Suleiman
Isah

Director General — Niger State Information Technology & Digital Economy Agency

Pioneer Commissioner and founding Director General driving Niger State’s bold digital transformation — expanding broadband access, modernising public services, empowering youth, and positioning the state as a leading technology destination in West Africa.

suleimanisah.com



LinkedIn Profile

 
2026
Pioneer
Director General

Profile

A Career Built at the
Intersection of Technology & Governance

In today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape, few have embraced the challenge of leading digital transformation in governance at the sub-national level in Nigeria like Suleiman Isah. Appointed in August 2023 as the first-ever Commissioner for Communications Technology and Digital Economy in Niger State by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, he was subsequently appointed as the pioneer Director General of the Niger State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency (NSITDEA) — an institution he himself championed, recognising that technology governance demands the agility that traditional ministerial bureaucracy cannot provide.

“We decided not to go the ministry route because it wasn’t working for tech, given the bureaucracy and bottlenecks. Technology governance demands speed, autonomy, and a mandate to execute.”

Isah’s appointment was the culmination of a career rooted in technology infrastructure, cybersecurity, and digital strategy. At the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), he served as Network Security Incident Monitoring Manager and IT Risk and Resource Analyst — roles that placed him at the centre of protecting Nigeria’s national revenue systems and taxpayer data across more than 100 locations nationwide. This federal-level experience gave him an unmatched understanding of large-scale digital governance.

He subsequently served as Special Assistant on Technical Matters to the Managing Director of the Upper Niger River Basin Development Authority, where his scope extended beyond IT to agriculture and water resources management — reinforcing his versatility as a technocrat. Immediately before his ministerial appointment, he served as Special Advisor on Digital Transformation and ICT to the Niger State Internal Revenue Service, where he introduced innovations such as the eTCC and taxpayer self-service platforms that measurably enhanced revenue collection and taxpayer services.

As Director General, Isah is focused on building a technologically empowered Niger State — expanding broadband access, promoting financial inclusion, facilitating market access, and ensuring every citizen can participate meaningfully in the digital economy. The Niger State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency Law (2025) grants NSITDEA financial autonomy, regulatory authority over digital service providers, and a legislative mandate designed to outlast any single administration.

Beyond government, Isah is a committed public intellectual. He was the founding curator of TEDxMinna, a platform that sparks innovative conversations across Niger State. He volunteers with the Sickle Cell Aid Foundation and the Fate Foundation, mentors young entrepreneurs, and teaches entrepreneurship in cybersecurity at Newgate University.

Key Initiatives & Achievements

Digital Transformation
Milestones as Commissioner

01
● In Progress

Healthcare Digitalisation Across 23 Facilities

Ongoing initiative to digitise patient records across all 23 secondary health facilities in Niger State through a unified hospital card — replacing fragmented paper files and also functional as a digital payment wallet for drug purchases at point of care.

02

Abolition of Fibre Optic Right-of-Way Charges

Championed a landmark policy formalised in September 2024 waiving Right-of-Way fees for telecom operators. Secured a commitment for a 40km fibre metro ring in Minna, with public Wi-Fi and Fibre-to-the-Home connectivity at all state tertiary institutions.

03

AI-Monitored Civil Service Recruitment

Introduced AI-monitored, home-based examinations for civil service recruitment, eliminating the need for candidates to travel to CBT centres — increasing accessibility and significantly reducing costs for applicants across Niger State’s vast geography.

04

Mass Civil Servant Digital Literacy Programme

Designed and executed a state-wide e-governance training programme equipping civil servants with digital tools and ICT skills, as part of the administration’s ambition to achieve 75% digital literacy across Niger State by 2027.

05

Ghost Worker Elimination via Biometric Payroll

Deployed biometric-based digital verification systems for public servants that uncovered and removed ghost workers draining state coffers, directly protecting Niger State’s fiscal resources and strengthening payroll integrity across MDAs.

06

TechSis — Women in Technology Initiative

Championed the TechSis programme, a dedicated initiative driving female participation in Niger State’s technology sector — recognised nationally as a benchmark for inclusive digital economy development at the sub-national level in Nigeria.

07

MakerSpace Innovation Hub (UNDP Partnership)

Partnered with UNDP to convert the Abdulsalam Youth Centre into a hardware-focused MakerSpace innovation hub. Also secured 100 UNDP-funded graduate interns through the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme to augment the ministry’s workforce.

08

Unified State Data Governance Framework

Led a unified data collection initiative spanning all 25 LGAs — including a Centralised Access Framework, Social Register expansion, and a Harmonisation Taskforce to align all MDAs under a single, integrated digital infrastructure.

09

Establishment of NSITDEA & Legislative Framework

Architected the transition from ministry to agency, enshrined in the Niger State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency Law (2025) — granting NSITDEA statutory independence, regulatory authority, and a dedicated funding structure tied to internally generated revenue.

National Recognition

Acknowledged Among
Nigeria’s Digital Economy Leaders

50 Most Valuable Personalities in Nigeria’s Digital Economy — 2025

Recognised by IT Edge News Africa at a ceremony in Lagos, Suleiman Isah was honoured for redefining technological governance in Niger State — specifically for his work on healthcare digitalisation, AI-driven civil service reform, fibre optic right-of-way policy, and inclusive digital empowerment through TechSis. The award affirms Niger State’s emergence as a leading sub-national model for digital transformation in Nigeria.

Vision & Mandate

Building a Niger State Where
Technology is Not a Privilege

Suleiman Isah’s vision for Niger State is one where technology transforms governance and empowers every citizen — with sustainability as his watchword. His work is grounded in the conviction that digital transformation is not about systems alone, but about creating a future where efficiency, transparency, and innovation drive real societal progress for all 25 local government areas.

Under his leadership, NSITDEA is mandated to develop and enforce policies across information technology, innovation, and the digital economy; operate as both policymaker and executor; license and monitor digital service providers; facilitate tech hubs, innovation parks, and incubation centres; and deliver interoperable e-government platforms that fundamentally modernise how citizens interact with government.

His long-term target is clear: a Niger State where young people build technology careers without leaving home, businesses thrive in an enabling digital environment, and every community participates fully in the state’s digital economy. That future is already taking shape — system by system, policy by policy.

Read More at suleimanisah.com



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