Mr Tijani Goes to Abuja

In 1939, Columbia Photos launched Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, a political satire about an idealistic new senator battling authorities corruption. Although American politicians criticised the movie’s harsh portrayal, it turned a traditional. By 1989, it was chosen as one of many first 25 movies for preservation within the U.S. Nationwide Movie Registry. 

In 2023, President Bola Tinubu appointed Bosun Tijani as his Minister for Communications, Innovation and Digital Financial system. His appointment has been extensively interpreted as an olive department to the tech neighborhood and younger Nigerians, a demographic Tinubu struggled to win over throughout his presidential marketing campaign. Tijani has beforehand been outspoken in his criticism of Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress, which made his affirmation course of unsure. Nonetheless, after a fastidiously worded apology, he secured his ministerial appointment. 

Tijani is the fourth minister to carry an analogous portfolio since its creation in 2011. Goodluck Jonathan named Omobola Johnson as Minister of Communication Know-how. Whereas Muhammadu Buhari caught with the traditional ministerial Communication portfolio for Adebayo Shittu, he reverted to Communications and Digital Financial system for Isa Pantami.

Tijani mig​​ht declare to be the primary ecosystem skilled to imagine this put up. Johnson was the nation head of Accenture when she was made minister, Shittu was a profession politician, and Pantami was an instructional, cleric and company govt earlier than assuming the position. Tijani is properly often called the co-founder of CcHUB, an accelerator primarily based in Yaba, the house of Nigeria’s tech ecosystem.

However Mr Tijani didn’t come to Abuja to easily implement insurance policies–a typical problem that has affected many technocratic minds invited to public service. In his phrases, he seeks to construct and alter the concept individuals can’t be in authorities and ship successfully. Conscious of his duties to a number of constituencies and his position as one of many few youthful ministers, he’s striving to stability technical experience with political acumen. But, whether or not or not he has balanced these totally different roles and expectations is a completely totally different query.

Welcome to Abuja

Authorities buildings typically mirror public notion: boring, static, and uniform. Newer constructions look a bit trendy however, over time, will inevitably comply with the identical sample.

The truth that Abuja is a authorities metropolis, the transfer designed to cater to Nigeria’s increasing authorities, signifies that that is the prevailing view. Nonetheless, with the inflow of civil society, worldwide organisations, and lobbying teams, there’s a burgeoning vibrancy past mere paperwork. However the expectation can nonetheless be met when one sees and enters, the constructions that decide coverage and course for an estimated 200 million individuals.

But, the workplace house the place we meet Mr Tijani for an interview is totally different from a standard civil service convention room or corridor. The abrupt transition from the sterile hall to a vibrant, open-plan workplace is putting. There’s a giant convention desk within the center, some sofas and chairs within the nook, and workplace cubicles in a reasonably open house. Younger staffers come to the desk at totally different factors to overview totally different reviews, charts and movies.  

Primarily based on the setting alone, nothing has modified about him being in Abuja, one 12 months after. This isn’t your common ministry, however Tijani just isn’t your common minister. His workplace mirrors the spirit of the Yaba he’s coming from, far faraway from Lagos’s company stiffness or Abuja’s paperwork. 

Earlier than our assembly, we had been suggested to mood our expectations. Tijani had simply returned from Beijing and was working on little relaxation. 

 All through our dialog, he’s additionally conscious of how, to some, he has did not stay as much as expectations. He approaches authorities the way in which a start-up founder does, conscious {that a} rejection or a failure is solely an opportunity to be taught, re-strategise and pivot. The lingering query is that if that is doable in Nigeria’s authorities, the place technocrats have notably been annoyed. `

Earlier than Abuja, there was Yaba

Tijani co-founded Co-Creation Hub, a cornerstone of the Yaba tech ecosystem. He remembers advocating for fibre set up and making the case to then-Governor Fashola and MainOne about Yaba’s potential. He speaks about organisations being fashioned inside CcHub – together with Andela and BudgIt – with out receiving any monetary incentive after they ultimately took off. CcHub offered workplace house and an atmosphere for this to develop. As a forerunner within the tech ecosystem, this standing could be sufficient for severe consideration for any authorities position centered on this sector.

When Tinubu named his cupboard, many seen it as a reward to political allies who had supported his contentious election—a lineup full of former governors and marketing campaign staffers. Nonetheless, a handful of individuals with technical experience, together with Tijani, who had his expertise co-founding a widely known tech accelerator, had been seen as alternatives by residents to hope for a distinction. Presidents usually don’t assign portfolios earlier than Senate confirmations, but it surely was extensively anticipated that Tijani would oversee the digital economic system, given his background. His inclusion signalled a doable alignment of presidency coverage with the views of the tech neighborhood.

Nonetheless, Tijani’s affirmation was not assured. In spite of everything, a nominee had been swapped, and others had been dropped for safety causes. One among them was Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor and minister, who had performed a serious position within the marketing campaign and spent the 12 months outdoors the federal government. In Tijani’s case, it was not safety; social media was the chance. Tweets that he had made up to now, important of former President Muhammadu Buhari and Tinubu, had been recycled on-line after his nomination turned public. Throughout his ministerial screening, senators referred to at least one stating, “Nigeria is a bloody costly tag”. Tijani ate humble pie, apologising and spinning his tweets as being “out of anger and patriotism.” It was sufficient to get him a seat on the desk and the prospect to set about altering a sector he was solely too properly aware of. 

He has needed to grapple with totally different battles and impressions since. Effectively-known tech ecosystem gamers have criticised him on social media, his tweets supporting controversial politicians have been panned, and the tempo and focus of his ministry have been flayed. When Tijani arrives for the interview–apologising for the hours-long delay–he wears the air of a person with a go well with of armour from a 12 months of battles—typically from his constituency, a subject we finish on.

A unique view of presidency

Tijani exudes confidence in his transition to Abuja, viewing governance as much less daunting than is usually perceived. This assurance stems from his distinct strategy: he claims to be the one minister utilizing a white paper to stipulate preliminary coverage concepts. Whereas not solely correct—the training ministry already did it—it displays his intent to introduce new methodologies. He’s additionally pleased with releasing a goal record inside two months of taking workplace and believes they’re on monitor to satisfy their 2024 targets.

He perceives authorities requirements as low and goals to raise them inside his ministry. Believing that “Abuja is a mirrored image of our society,” he suggests authorities constructions want reassessment to make sure they’re match for objective. 

Opposite to expectations that his private-sector background breeds contempt for paperwork, Tijani acknowledges the challenges of navigating a distinct tradition. “Authorities just isn’t structured to construct, however to manage—and there’s a lot to construct in Nigeria,” he asserts.

 He contends that actual energy isn’t centralised in Abuja, noting, “Each ministry remains to be influenced by the largest gamers,” lots of whom are primarily based in Lagos, the business hub. This means business leaders—fibre suppliers, tech giants, enterprise capitalists—might wield extra affect than legislators, highlighting his distinctive perspective on energy dynamics.

 That could be true in his sector, but it surely reveals a lot self-belief to make such a sweeping and authoritative assertion. 

He additionally believes federal and state relations are “not as complicated,” particularly as the present administration goals to devolve extra powers. His confidence, usually rooted in political savvy, underscores his self-assuredness in his position. But, he recognises that greater than technical experience is required; adept navigation of Nigeria’s intricate political panorama is important. 

Tijani admits limitations. He grapples with coordinating with quite a few ministries, departments, and businesses (MDAs), acknowledging that his bold tech initiatives might disrupt current budgets and trigger friction. He’s candid about challenges like nationwide right-of-way prices: states need funding however typically lack incentives for business gamers. His final purpose of reworking authorities is digitising processes—connecting disparate databases right into a unified, manageable system.

Authorities officers typically react moderately than set agendas. Regardless of this, they’re pressured to indicate instant impression, judged by metrics like their first 100 days. Beneath scrutiny from social media and pundits, they have to stability adapting to paperwork with reaching goals.

Tijani exemplifies this problem by specializing in his signature initiative: the three Million Technical Abilities (3MTT) mission. Greater than only a ardour, it’s the realisation of his critiques of predecessors he felt did little for tech development. By championing 3MTT, he goals to show advocacy into tangible progress.

Formidable or pragmatic?

When requested what he believes will outline his legacy—past the three Million Technical Abilities (3MTT) mission—Tijani highlights two further areas that Nigerians steadily lament on social media: knowledge sharing amongst federal businesses and fibre connectivity.

As an instance the impression of the 3MTT mission, Tijani shares the story of a girl in Kano, clad in a niqab, whose enthusiasm throughout a program demonstration defied standard stereotypes of tech professionals in Nigeria. This instance underscores his perception that broadening entry to technological training can empower anybody, positioning Nigeria as a web exporter of expertise and an importer of jobs.

For Tijani, the mission is a chance for the federal government to succeed in a wider demographic and put together the nation for the long run. Nonetheless, he acknowledges the problem of using newly skilled expertise, emphasising that with job alternatives, their ardour might keep robust. He sees this as an space the place the tech ecosystem and personal sector should collaborate to create avenues for employment.

This acknowledgement displays his understanding that authorities alone can’t drive innovation and that partnership with business stakeholders is essential. Whereas there’s an in depth TechCabal deep dive on the 3MTT mission as a part of this collection, it’s clear that measuring its legacy would require a long-term perspective.

He has additionally confronted challenges together with his intention to enhance connectivity via fibre. Seven improvement finance establishments (DFIs) have pledged $2 billion to help this initiative—a major funding. He’s cautiously optimistic, highlighting how enhanced connectivity can enhance GDP and help safety efforts by enabling intelligence businesses to higher monitor countrywide actions.

Nonetheless, this endeavour underscores the complexities of Nigeria’s federal construction. Tijani has engaged with varied states to barter right-of-way reductions and facilitate lodging for telecom firms and broadband suppliers, reaching blended outcomes. Navigating these negotiations requires political finesse, and whereas he’s sought help from politicians, this has generally led to controversy moderately than collaboration. 

Nigeria has too many datasets—from voter registrations and banking particulars to driver’s licences and cellular SIM registrations. Many Nigerians have referred to as for a unified knowledge alternate system to remove redundancy and improve effectivity. Whereas efforts are underway to handle this, important challenges stay, significantly regarding knowledge safety and inter-agency collaboration.

Implementing such a system requires new laws and presidential approval. Tijani notes {that a} current incident, the place his personal Nationwide Identification Quantity (NIN) was reportedly bought for 100 naira, led the president to withhold approval on a associated proposal. This underscores the important want for sturdy knowledge safety measures earlier than advancing knowledge integration initiatives.

The dialog ultimately shifts to Synthetic Intelligence (AI), a subject Tijani has a eager curiosity in. At 47, his relative youth in comparison with Nigeria’s older governing class positions him to champion progressive applied sciences. He identifies key sectors the place AI integration could possibly be transformative: training, agriculture, and leisure.

AI can personalise studying experiences and guarantee college students interact deeply with the fabric moderately than counting on instruments like ChatGPT for simple solutions. AI applied sciences may also help farmers decide optimum planting and harvesting instances in agriculture, enhancing yields. The leisure business can leverage AI to foretell viewers preferences and tailor content material accordingly. Whereas acknowledging that some progress has been made in these areas, Tijani emphasises that rather more will be accomplished to harness AI’s potential totally.

When speak turns to elections, he acknowledges that it could possibly be ‘nasty’, with events probably utilizing it to unfold misinformation or manipulate public opinion. He commends organisations like Luminate for supporting the AI Collective—a consortium of stakeholders devoted to advancing AI adoption responsibly in Nigeria.

This highlights a recurring theme in our dialog: the federal government’s restricted capability to drive technological change independently. Tijani acknowledges that private-sector collaboration is important to speed up progress. He believes his distinctive place as a tech-savvy minister bridges the hole between authorities and business. Nonetheless, questions nonetheless should be answered about whether or not his efforts yield outcomes shortly sufficient to make a major impression. 

The longevity query in Abuja

Sooner or later within the dialog, Tijani highlights that the large remit of his ministry means there are extra constituents that his work will attraction to than the tech ecosystem individuals readily determine him with. He references attempting to help the rebuilding of the postal service, supporting start-ups via a start-up home in San Francisco, and constructing on improved authorities synergy. These subjects are usually not off the burner per se however, over one 12 months, they’ll take an extended time to see efforts come to fruition.

The important thing query stays whether or not Tijani will earn the time wanted to see his initiatives via. His continued tenure hinges on his skill to navigate a number of pressures: representing the pursuits of the tech neighborhood, delivering tangible outcomes, and offering political utility as President Tinubu eyes re-election. These parts are intently linked, significantly as his appointment was seen as a conciliatory gesture in the direction of a sector skeptical of Tinubu’s management. In Abuja, Tijani has needed to strike a fragile stability between pragmatism and political manoeuvring—efforts which have produced blended outcomes.

Tijani’s political actions have drawn criticism, significantly his tweets praising Finances and Financial Planning Minister Atiku Bagudu, a determine with a controversial previous linked to former dictator Sani Abacha’s looted funds. Equally, his help for Hope Uzodinma, the Imo Governor whose contested rise to energy has remained divisive, has fueled perceptions that Tijani has change into too partisan. These strikes have alienated some inside the tech neighborhood who as soon as noticed him as a vocal critic of the entrenched political elite.

Tijani stays unapologetic about his reward for Bagudu and Uzodinma, arguing that each have contributed positively to Nigeria’s improvement. He highlights their help for his initiatives, significantly Uzodinma’s efforts to deliver Imo State to the forefront of ministry tasks. Moreover, Tijani acknowledges President Tinubu’s help, emphasising that he was appointed with out prior connections or patronage—a testomony, in his view, to the sincerity of the president’s agenda. This perception underpins his continued loyalty, even after beforehand voicing criticism.

Whereas Tijani has grown nearer to the political elite, his relationship with the tech neighborhood has change into strained. He admits feeling let down by these he as soon as believed would perceive the broader imaginative and prescient he presents. He laments the dearth of important engagement, with many selecting informal discussions over significant discourse. In his view, many inside the tech sector are lacking alternatives to collaborate with the federal government to advance the business. 

This disconnect has led to vocal critics, together with notable figures like Mark Essien and Gbenga Sesan. In the meantime, others, like Iyin Aboyeji—whom Tijani considers an in depth ally—have been criticised for being overly supportive. These evolving dynamics replicate the complexity of his place, caught between the expectations of two very totally different constituencies.

Once I informed some mates that I used to be scripting this for TechCabal, I used to be requested if I used to be being employed to assist the minister brush up on his optics forward of a possible cupboard reshuffle. However Tijani doesn’t really feel nervous about it. He feels supported by the president, the federal government and, above all, is assured that he’s doing his job. And but there are cases, comparable to a current launch for a 100 million (~ $61k) AI fund, the place even those that have heard him evangelise can see the cracks within the prophecy. This could possibly be defined away as a fast win, however then a minister who can appeal to bigger investments shouldn’t be so enamoured as to attend and log out on it. This is likely one of the mystifying challenges of Tijani’s work – the promise of a lot extra being hamstrung by the fact of Nigeria right now and a authorities that has did not ship on the attraction behind its election victory. For Tijani to succeed, Nigeria itself should succeed—an uphill battle underneath a president whose reputation is waning.

Tijani’s tenure thus far is marked by a mix of confidence and frustration. He is aware of his area properly and doesn’t want civil service managers to information his work, however like many authorities officers, he feels his efforts are sometimes underappreciated. His communication group has been efficient in sharing his progress via weekly updates, although he has scaled again these efforts, acknowledging the impossibility of pleasing everybody.

To those that watched Tijani’s ministerial affirmation, the person now navigating the complexities of Abuja may appear far faraway from his former self. But, either side coexist. He isn’t sure by ideological dogma however moderately pushed by a realistic willingness to work with anybody to advance Nigeria’s tech ecosystem. Nonetheless, this evolution comes at a worth—he can not anticipate the unconditional help of a constituency that now sits throughout the negotiation desk. His problem is monumental: reforming a system constructed to manage moderately than innovate. Whether or not Tijani will rework the system or change into part of it stays an open query.

Some might really feel the query is already settled, however so long as he stays minister, the reply remains to be in play. If retained, it might come at the price of one other minister from an overrepresented state, and he may discover himself positioned as a marketing campaign surrogate for 2027. How he communicates and to whom will rely on his evolving position and his skill to develop his attain. Regardless of his focus, success in Abuja finally is determined by political manoeuvring—a harsh fact in Nigerian politics. Simply ask President Jonathan.

Tijani’s three most up-to-date predecessors served full four-year phrases. By that metric, he might have three extra years—time sufficient for a radical evaluation of his initiatives and their impression. However political dynamics are hardly ever predictable, and tenure typically defies custom.

In “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” the protagonist triumphs when the political equipment remembers its idealism. In Tijani’s case, the parallels might finish with the journey itself. Finally, there can be a departure from Abuja, however whether or not it will likely be marked by systemic change or simply one other chapter in Nigerian politics stays to be seen. This story, not like the movie, gives no ensures of a triumphant ending.