‘No country developed in less than 30 years’, Kashifu defends Tinubu

.As TMS unveils new platform

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA: Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has defended the reforms of President Bola Tinubu, saying no country has developed in less than 30 years.

Kashifu, who is also Chairman, Board of Trustees and National Coordinator of the Tinubu Movement for Sustainable Governance Foundation (TMS), spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the group’s inaugural training workshop.

“No country in the world developed in less than 30 years. The fastest developed country is South Korea. It took 30 years. To develop, you need the right policies first. That is the foundation Mr President is laying. Then you build on it to get investors,” he said.

The programme, themed ‘Empowering Every Nigerian to be Heard’, also saw the Movement launch its official website, http://tmsnigeria.ng, where citizens can engage and verify information.

The event was convened to educate citizens on the Renewed Hope Agenda and to give Nigerians a platform to contribute ideas on how to move the country forward.

Kashifu said the thrust of the reforms is a change in what government spends its money on.

“We spend most of our resources trying to subsidise consumption. When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu came on board, he looked at it: Is it consumption we should subsidise, or production, innovation, and investment? That is what the reforms are all about,” he said.

According to him, the President built the Renewed Hope Agenda around eight priority areas. They are reforming the economy for sustained growth; strengthening national security; boosting agriculture for food security; unlocking energy and natural resources; enhancing infrastructure and transportation; focusing on health, education and social investment; accelerating diversification through industrialisation, digitalisation and creative industry; and improving governance through efficient service delivery.

The NITDA chief pointed to the integration of digital skills into formal education, the introduction of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) by the Ministry of Education, and the Student Loan scheme, which he said ensures no Nigerian is left behind because of economic circumstances.

He added that NITDA is promoting digital literacy through Digital Literacy for All, the training of over 19,000 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) champions in markets and motor parks, and the Three Million Tech Talent programme, which prepares young Nigerians to work remotely for global companies.

Kashifu said the reforms are already attracting investors, citing the Dangote Refinery, a $1 billion data centre investment by a South African firm announced this week, and JP Morgan’s decision to open operations in Nigeria.

“Reform is a journey; it is not a one-off event. The essence of this movement is to enlighten Nigerians on these reforms, so that Nigerians can understand what is in it for them. You are the ultimate beneficiary,” he said.

He urged participants at the roundtable to propose ideas on how to sustain the reforms and to state what government needs to do more, including inputs for the approved National Youth Conference.

A member of the TMS Board of Trustees, Olujonwo Obasanjo, said the Movement was set up to close the information gap between government and citizens and to showcase progress being recorded through projects across the country.

He described the creation of regional development commissions by President Tinubu, and his commitment to local government autonomy affirmed by the Supreme Court, as deliberate steps to fast-track inclusive development and bring governance closer to the people.

“Nigeria’s development challenge has never been lack of ideas, but policy discontinuity. There is the need for sustained, uninterrupted reforms to consolidate gains, drive economic growth and ensure that ongoing investments translate into lasting prosperity,” Obasanjo stated.

The Director-General of TMS, Marcel Ngogbehei, said the workshop was conceived to empower and educate ordinary Nigerians and give them a credible platform to be heard on national issues.

He explained that the training combined civic education with practical engagement, including role-play sessions in which participants set public expectations of governance against what the Tinubu administration is already implementing.

Ngogbehei acknowledged that reforms come with initial pains, but maintained that continuity is critical to attracting long-term investment and ensuring the benefits eventually reach every household.

He urged Nigerians to move beyond rhetoric and demand substance from political actors. “Instead of following rhetoric, we should encourage Nigerians to ask the opposition a simple question: What alternative are you offering that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not already doing?” he said.