Hadiza Bala Usman, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination and Head of the Central Delivery Coordination Unit, has called on the Minister of Communications, Innovations and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, to foster better synergy within his ministry to enhance performance.
Speaking during an engagement session with the Ministry’s leadership, including the Permanent Secretary, Engr. Faruk Yusuf Yabo, and other key stakeholders such as the Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Aminu Maida, and the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, Bala Usman emphasized that stronger collaboration would help achieve the Ministry’s objectives and deliver measurable results.
She also pointed out the challenges posed by the lack of reliable and verified data, which hampers performance management and the work of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU). In addressing this, she recommended that the Ministry leverage private sector partnerships to fund the 3 Million Technical Talent (3MTT) programme, collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Education to include technical and digital skills in the national curriculum starting from primary four, and work to promote the growth of start-ups within the digital ecosystem.
Bala Usman also advised the Ministry to enhance its marketing campaigns to increase awareness and registration on the Start-Up portal. She urged them to focus on improving data management within the Ministry, particularly in the Planning, Research, and Statistics Department, to ensure high-quality data for decision-making.
She concluded by noting that, while progress has been made, this year is particularly critical for the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, which closely monitors the performance of all ministries. She urged the Ministry to align its efforts with the goals of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
