Nigeria, April 13 -- At the heart of Nigeria's digital transformation agenda lies a growing consensus that innovation thrives on collaboration. From policy frameworks to funding initiatives, the Federal Government, largely through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has taken visible steps to position technology as a driver of economic growth. Yet, beneath this momentum is a quieter but more consequential question: Can Nigeria truly build a sustainable innovation ecosystem if responsibility remains concentrated at the centre?

Recent conversations led by Kashifu Inuwa have emphasised partnership as the engine of progress, urging a shift from control to enablement and from isolated institutions to interconnected...