Niger agency saves N500 million monthly through AI payroll reform

The Niger Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency (NSITDEA) has recorded one of Nigeria’s most significant public-sector digital transformation successes.

This, according to the agency, has facilitated savings of approximately N500 million every month over the past three years.

NSITDEA Director-General, Suleiman Isah, disclosed this on Saturday in an exclusive interview with journalists in Minna, while reviewing digital transformation in Niger under the current administration.

Mr Isah said the feat was achieved through AI-assisted payroll reform, freeing up resources for critical development projects.

He said the agency had also connected 153 ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to high-speed internet, expanding connectivity across government.

“The connectivity drive has enabled e-government, shared digital infrastructure, better data management, and improved inter-agency coordination.

“Over 24,000 civil servants have been migrated from fragmented legacy systems to a unified cloud-based human resources management platform in the past three years.

“The initiative has created a more transparent and auditable digital environment that improves personnel administration and streamlines retirement processes,” he revealed.

According to him, the administration also approved and implemented zero Right-of-Way (RoW) charges for fiber-optic deployment.

Mr Isah noted that the move had removed financial barriers that previously discouraged telecom investments and positioned Niger as a beneficiary of a national broadband expansion initiative targeting 90,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable nationwide.

The director-general said the broadband-friendly policy had earned the state national recognition through an award from the National Broadband Alliance for Nigeria.

“The award has strengthened efforts to extend digital connectivity to both rural and urban communities,” he said.

Mr Isah said the agency had expanded technology use in public service delivery.

“Examples include AI-monitored home-based recruitment examinations for civil service applicants, a unified data governance framework across the 25 local government areas, and a central billing system that allows residents to pay taxes and government fees through a single digital platform.

“Similarly, the agency has prioritised digital inclusion and skills development. These include the Build-A-Thon Holiday Tech Camp, which exposes more than 280 youths to emerging technologies annually.

“Other programmes include TechSis Workshops for women in technology, ICT training for internally displaced persons in Gwada, and digital literacy training for 2,000 traders and artisans in Chanchaga,” the DG added.

He said small businesses had also benefited from e-commerce training organised in partnership with the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, enabling entrepreneurs to access broader markets and improve competitiveness.

Mr Isah noted that the agency’s digital transformation efforts had earned Niger recognition in national and international digital policy discussions.

He said NSITDEA had translated the administration’s digital vision into policy direction, institutional structures, stakeholder coordination, and practical implementation.

The DG explained that the agency evolved from a department that existed for two decades, to a ministry in 2023, and later transitioned into a full-fledged agency in 2026.

“Before 2023, technology functions in Niger were largely treated as administrative support. ICT was often seen in terms of computers, websites, record-keeping, and basic functions.

“The Bago administration fundamentally changed that framing. It recognised that in the 21st century, technology is infrastructure, governance, economic policy, and a pathway to inclusion,” he said.

Mr Isah maintained that the agency had accelerated technology-driven development and institutionalised digital governance across the state in the last three years. 

(NAN)