As someone who is passionate about youth development, I will love to see NITDA doing more in regard to youth empowerment. There is need for Agency to expand its initiatives across other regions, especially North, so that the youth can catch up with their counterpart in other regions of the country,” the Monarch said.

On his part, the DG NITDA thanked Oba Adeyeye for the words of encouragement and assured him the Agency’s commitment in ensuring that it discharges its duties by providing Nigerians with basic digital skills through capacity building training.

Abdullahi explained to the Monarch that Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Promotion of Indigenous Contents were one of the Agency’s strategic pillars basically involved the maximum empowerment of youth and use of local innovators to come up with indigenous content that would bring digital solutions for the nation.

The  NITDA DG further apprised Oba Adeyeye that NITDA had been coming up with digital innovation solutions through various innovation challenges across the country.

He also assured him that NITDA would continue to come up with developmental initiatives that would better the lives of Nigerians especially in the areas of emerging technologies.