By The Director General of Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Kashifu Inuwa has called for a Nigeria–MENA Digital Fintech Corridor built on interoperable cross-border payments, shared regulatory sandboxes, responsible AI deployment, youth-driven innovation exchanges, and digital finance solutions that put people first.
Inuwa in a keynote address at the 4th MENA Fintech Festival in Doha, Qatar, where he spoke on the theme “The Role of Innovation in Driving Economic Growth and Financial Inclusion”, also called for stronger Africa–MENA collaboration.
He noted that innovation remains the engine of inclusive growth and that Nigeria stands ready to partner, co-create, and help shape the future of digital finance.
The DG captured the world’s fast march toward Bank 4.0 — a future where financial services are intelligent, seamlessly embedded, and driven by AI and data.
He spotlighted Nigeria’s rising influence in this transformation, powered by a vibrant fintech ecosystem, expanding financial inclusion, and a digital economy that continues to gain global attention.
According to him, true innovation must move beyond access, ensuring real financial health, resilience, and shared prosperity for women, youth, rural populations, and MSMEs.
