Dr. Amina Sambo-Magaji is the pioneer Acting Director, Digital Skills Literacy and Capacity Development at the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Dr Sambo-Magaji holds a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Science from the prestigious Robert Gordon University, RGU, Scotland, United Kingdom. She is an experienced ecosystem influencer, tech expert cum academic with diverse skills in software development, data analytics, technology policy, innovation strategy and project management. Before being hired by the Agency, she worked as a pioneer staff at the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for 14 years.
Between 2017 and 2021, she was responsible for coordinating the activities of the technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship ecosystems in Nigeria through NITDA’s special purpose Vehicle – OIIE (Office for ICT, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship). She restructured the office to serve as an agile Government facilitator and was a member of the Team in Abuja that engaged with MITs Programme to accelerate regional entrepreneurship and innovation in Nigeria.
In 2021 she was part of the team that pioneered the Digital Economy drive at NITDA. This role kickstarted the Nigerian outsourcing and e-commerce policies, among others.
Academically, Dr Sambo-Magaji has an all-distinction academic record. She holds a first-class degree in Computer Science from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi (ATBU) and an M.sc with Distinction in Information Engineering with Network Management.
She obtained her Ph.D. in (Artificial Intelligence) at RGU, Scotland, and her research work has been published in reputable platforms with several outstanding awards. She is also a recipient of multiple certificates in strategy, leadership and digital transformation from reputable institutions such as Harvard University, MIT, Boston and the London Business School.
She is also an active member of the Nigerian Computer Society (NCS) and the British Computer Society (BCS). She has represented Nigeria globally in several high-level meetings in AI, technology, innovation and women empowerment.
Dr Sambo-Magaji is an advocate of digital gender inclusion and invests her time in mentoring and coaching. She hails from Kaduna State and is married with children.
